MANAGEMENT BY WALKING AROUND: A CRITERIA FOR EVIDENCE BASED MANAGEMENT

This work is on understanding management by working around and its effect on organizational performance. The success of an organization is mostly dependent on the quality and quantity of information at the disposal of its management. This avails mangers the opportunity of obtaining first hand information and saves them managing out of ignorance or relying sole on information that come through lines of authority which in most cases have been adulterate in favor of the source. The objectives of the study were, to identify managerial skills that aid management by walking around; to ascertain conditions for successful management by walking around and to determine effects of management by walking around on organizational performance. The work concluded that, human resources skill is essential ingredient of management by working around; communication skill is a means by which managers send and receive messages; managers align management by walking around with organization objectives; respect for unity of command is necessary; management by walking around cannot be done by proxy; it strengthens relationship; it also provide first hand information and management by walking around is a source of motivation. Therefore the work recommended that managers should have technical competence, vision and listening ability. The process of management, walking around should be continuous; manager should ask questions; they should be fair and just; they should be honest in their judgment, and they should make sure that it contributes to realization of objectives.