March 27, 2025
Before Tom Peters introduced the term “MBWA” in 1982, Ben Cates had been honing the practice for decades.
MBWA, better known as Management by Wandering Around, refers to the management principle popularized by leadership guru Tom Peters and defined by one online dictionary as “a style of business management which involves managers wandering around, in an unstructured manner, through their workplace(s) at random, to check with employees, equipment, or on the status of ongoing work." The goal of MBWA is not to breathe down the necks of workers in some sort of overbearing way, but to walk around and see how things are going in the workplace.
My former employer, Ben Cates, founder of Midwest Equipment Co., made it his leadership priority to know what was going on in his company. Ben was not a micro-manager, but a shrewd business owner who was seldom surprised by events happening inside his organization.
Here are five things you can expect to discover as you wander around in your place of ministry:
1. Inspiring stories: Life change and ministry impact are happening around us all the time. I receive regular updates from Sunrise Children’s Services President Dale Suttles, Disaster Relief Director Ron Crow or through the Kentucky Today online news service about lives being transformed by the gospel. These stories are like rocket fuel for the cooperative work we do together as Kentucky Baptists. We hear them when we are out among the people we serve.
2. Ministry bottlenecks: Cliff Stanfill was a feeding logistics expert. Years ago, Cliff joined a church I was pastoring and observed how we served people at our Wednesday night dinner. He immediately saw how we could improve our work, making it a better experience for our guests and volunteers. The same happens as pastors, elders, and ministry leaders regularly walk around and observe the way their church or organization provides ministry.
3. Potential unrest: No one in Christian ministry leadership likes to see people whispering. Whispering sometimes reveals the existence of unhealthy conversations that people are trying to keep private. As leaders leave their office and get out among the people, they may discover not only the good things that are happening, but also some things that are not so good and may need to be addressed.
4. Ministry opportunities: Pastors who see young families rushing around to get their children to the Wednesday night programs of the church may discover that offering a simple family meal before the service could contribute greatly to the experience and engagement of these families. There is a difference between working “in” your place of ministry and working “on” your ministry. While working in it we often become so occupied with the task at hand that we miss the improvements and opportunities needed. When we get up from our desk, out of the office, or out with those we serve we may discover ways to minister that we had not considered before.
5. Ministry moments: We have one mission, the Great Commission, and when we give missional leadership to the church or organization, we are called to serve we will be able to walk the halls, listen to what is being taught, watch the interactions, and know that the gospel is being advanced and disciples are being made.
Proverbs 27:23 reminds those with leadership responsibility to, “Know well the condition of your flocks, and give attention to your herds." Management By Wandering Around is one way to pay attention to what God has entrusted us to lead and may aid us in our goal to lead more faithfully and more effectively. Consider giving it a try.
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Todd Gray is executive director-treasurer of the Kentucky Baptist Convention. This commentary first appeared in Kentucky Today.
