What is operational empathy? Part 3.

Operational Empathy - Part 3

When discussing what manufacturing excellence means, I often catch myself commenting on the need for operational empathy or empathy within operations. This is not sympathy for the operations, nor does it discredit the importance of support organizations to improve the effectiveness of manufacturing. It is not a position that states the operation’s opinion or vantage point is always correct. Instead, operational empathy reminds us that manufacturers manufacture, and manufacturing occurs in the operations. 

Empathy is not sympathy

Empathy in organizations is the act of listening and understanding. Expanding into operational empathy, it is about the gemba or the go and see. It is the continuous discipline to remind yourself to be present on the floor, in the process, and in the discomfort you feel when you find yourself complacent. It is the obsession that manufacturing processes can always become better.

When the floor feels seen or heard, they perform better. When they are silent, they collapse. It is not that they require constant accolades or condolences, because they know they can do the job better than those from headquarters, who are here to help. Instead, they want to know that they are heard, seen, and that their vantage points are valid. Team members who stay close enough to sense things such as fatigue, complacency, or momentum understand operational empathy. Individuals who don't can quickly become pinned as individuals who do not care. 

Operational Empathy

Those who act with operational empathy slowly walk the floor listening to the assets and people. While listening more than they speak, they align priorities with the pulse of the operations. Leading with empathy, when operationalized, is not about fixing manufacturing’s problems. It is simpler than that. It is about faithfully showing up, again and again, until trust is established from the floor to the office. 

Operational empathy is not sympathy that says, “I feel bad for you.” Instead, the empathy is “I understand you” or “I’m here with you.” It is not passive but instead a stance from a position that understands the voice of the shop floor. It is the act of being close enough to understand the reality of the operations, along with the ability to mobilize when support is needed. Empathy operationalized is a blueprint for a manufacturing management system. It turns awareness into alignment and operations into excellence.