Before Diagnosis Comes Discipline – The Forgotten Commonsense

Last week, in my article “From Seeing to Realising… Why Leaders Must Return to the Source”, I wrote about why leaders must go back to the Gemba, the actual place where work happens, instead of depending only on reports, dashboards, presentations, and filtered updates. Because somewhere along the way, many of us have slowly moved away from reality and started managing through interpretations of reality.

And over the years, one thing I have repeatedly realised is this.

Simply going to the Gemba does not automatically lead to excellence.

In fact, I have seen many situations where leaders, managers, and even improvement teams proudly say they are “doing Genchi Gembutsu and Genjitsu”, but instead of bringing clarity, they unknowingly create more confusion, more firefighting, and more emotional pressure inside the organisation.

Why does this happen?

Because many times, we start diagnosing before first ensuring that the basics themselves are functioning properly.

And strangely, this very simple commonsense, which should ideally come naturally to us, is slowly disappearing in many organisations.

Especially in countries like India and Brazil, where I have personally observed a strong tendency to jump quickly into explanations, analysis, recommendations, reviews, presentations, and action plans, even before first confirming whether the normal expected responsibilities are actually being fulfilled properly.

The more I reflect on this, the more I realise that this may perhaps be one of the biggest mindset gaps holding many organisations back from true operational excellence.

Because before solving any problem, there is one uncomfortable but extremely important question that must first be asked:

“Are we even doing the normal expected things properly?”

At first, this question may sound too simple.

Almost too obvious.

But in reality, this single question changes everything.

Because before trying to find special causes, we must first ensure that normal discipline itself exists, the forgotten commonsense, as I put it.

• Is the operator actually following the standard properly?
• Is the supervisor checking thoroughly?
• Is quality demanding proper evidence and documentation from the previous process before inspecting or approving?
• Is maintenance responding within the agreed escalation timelines?
• Is planning updating and visualising information correctly and on time?
• Is procurement following the agreed process?
• Is the internal customer silently accepting incomplete work?
• Is the person responsible for the gap even aware that the gap exists?
• And if aware, is the person genuinely working to resolve it?

Or have people simply become used to adjusting, bypassing, compensating, and somehow living with abnormalities every day?

Because once abnormalities become normal, reality itself slowly becomes invisible.

And that is where the true spirit of Genchi Gembutsu and Genjitsu begins to get diluted.

During my visits to factories in Germany and Japan, one thing that silently stood out to me was not sophistication.

Not technology.

Not automation.

Not expensive systems.

It was the seriousness with which people respected the basics.

There was a deeply embedded expectation that everyone must fulfil their responsibility thoroughly and professionally.

• If a document was required, the document was there.
• If a process standard existed, it was followed.
• If a quality check was required, it was performed properly.
• If an escalation rule existed, it was triggered and followed.
• If a gap was identified, the responsible person immediately owned it.

Not because someone shouted.

Not because a customer was visiting.

Not because an audit was approaching.

But because internally, people genuinely felt responsible for not passing confusion, defects, incomplete work, or hidden problems to the next person.

There was a certain dignity attached to doing the basics properly.

And because the basics were consistently respected, diagnosis itself became meaningful.

• The signal was clean.
• The abnormality became visible.
• The cause could be understood clearly.

Now when I compare this with what we often experience in many organisations in India or Brazil, I notice something very different.

Of course, there are many outstanding companies and exceptional leaders as well.

But in many places, the first instinct is often to jump directly into explanations.

Production delay?

Immediately discussions begin.

• Material shortage.
• Planning issue.
• Machine breakdown.
• Operator skill gap.
• Customer change.
• Market fluctuation.
• Vendor problem.
• Even Weather and Traffic.

Everything gets discussed.

But very rarely does someone pause and first ask:

“Wait… were all the normal expected activities actually done properly?”

• Was the inspection completed fully?
• Was the escalation raised on time?
• Did the previous process hand over correctly?
• Was the standard followed honestly?
• Was the deviation recorded?
• Did the supervisor review the shift thoroughly?
• Did someone silently accept incomplete work just to avoid confrontation?
• Did someone say “adjust madi” and move on?

And many times, the answer becomes uncomfortable.

The issue is not lack of intelligence.

The issue is that the basics themselves were never respected consistently.

And unless leaders create a culture where these normal expectations become sacred, Genchi Gembutsu and Genjitsu slowly turns into emotional tourism.

People walk around.

Ask questions.

Conduct reviews.

Take photographs.

Discuss ideas.

Recommend actions.

Hold meetings.

But the system itself remains weak underneath.

Over time, another dangerous habit slowly develops.

People stop trusting systems.

• Instead of depending on standards, they start depending on individuals.
• Instead of process discipline, they depend on heroics.
• Instead of escalation systems, they depend on personal influence.
• Instead of documentation, they depend on memory.
• Instead of ownership, they depend on adjustment.

And slowly, organisations become emotionally and operationally tired.

Everyone remains busy.

But clarity disappears.

In my own journey, I have slowly realised that effective Genchi Gembutsu and Genjitsu requires a very humble mindset.

Not the mindset of a detective trying to look intelligent.

Not the mindset of a consultant trying to impress everyone with analysis.

But the mindset of a responsible human being sincerely asking:

“Have we fulfilled the normal expectations properly first?”

Because if the basics themselves are unstable, higher-level analysis becomes waste.

• Before searching for deeper causes, we must first restore normality.
• Before launching improvement projects, we must first establish discipline.
• Before asking “Why did this happen?”, we must first ask:

“Was the agreed way of working followed honestly and thoroughly?”

And this is not about blame.

It is about respect.

• Respect for standards.
• Respect for the next person.
• Respect for the customer.
• Respect for teamwork.
• And above all, respect for reality itself.

That, to me, is the true spirit of Genchi Gembutsu  and Genjitsu.

• Not imagined reality.
• Not reported reality.
• Not politically adjusted reality.
• But actual reality.

And actual reality only becomes visible when people stop bypassing the basics.

Over the years, I have realised something very simple.

Organisations do not become world-class because they occasionally solve big problems brilliantly.

They become world-class because ordinary people consistently do ordinary things extraordinarily well.

Every single day.

Even when nobody is watching.

Perhaps that is the mindset we need to rebuild once again.

Before diagnosis comes discipline.

How are you ensuring the basics every time you Go to Gemba?

Happy Reading!