For many people who work in Supply Chain Management, or for those on the outside, it functions on the foundation of processes, formulae, and metrics. This is very much the core of Supply Chain education and certification as well.
But in truth the most effective and efficient Supply Chain operations, and Supply Chain leaders, transcend these basics. How many of our current problems are because people are stuck in thinking about the mere mechanics of Supply Chain.
The best Supply Chains, and their leaders, have mastered the ART of Supply Chain Management!
The nature of the results you are trying to achieve will determine the type of change you need to create and the work stream to make it happen.
If you are making changes to a very small part of your job then your focus is very localized. If you are leading a project solely aimed at achieving a specific result then your change management focus is somewhat larger. But if you are leading a business-wide long term transformation then you need a comprehensive Change Leadership work stream and strategy.
While there are similar elements in driving change at any of these levels, the broader transformation requires a well thought out, well articulated Change Leadership program to be in place to lay the foundation for, and govern, your transformation.
In a world that relies heavily on Supply Chain, as proven by all of the disruptions that occurred during the global pandemic, Supply Chain professionals are the unsung heroes behind the scenes.
They possess the ability to orchestrate the movement of goods and services, ensure the seamless flow of resources across vast networks, keep customers happy, manage innumerable suppliers and materials, manage cash flow, and basically keep any company afloat.
Just like superheroes, these professionals certainly have Supply Chain super powers, and require a costume that embodies their unique skills and responsibilities.
Getting anything done requires resources and management. Getting change to happen requires that plus leadership, drive and conviction. Getting a digital transformation to take hold takes all of that plus bravery, resolve, unrelenting persistence, risk taking, tenacity and courage.
At the heart of a Digital Supply Chain transformation is Change Leadership. We do not mean Change Management. We do mean Change Leadership and Digital Transformation Leadership!
But to have leadership you have to have leaders. Remarkable leaders. Extraordinary leaders. Whether those people exist or not will make the difference between success or failure of your Digital Supply Chain journey.
Nothing gets done without people. In your everyday life and at work it is people that make everything happen. No matter what your job or career is, no matter what company or industry you work in, and no matter where you live, Human Resources are at the epicentre of everything.
In this article we are featuring our Top 16 Human Resources related articles. Some of these articles deal with specific topics while others offer more general life lessons. However all of these articles will be relevant for you at one point or another.
Here are our Top 16 Human Resources related articles!
Having come through the Coronavirus pandemic, most people will have felt the impact of Supply Chain failures.
For consumers they will have seen empty store shelves and either an inability to get goods or at a minimum delays in getting deliveries. For employees, at a minimum they will have experienced stressful working conditions to resolve issues, and at its worst they will have lost their jobs or even seen their companies fail.
All of this implies that making improvements and Supply Chain progress is necessary and eventual. However there are 2 pivotal factors that will almost certainly lead to the failure of organizations to improve their Supply Chains in any respect.
History has proven that change is inevitable and unstoppable. In every aspect of our environment, our personal lives, and our professional lives we can count on the fact that things will change.
Despite this eventuality there are those who not only resist change but who go out of their way to block, stop and even reverse change. On the other hand, there are also those who embrace change and even drive change. And in between there are those who follow and accept change, either willingly or begrudgingly.
In the business world change is rampant. People have new ideas, businesses have lofty goals, processes are inefficient, metrics are being missed, stakeholders demand improvements, bosses want more productivity, and employees want their jobs to be easier. There are myriad circumstances driving the need for change at every turn.
But despite that need for change, change doesn’t always happen the way people would like. There are so many variables, disruptions, personalities, politics, blockers and of course Murphy’s Law that all get in the way of making positive change. I have seen a lot of extremely smart people fail in their attempts to make meaningful change despite their technical prowess.
One of the key factors which determines whether changes will succeed, or fail, is leadership. A common phrase used in business is “Change Management”. I personally don’t like that phrase. The idea of managing change seems to me to be much more passive, reactive and less controlling of the circumstances at hand. A lot of people try to manage change only to find that the change is actually managing them.
I prefer to use the phrase “Change Leadership”. It has a much different meaning and connotation than management. It is a more proactive, thoughtful, strategic and insightful idea and approach on driving what is going to happen, as opposed to managing what is happening.
I have been a witness to and a party in many, many transformational efforts. Metrics are falling short of expectations, the competition is beating us, customers are demanding more, and processes are woefully inadequate for the task at hand. All of these situations require change. Yet some of these change efforts will succeed while others, in fact the majority, will fail.
What is the reason most change initiatives fail or fall short of expectations? A lack of leadership. More specifically, a lack of “Change Leadership”.
As mentioned previously I have seen a lot of very bright people attempt to make significant changes of on type or another. They are intelligent, have great subject matter expertise, and are highly respected. But more often than not their attempts to drive change fall short because they don’t recognize the need for “Change Leadership”.
This doesn’t mean that they aren’t great leaders. It does mean that there are unique differences in leading change. There are so many unforeseen circumstances to consider, so many personalities to deal with, and so many human reactions that will arise that you need to specifically develop and hone skills in “Change Leadership” to augment your technical leadership skills.
“Unchaining Change Leadership” is a compilation of learnings, lessons and techniques in driving change that I’ve experienced over a lifetime. Every chapter covers a different aspect of Change Leadership which have proven over time to be the difference in success and failure from one project to the next.
Depending on the scope and nature of the change you are trying to make some of the content will be more or less relevant for your particular situation. Taken in aggregate I have used these techniques and lessons to drive some truly remarkable, game changing, breakthrough and industry leading results in the course of my career.
In the spirit of Supply Chain Game Changer™ (www.supplychaingamechanger.com), my website dedicated to sharing experiences and expertise to help others on their own journeys, I have created “Unchaining Change Leadership”.
Every chapter is based on real life experience, learnings, successes and failures. I present this material to you in this format to provide a single place that you can go to so as to help you in your transformational journey. If you can learn from this material this will help to increase and accelerate your chances of success. If we don’t learn from the past, and if we don’t learn from others, we are doomed to fail.
Have you ever tried to make large improvements for some aspect of your business only to find that after a period of time you feel like you are pushing on a balloon?
Have you ever lead, or participated in, a project with some very lofty targets only to find that you come up short of your goal because of unforeseen circumstances or unaddressed factors?
Have you ever got into a project only to find that someone else’s objectives seem to be in conflict with yours, and these competing objectives ensure that you will not succeed?
Starting a business can be downright terrifying. There are hundreds of unknowns, from how your business will be received to making the right decisions for your brand. One of the biggest concerns amongst entrepreneurs is whether or not their business will succeed and is worth pursuing – will it succeed?
Though no plan is guaranteed to be a winner, there are simple ways to ensure that a business you’re investing your time, money, and energy in will be a success. These range from simple testing measures to advertising methods!
We’ve broken down how to ensure your business reaches success as quickly as possible.
When two companies decide to combine their talent and resources in order to engage in larger markets, you will often find that a merger is on the table. If you’re looking at a future where your company will be a part of a merger or acquisition, then you might worry about how to navigate the process.
Read on to learn about the five strategies you can use for a successful merger or acquisition.
At Supply Chain Game Changer we believe in sharing experiences and expertise from people in every industry and from across the globe. As such we have introduced our “Seasoned Leadership in Action™” Interview series at Supply Chain Game Changer. This interview is with Mike Croza, Founder and Managing Partner at Supply Chain Alliance.
Supply Chain Alliance is a premier Management Consulting firm specializing in all things Supply Chain. With decades of experience and a track record of achieving outstanding results in all industries they are an essential resource for those looking to move their businesses forward.
