Focus on and get to know your global supply chain leaders. The organization is literally a chain—a connection of strategy, people, processes, and yes, problems. Spend time getting to know your team members, discussing their challenges and
Be a curious, lifelong learner. Supply chains are always in a state of fluctuation with disruption as a constant. Keep current on the latest technology, especially in digital supply chain and artificial intelligence. The supply chain leader of today is strategic—focusing on meeting customer
ideas for improvement, and taking their candid feedback on what needs to change. Then get busy working as a team to make a dierence and serve customers. –Tonya Jackson Senior Vice President, Chief Product Delivery Ocer, Lexmark
Gain as much experience across the discipline as possible. Supply chain roles encompass many functions, from procurement and customer service to demand management, logistics, and shipping. Gaining a broad perspective early in your career will enable you to progress more quickly and bring a unique perspective to senior roles. Invest the time to understand the manufacturing operation. This foundational knowledge will enable you to better understand the key challenges and more accurately calculate and act upon risks, flows, and functions to create the smoothest possible supply chain operation. –Chris Young Supply Chain Director, Titanium Technologies, Chemours expectations, anticipating new regulatory requirements, and improving visibility. They also keep a constant eye on how to make supply chains more sustainable and good for the planet. Devour information about global events and use your global network of supply chain professionals to get a pulse on regional and local markets. –Sumit Dutta Supply Chain & Operations Leader, EY Americas
Keep Jammin’
During the recent supply chain crisis, I compiled a playlist to settle me down when things were a little too much. Here are a few songs that I view as my survival mantras that make me smile and keep me hopeful. RESPECT by Aretha, the Queen of Soul, always gives me a boost when our team is battling incredible odds and sometimes taking it on the chin. CARRY ON by fun. For our customers, our business, and for each other — “May the past be the sound of your feet upon the ground — Carry on!” HOLD ON by Alabama Shakes. You see the theme here: “Get back up and you got to hold on.” STAND BY ME by Ben E. King. Showing my age here, but no team gets through all that global disruption without standing together.
Embrace artificial intelligence. Over the past three years we have seen such fast and unprecedented changes in consumer demand, shipping, raw materials availability, and supply levels. What has become painfully clear is a need
to redesign and rewire most of the supply chain processes for end-to-end optimization, AI-based forecasting, a high degree of automation, fast response internally for constant external changes, and a maniacal focus on optimizing working capital while maintaining high service levels. Today it is increasingly done based on advanced technology—probabilistic models, machine learning, and data science. So my best advice—move into the dynamic world of AI-based optimization. Learn about the new tools, take a class on data science or machine learning, participate in implementation of new software. This is where the industry is moving, and those who head the move—move up. –Inna Kuznetsova CEO, ToolsGroup
–Tonya Jackson Lexmark
December 2022 • Inbound Logistics 43
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