INTERVIEW WITH TIM STRATMAN
Supply chain managers can be excellent
candidates for executive-level positions, says
executive coach Tim Stratman. But to grab a
corner office, they’ll need to overcome some
stereotypes and their own technical bent.
BY SUSAN K. LACEFIELD, EDITOR AT LARGE
THE DC VELOCITY Q&A
thoughtleaders
THE SUPPLY CHAIN WORLD IS A-changin’, and the skills you need to be successful today are different from those needed
by the guy who sat in your seat before you.
That’s not necessarily a bad thing. One of
the forces driving these changes is growing
corporate recognition of how important logistics, distribution, and supply chain operations
are to the organization’s success. But as people
start to see supply chain management as more
of a strategic corporate function and less of a
technical specialty, supply chain leaders must
step up to the challenge and develop more
general business skills.
Tim Stratman is uniquely positioned to
provide some perspective on these changes
and challenges. As founder and president of
Stratman Partners Executive Coaching Inc.,
he has helped many supply chain executives
hone their leadership skills and learn how to
develop great teams. He has reflected on and
shared his experiences in numerous articles,
including the “Career Ladder” column in our
sister publication, CSCMP’s Supply Chain
Quarterly. He has also shared his insights
on leadership while serving as a speaker and
leading conference track sessions for organizations like the Council of Supply Chain
Management Professionals and the Institute
for Supply Management.
Stratman’s work as an executive coach and
the advice he gives on career development
are rooted in his own experiences at printer
and digital solution provider RR Donnelley.
While Stratman’s career did not start in supply chain, he did spend time as a supply chain
executive at RR Donnelley, an experience he
characterizes as “revelatory.” That stint along
with his own experiences working with an
executive coach inspired his career shift from
practitioner to consultant.
Stratman recently discussed the changing
skill set needed to lead a supply chain organization today with DC VELOCITY Editor at
Large Susan Lacefield.
Q Unlike most executive coaches, you spent part of your earlier career in supply chain
management. How did you transition from
So you want
to be an EVP
