working in supply chain to becoming an executive coach?
A Well, I didn’t start my career path in the supply chain space. I first headed up sales and marketing for different parts of [RR Donnelley]. I then went into supply chain
and later became a general manager. The supply chain role
really came to me.
While working at RR Donnelley, I was asked to rebuild
our supply chain team to align more with building integrated strategic partnerships than simply managing “old
school” transactional relationships. (There was a lot of dysfunction in the industry supply chain, which created massive inefficiencies for all players.) It was a great experience
that ultimately motivated me to open my own supply chain
coaching practice. I was surprised at
how strategic and challenging supply
chain was and how much it taught you
about the entire business system.
And yet, on the other side, it’s a
discipline that has been stereotyped
as being purely operational, tactical,
and cost-driven. While we all know
that supply chain requires analytical and operational skills, success in
the top job is heavily dependent on
strong leadership skills. The primary
credentials are a history of hiring great
people, building strong teams, and
demonstrating strong strategic skills.
When you talk to executive search
guys, they’ll tell you they’re looking
for supply chain executives who have
a track record of building strong organizations, demonstrating outstanding
leadership, and impacting business strategy. That’s why,
frankly, when you look at the backgrounds of some senior
vice presidents of supply chain, you’ll find they’re not
always supply chain people. Ironically, they often come
from other areas of the company.
I think the opportunity for supply chain people is to really embrace this career path, to embrace the general business
side and leadership side of the equation with at least as
much rigor as they do the technical side.
Q Could you give some examples of what it means to embrace the general business side?
A All supply chain people need to be involved in the strategy development process of the business, rather
than just sitting on the sidelines. They need to have expe-
rience developing corporate-level and business-unit-level
strategy. They need to be seen as major players at the table.
They need to look for opportunities to (familiarize themselves) with other areas of their organization. I think that’s
one of the last frontiers: the concept of moving people in
and out of the supply chain function so they can grow.
Supply chain for too long has been considered this specialized function that operates behind the curtain. It needs a
“coming out party.”
Supply chain leaders need to embrace the language of
general business rather than the language of supply chain
management, which is rarely understood by executives outside the function. That means steering clear of acronyms
and technical terms. Speak to business leaders in a language
they get, which is generally focused on
customers and financial performance.
Q Do you have any advice for supply chain managers and executives on
how to gain the CEO’s ear?
A Get involved in areas outside of supply chain that not only offer
you a chance to expand your horizons
but also allow you to showcase your
own knowledge. Examples might be
corporate strategy development or a
large change management initiative—
those types of things where you don’t
stay (in your supply chain silo).
The challenge is to hone your
general business acumen. Find ways
to gain exposure to marketing and
sales. Get more deeply involved in
operations and sharpen your understanding of the balance sheet and P&L. These are the
areas that allow you to communicate with the business
leaders in a more relevant and profound way. Business
leaders will begin to see you as more well rounded.Your
supply chain knowledge, perspective, and experience
will be packaged in a more compelling way—a way that
others can relate to.
Q Do you think we’ll see more people with a supply chain background becoming CEOs?
A I certainly hope so. We are beginning to see more and more supply chain leaders running businesses. We are
also seeing more top supply chain leaders reporting directly
to the CEO and playing an active role on senior management committees. Supply chain leadership is quickly developing a reputation as “the place to be.”
