DC Velocity - March 2015

30 DC VELOCITY MARCH 2015 www.dcvelocity.com t ho u g ht l ea d ers

MI CHA E L R EG AN

“downsized” at a moment’s notice.

Second, in preparing my presentations, I focus on challenging the audience in a positive manner. So my presentations—such as “Invest in You, Inc.” or “Lead, Follow or Get Out of the Way!”— have common themes that accentuate my belief that individuals have tremendous capabilities and potential; have responsibility for investing in their careers and for cultivating and developing their capabilities even further; and make choices and thus, are responsible for the things that happen in their lives.

Having spoken at over 20 CSCMP annual confer-
ences and having given 15 to 20 talks per year for
the last 15 years, I am well aware that a lot of people
who attend these events think it is more important
to hear about technical, tactical, or strategic stuff in
our industry than to hear some motivational mes-
sage or words of encouragement. They are wrong! I
believe a case can be made that more people are fired
because of a lack of relationship skills than for a lack
of technical skills. That is why I believe everybody needs
some words of encouragement and some tools that help
them develop their relational skill sets. It’s a much better
world when we have effective relationships where we can
encourage each other.

Q What role do you see logistics and supply chain management serving in the broader economy? A There is no doubt in my mind that the disci- plines of transportation, logistics, and supply chain management not only address fundamental business needs but also serve a higher purpose in the economy and contribute to a better standard of living for everyone! That said, it is crucial to understand the importance of what we do and how it makes a contribution to society.

I believe that a plausible argument can be made that a key ingredient in America’s success is the fact that the companies in North America have more advanced and competitive supply chain capabilities. Because of these capabilities, we pay lower prices for our goods and have a wider selection of resources to choose from. Thus, we have a better standard of living as well as an enhanced capability to positively impact consumers on a global basis because of the work of intelligent and dedicated logistics and supply chain professionals around the world.