THE BUZZWORD “OPTICS”—MEANING “APPEARANCES,”
or the way in which an event or course of action is perceived
by the public—has wormed its way into conversation, analysis,
criticism, and haranguing over political initiatives seemingly
overnight. One may only hope that it fades as quickly as “at the
end of the day” and other sloppy language attempting to pass
itself off as deep insight and wisdom.
It does seem, though, that for the time being, we will be both
seeing and hearing about optics from talking, if not thinking,
heads on every television channel except perhaps Nickelodeon.
Regrettably, leaders—political (no, that is not an oxymoron,
although it could be a moron of a different sort), business, and
other—are attempting to master the optics of situations rather
than their substance.
Optics can be useful and beneficial. We often
need prisms through which to bend light for
better interpretation. Microscopes help us to
see and work with impossibly small samples.
Telescopes open windows to permit us to see
farther—and farther back in time—than simply
standing on a ladder allows.
But too often, public optics today are being
used as a substitute for reality. Negative reactions to statements, initiatives, decisions, and
actions are too easily blamed on the “optics”
and not on authenticity.
A FALSE FAÇADE
In government, in the private sector, in social services, in education, optics rule. It is the large-scale equivalent of spending all
one’s time and money on putting up new drapes in the parlor
while conveniently ignoring the cracks in the house’s foundation.
Sooner or later, the buzzards will come home to roost. It’s a
vain hope that the water in the basement will drain away, leaving
a new owner to deal with its recurrence. But among the ruins of
a sharp focus on optics accompanied by a blind spot obscuring
looming realities, there remains a time and a place for optics, not
least in the supply chain management universe.
OPTICS AND THE SUPPLY CHAIN
We, by nature, are optics-shy. We are not much on, and aren’t
very good at, tooting our own horns. But as a profession, we
really need to get better, to get downright good, at the optics of
our situations.
BY ART VAN BODEGRAVEN basictraining
Optics: It’s all in how you look at it
Learning, even mastering, our optics is critical to personal success. It is also vital to the
profitability and longevity of the enterprises
within which we ply our magnificent profession. Here are a few examples to think about.
If you are a supply chain leader, your primary
optic is visibility. Being there, being with the
troops, gets you halfway up the hill all by itself.
Inclusion, providing visibility for the next
generation of leaders you are developing,
strengthens both you and your organization
within the enterprise. If you toot their horns,
consider your own horn tooted, too—without
the annoying consequence of being seen as a
braggart.
Your—and your company’s—optics within key relationships are huge, for both
you and the enterprise. You
create win-wins left and right
by making sure that your customers know, and see, that
you deliver the goods, that
you and your team anticipate challenges, and that, all
together, you fix problems
before they sink the ship with
all aboard.
There is nothing wrong, and much right, in
designating worthy key accounts as such things
as customer of the year, valued partner, or preferred business ally.
At a more fundamental level, creating the
optics that signal special relationships within
your supplier community are critical to maintaining longstanding alliances, to receiving preferred treatment, to shoring up an extraordinarily reliable supply chain that benefits suppliers, you, and your customers.
Do not, in these processes, neglect the optics
of how you communicate and show the contributions of the supply chain organization to
the enterprise. Face it. Does the boss really care
about perfect orders or on-time shipments, or
