Chuck Durney, a former logistics executive at several consumer products companies, is Senior Vice President, Business Development for Beampines Inc., a talent management firm.
Do you want to be noticed for your career accomplishments? The most important factor in getting noticed is how well you do your job. These days, however, "doing your job well" doesn't just mean getting results; it also encompasses how you get them.
To advance your career, you need to create a "personal brand" that sets you apart and makes you unique. Creating a personal brand begins with maintaining a high level of job performance. It also includes marshalling the skills you already have or are learning.
Here are some practical suggestions for advancing your supply chain career and for developing the personal brand that will get you noticed:
Avoid looking for the next position on the corporate ladder before you have met or exceeded your current goals and objectives. Setting personal goals is great, but it must be coupled with the realistic approach of proving yourself at every step on the corporate ladder. You can probably come up with a list of colleagues who spent too much time looking for their next position or promotion and were not focused on doing their best in their current jobs. If their motives were obvious to you, then sooner or later others will notice if you take the same approach.
Keep in mind that the portfolio of skills, education, and personal characteristics needed for success is constantly evolving. Competition for high-level positions is more intense than ever due to mergers, acquisitions, and general economic conditions. Adding to the competitive pressure is the fact that the caliber of people entering the field has continued to improve since companies began to recognize that supply chain and logistics are important contributors to a company's short-term and long-term financial health. It should come as no surprise that at successful companies, supply chain managers have moved up in the corporate hierarchy.
Let's face the facts: We're not all going to be the vice president of supply chain. It won't be easy to become director or manager of a key functional area either, because those positions now require some skills and competencies that may not have been your responsibility in the past. At the same time, traditional areas like transportation and distribution are still important ingredients for success.
Leadership ability is a key characteristic of "promotable" individuals. When senior management looks for people to promote as part of its succession planning, it looks for those who clearly have leadership ability. The type of leader you are and your approach to getting things done through others count as blue chips when you're under consideration for advancement.
Companies seek to promote people who can demonstrate accomplishments in two areas—leadership and cross-functional competencies and skill sets. Here's a quick rundown of desirable leadership skills:
People skills. Listening, providing feedback, training, and developing others are basic building blocks of effective management.
A track record of selecting qualified people. What better thing can be said about a manager than that he or she selects and develops good people? Before interviewing a potential subordinate, know what skills and personal characteristics are needed to be successful in that position. Frame your questions so that the candidates' responses can be evaluated properly.
Team development and communication. The cross-functional nature of supply chain management makes team building very important. Do you provide your team with clearly communicated expectations and goals?
A record of relationship building. Relationships are fundamental to supply chain management. Collaboration with marketing, sales, information technology, and many other areas depends on you.
Ability to handle stress and manage crises. Disruptions are a fact of life in supply chains, and how you handle and communicate during a crisis will have a big impact on your reputation. Have carefully thought-out emergency plans in place.
Companies also look for individuals with crossfunctional experience. Here are some areas where you should have extensive knowledge:
Procurement. Most of us have experience with thirdparty negotiations in such areas as transportation and warehousing. However, expertise in purchasing materials as well as services is now a requirement in many organizations.
Global operations. Many products and materials are sourced internationally today so knowledge of foreign supply chain operations has become an absolute must.
Quality initiatives. Because lean systems, Six Sigma, and other quality programs reach across the entire organization, you need to understand how they affect supply chain management.
Manufacturing. Knowledge of just-in-time (JIT), demand planning, and other manufacturing considerations has become an important requirement for supply chain professionals.
Finance. Understanding the impact of capital, cost of inventory, and cash flow on current and future business conditions is paramount.
Language. More supply chain functions than ever are carried out in other countries. Speaking another language can be very helpful for building relationships and understanding what's going on overseas.
Practical steps for success
There are a number of steps you can take to build your reputation and enhance your "personal brand." First, of course, is to become a better leader. And, as mentioned, building and fostering good relationships across the board is critical. Life will send you plenty of enemies—there is no need to go out looking for them.
Always return calls from people who are requesting information. It's simple advice, but it's a surefire way to maintain good relations and get to know your customers better. You can also become more involved with your customers by teaming up with a salesperson for a visit.
To improve your breadth of knowledge, volunteer for projects or a task force outside of your immediate area of responsibility. And read! Read more about the industry you compete in to stay current with your competitors as well as industry news and developments. Join and participate in professional organizations.
Don't underestimate the importance of how you present yourself. Hone your presentation skills and prepare for meetings so people will leave feeling good about you. Document your accomplishments by sending reports and e-mails; management likes to be kept abreast of status.
Take performance reviews to heart, and not just reviews from your boss. Ask others whom you trust for feedback regarding your overall performance or how you handled a particular situation. And don't be afraid to ask for help—not just from your human resources department but also from people in manufacturing, marketing, finance, and other areas you work with.
Finally, be a mentor and a friend to those who have the potential and the desire to get ahead. Help the young assistant brand manager or the financial analyst make sense of what you do.
The world isn't getting any simpler, just smaller and more competitive. If you want to get ahead, you must learn to survive in a constantly changing environment where how you do something is just as important as what you do.
A hefty 42% of procurement leaders say the biggest threat to their future success is supply disruptions—such as natural disasters and transportation issues—a Gartner survey shows.
The survey, conducted from June through July 2024 among 258 sourcing and procurement leaders, was designed to help chief procurement officers (CPOs) understand and prioritize the most significant risks that could impede procurement operations, and what actions can be taken to manage them effectively.
"CPOs’ concerns about supply disruptions reflect the often unpredictable nature and potentially existential impacts of these events," Andrea Greenwald, Senior Director Analyst in Gartner’s Supply Chain practice, said in a release. "They are coming to understand that the reactive measures they have employed to manage risks over the past four years will not be sufficient for the next four.”
Following supply disruptions at #1, the survey showed that the second biggest threat to procurement is seen as macroeconomic factors, which include economic downturns, inflation, and other economic factors. While more predictable, those variables can substantially influence long-term procurement strategies.
And the third-most serious perceived risk was geopolitical issues, including tariffs and regulatory changes, and compliance issues, including regulatory and contractual risks.
In addition, the survey also revealed that “leading organizations” are 2.2 times more likely to view energy availability and cost as a top risk; indicating a focus on future emerging risks. As electrification drives demand for power, brittle grid infrastructure raises concern about whether the energy supply can keep pace. Therefore, leading organizations recognize that access to energy will become a significant future risk.
The market for environmentally friendly logistics services is expected to grow by nearly 8% between now and 2033, reaching a value of $2.8 billion, according to research from Custom Market Insights (CMI), released earlier this year.
The “green logistics services market” encompasses environmentally sustainable logistics practices aimed at reducing carbon emissions, minimizing waste, and improving energy efficiency throughout the supply chain, according to CMI. The market involves the use of eco-friendly transportation methods—such as electric and hybrid vehicles—as well as renewable energy-powered warehouses, and advanced technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI) for optimizing logistics operations.
“Key components include transportation, warehousing, freight management, and supply chain solutions designed to meet regulatory standards and consumer demand for sustainability,” according to the report. “The market is driven by corporate social responsibility, technological advancements, and the increasing emphasis on achieving carbon neutrality in logistics operations.”
Major industry players include DHL Supply Chain, UPS, FedEx Corp., CEVA Logistics, XPO Logistics, Inc., and others focused on developing more sustainable logistics operations, according to the report.
The research measures the current market value of green logistics services at $1.4 billion, which is projected to rise at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.8% through 2033.
The report highlights six underlying factors driving growth:
Regulatory Compliance: Governments worldwide are enforcing stricter environmental regulations, compelling companies to adopt green logistics practices to reduce carbon emissions and meet legal requirements.
Technological Advancements: Innovations in technology, such as IoT, AI, and blockchain, enhance the efficiency and sustainability of logistics operations. These technologies enable better tracking, optimization, and reduced energy consumption.
Consumer Demand for Sustainability: Increasing consumer awareness and preference for eco-friendly products drive companies to implement green logistics to align with market expectations and enhance their brand image.
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): Companies are prioritizing sustainability in their CSR strategies, leading to investments in green logistics solutions to reduce environmental impact and fulfill stakeholder expectations.
Expansion into Emerging Markets: There is significant potential for growth in emerging markets where the adoption of green logistics practices is still developing. Companies can capitalize on this by introducing sustainable solutions and technologies.
Development of Renewable Energy Solutions: Investing in renewable energy sources, such as solar-powered warehouses and electric vehicle fleets, presents an opportunity for companies to reduce operational costs and enhance sustainability, driving further market growth.
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Peter Weill of MIT tells the audience at the IFS Unleashed user conference about the benefits of being a "real-time business."
These "real-time businesses," according to Weill, use trusted, real-time data to enable people and systems to make real-time decisions. By adopting that strategy, these companies gain three major capabilities:
Increased business agility without needing a change management program to implement it;
Seamless digital customer journeys via self-service, automated, or assisted multiproduct, multichannel experiences; and
Thoughtful employee experiences enabled by technology empowered teams.
The benefits of this real-time focus are significant, according to Weill. In a study with Insight Partners, he found that those companies that were best-in-class at implementing automated processes and real-time decision-making had more than 50% higher revenue growth and net margins than their peers.
Nor is adopting a real-time data stance restricted to just digital or tech-native businesses. Rather, Weill said that it can produce successful results for any companies that can apply the approach better than their immediate competitors.
Weill's remarks came today during a session titled “Becoming a Real-Time Business: Unlocking the Transformative Power of Digital, Data, and AI" at at the “IFS Unleashed” show in Orlando, Florida.
For example, millions of residents and workers in the Tampa region have now left their homes and jobs, heeding increasingly dire evacuation warnings from state officials. They’re fleeing the estimated 10 to 20 feet of storm surge that is forecast to swamp the area, due to Hurricane Milton’s status as the strongest hurricane in the Gulf since Rita in 2005, the fifth-strongest Atlantic hurricane based on pressure, and the sixth-strongest Atlantic hurricane based on its peak winds, according to market data provider Industrial Info Resources.
Between that mass migration and the storm’s effect on buildings and infrastructure, supply chain impacts could hit the energy logistics and agriculture sectors particularly hard, according to a report from Everstream Analytics.
The Tampa Bay metro area is the most vulnerable area, with the potential for storm surge to halt port operations, roads, rails, air travel, and business operations – possibly for an extended period of time. In contrast to those “severe to potentially catastrophic” effects, key supply chain hubs outside of the core zone of impact—including the Miami metro area along with Jacksonville, FL and Savannah, GA—could also be impacted but to a more moderate level, such as slowdowns in port operations and air cargo, Everstream Analytics’ Chief Meteorologist Jon Davis said in a report.
Although it was recently downgraded from a Category 5 to Category 4 storm, Milton is anticipated to have major disruptions for transportation, in large part because it will strike an “already fragile supply chain environment” that is still reeling from the fury of Hurricane Helene less than two weeks ago and the ILA port strike that ended just five days ago and crippled ports along the East and Gulf Coasts, a report from Project44 said.
The storm will also affect supply chain operations at sea, since approximately 74 container vessels are located near the storm and may experience delays as they await safe entry into major ports. Vessels already at the ports may face delays departing as they wait for storm conditions to clear, Project44 said.
On land, Florida will likely also face impacts in the Last Mile delivery industry as roads become difficult to navigate and workers evacuate for safety.
Likewise, freight rail networks are also shifting engines, cars, and shipments out of the path of the storm as the industry continues “adapting to a world shaped by climate change,” the Association of American Railroads (AAR) said. Before floods arrive, railroads may relocate locomotives, elevate track infrastructure, and remove sensitive electronic equipment such as sensors, signals and switches. However, forceful water can move a bridge from its support beams or destabilize it by unearthing the supporting soil, so in certain conditions, railroads may park rail cars full of heavy materials — like rocks and ballast — on a bridge before a flood to weigh it down, AAR said.
Imports at the nation’s major container ports should continue at elevated levels this month despite the strike, the groups said in their Global Port Tracker report.
To be sure, the strike wasn’t without impacts. NRF found that retailers who brought in cargo early or shifted delivery to the West Coast face added warehousing and transportation costs. But the overall effect of the three-day work stoppage on national economic trends will be fairly muted.
“It was a huge relief for retailers, their customers and the nation’s economy that the strike was short lived,” NRF Vice President for Supply Chain and Customs Policy Jonathan Gold said in a release. “It will take the affected ports a couple of weeks to recover, but we can rest assured that all ports across the country will be working hard to meet demand, and no impact on the holiday shopping season is expected.”
Looking at next steps, NRF said the focus now is on bringing the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA)—the union representing some 45,000 workers—and the United States Maritime Alliance Ltd. (USMX) back to the bargaining table. “The priority now is for both parties to negotiate in good faith and reach a long-term contract before the short-term extension ends in mid-January. We don’t want to face a disruption like this all over again,” Gold said.
By the numbers, the report forecasts that U.S. ports covered by Global Port Tracker will handle 2.12 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU) for October, which would be an increase of 3.1% year over year. That is slightly higher than the 2.08 million TEU forecast for October a month ago, and the strike did not appear to affect national totals.
In comparison, the August number was 2.34 million TEU, up 19.3% year over year. The September forecast 2.29 million TEU, up 12.9% year over year, November is forecast at 1.91 million TEU, up 0.9% year over year, and December at 1.88 million TEU, up 0.2%. For the year, that would bring 2024 to 24.9 million TEU, up 12.1% from 2023. The import numbers come as NRF is forecasting that 2024 retail sales – excluding automobile dealers, gasoline stations and restaurants to focus on core retail – will grow between 2.5% and 3.5% over 2023.
Global Port Tracker, which is produced for NRF by Hackett Associates, provides historical data and forecasts for the U.S. ports of Los Angeles/Long Beach, Oakland, Seattle and Tacoma on the West Coast; New York/New Jersey, Port of Virginia, Charleston, Savannah, Port Everglades, Miami and Jacksonville on the East Coast, and Houston on the Gulf Coast.