Leadership Skills

1. Leadership

First of all, and perhaps most obviously, a supply chain leader should have the necessary knowledge and know-how of supply chain and should master best practices and best-in-class systems needed to fulfill his or her duties. These skills are the technical and functional supply chain skills; technical expertise is the foundation upon which a supply chain leader can rely in order to assert their credibility as a leader, and from which they can start influencing people and implementing a higher-order vision. An efficient supply chain leader should have following qualities:

They motivate and inspire team by defining an appealing vision, communicating it in a way that is motivational and that raises enthusiasm, by stimulating people and inspiring them to fulfill this vision and reach higher levels, and by uniting them around a common goal.

They ensure greater efficiency by proactively looking for improvement opportunities, assessing return on investment and risks, ranking and planning initiatives and managing the projects and the changes needed to make these initiatives sustainable. They can quickly diagnose whether the team/organization is performing at full potential, delivering on commitments, and whether the team is changing and growing versus just operating

They provide higher value by understanding the current and future needs of the customers and planning the operations accordingly, and by being the voice of the customers— remember, customer service and supply chain are the first and last contacts with the customers.

They establish trusting relationships by putting in place and managing collaboration inside the company to unite all stakeholders around a unique sales and operations plan and by establishing collaboration outside the company with the trading partners to reduce bullwhip effect.

They incorporate social and environmental objectives within the company …by putting in place green supply chain techniques, work safety practices,...