Step 5: Point, Aim, Shoot, but make sure you Focus.

Great organizations have similar viewpoints as sports organizations.  Players and employees have the current play to think about (e.g. the at-bat in baseball could be the wave or daily inbound plan for your distribution center).  Managers and coaches have the game plan to think about. You get my point.  What’s important to remember is each resource you have can lead you to success, or cause you to fail.  One trend is the amount of information overload that we see in our daily lives.

Step 4: Get out of the muck, but stay grounded.

Quite often companies I visit have management that is either down in the nitty-gritty pulling weeds, or they are dreaming up pie-in-the-sky ideas on how to improve.  Yes, operational leaders need to stay close to the action and they should often lead by example.  But if you are pulling weeds, you may miss the opportunity.  With that said, now is not the time for blue-sky strategizing.  Sustainable growth, particularly during these economic times, demand that small but important changes take place.
 

Step 3: Alter Roles.

Employees have certainly seen their roles change, at least what they are responsible for--but typically their title, job description, and pay haven’t.  What’s important is to realize that the old silos many organizations used to have no longer exist – which is a good thing.  It’s time for companies to embrace the idea that all levels can have influence, and foster collaboration.  
 
Be sure to check back for more ways to thrive in today’s economy.

Step 2: Constantly improve and adapt

Practice makes perfect.  That’s why coaches always say “run it again” during practice. Effective execution doesn’t mean clinging to what always worked in the past.  But it doesn’t mean overhauling the offense or defense either.  Now more than ever, managers need to be flexible and seek small innovations constantly.  Maybe it’s a wave (formation) change, or a staffing (line-up) adjustment, anything that may reduce costs and increase productivity…but most importantly it should be quick to adapt.
 

Whether the economy is improving or not I will leave up to others, but what is important to remember is that regardless of the economic state, companies can thrive with the right framework and mindset. 
 

A professor and a professional in the logistics field discussed all facets of supply chain and logistics in a recently published interview. They discussed new trends and how to improve the supply chain. The article discussed the same basic principles we use in the operational excellence practice at Peach State.
 
In this economy it is clear that companies are hesitant to begin improvement initiatives. A primary cause of this cautious outlook is due to past failed initiatives—so how do you ensure success?
 

The following question was posted on a recent forum regarding change management:“I'm not excited to see the consulting world explode. There is a profound lack of original thinking. No one seems to be on the cusp of anything original. Is there nothing left to be invented? Is the innovation we talk about dead in our profession? In a world where we talk about change, everything and everyone are the same. I'd like to know what you're going to do about it.”

The Peach State blog will serve as your one-stop spot to find current news and discussions in supply chain strategies and operations. Our plan is to bring the latest news to you in a consolidated format, offer expert insight on these happenings, and provide real world examples that may serve the industry in its pursuit of excellence.