I participate in a group of CEOs, a group of the top consultants throughout the world, a group of supply chain professionals, a regional economic partnership, industry groups, and with clients in the Americas, EMEA and APAC, and the only thing in common is the critical importance of people.

Most clients do not have as much talent as they need (at least in key roles or sites). Similar to inventory, many clients might have talent but do not have the type of talent in the right place (or available) at the right time. Classic challenges!

Others are concerned about employee engagement, talent retention, and development. Many are concerned about how to provide flexibility yet ensure results and how that relates to virtual vs in-person. Many are starting to think about how they can use consultants to fill a gap (supplementing their team) while developing a better path forward as it kills 3 birds with 1 stone (fills gap, builds the future, short-term so they don’t have to hire long-term support with pending recessions). Others are experiencing issues because their suppliers or customers have talent shortages. Thus, orders are delayed, meetings postponed, etc. There are countless issues, but the bottom line is talent is top of mind.

Pertinent Examples

In a building products manufacturer, although they tried many different approaches to finding manufacturing talent, they simply couldn’t find enough people to run the full schedule during peak season. This is a compelling example as the leaders were solid and it wasn’t in the middle of nowhere (as most of our clients’ facilities are located in Timbuktu), yet it was still impossible to fill the entire schedule. Thus, they prioritized customers and extended lead times to make it through peak season and decided to build ahead for the next peak season if conditions didn’t change.

In a life sciences manufacturer, growth was limited by lack of talent. In this situation, there were concerns about spending money until the specific product mix was known (thereby dictating the specific skills required). Unfortunately, it was a catch 22. By the time the product mix was known, there wasn’t enough time. In working together, we developed a demand plan and SIOP (Sales, Inventory & Operations Plan) process that enabled us to gain executive alignment to transfer, cross-train, and hire the appropriate people to address near-term concerns while ramping up a new facility so that the aggressive growth targets were fulfilled.

In a food manufacturer, they didn’t have the supply chain talent to work with customers and Sales to develop a demand plan, translate the volume into a master production schedule, get enough materials on order to supply the production schedule with extended lead times, and address changing conditions on a daily basis with the production schedule. Thus, they asked us to jump into the planning process, working in conjunction with their overloaded resources to navigate current conditions and stabilize while upgrading the process and use of systems to create a sustainable process going forward. This solution bridged the gap.

And, in an industrial equipment manufacturer, their growth was limited by engineering talent. They worked with the schools in the area to hire new grads and provide internships. They even jumped on manufacturing day with high school students to introduce them to the profession. They also looked at process and system upgrades to increase efficiencies, supplemented talent from other facilities to fill gaps, and put extensive efforts into HR and recruiting efforts. Although still challenged, they were able to meet the increased volume.

Fast Forward to the Future

Clients are starting to worry about the likely recession (while still dealing with inflation) and what that will mean to their growth plans. Of course, it makes sense to reevaluate customer conditions and reorganize, reallocate, and reshape to meet the new forecasts. On the other hand, our most successful clients are NOT jumping to layoffs. Most likely, there are temporary employees that will provide some ability to ramp up or down rapidly. Clearly, overtime can be reduced. But, be cautious about cutting back and limiting growth potential.

We see a reshaping of the future of supply chains in the horizon. Companies are reshoring, expanding capacity, finding new partners, rethinking market and growth strategies, and much more. I think there will be more opportunity for the forward-thinking, nimble companies than at any other time in history other than during the Great Depression. As family-owned businesses retire, get absorbed into larger companies, and/or decide to close up shop or not serve certain markets due to changing conditions, supply chains will change. As companies reshore, nearshore, friendly-shore and build duplicate capacity to ensure customer success, supply chains will change. As employees retire and decades of experience walk out the door, supply chains will change. As technology gains, supply chains will change. RETAIN your key talent, do not retain your problem employees dragging your best talent down (it is surprising how many companies keep these known challenges), keep your eye out for talent (as you think about needs 2 years out) as weaker companies suffer, and find opportunities to develop and utilize your talent and set your company up for success for decades to come.

Please keep us in the loop of your situation and how we can help your organization get in a position to thrive for years to come. Several of these types of topics will be included in our forthcoming book, SIOP (Sales Inventory Operations Planning): Creating Predictable Revenue and EBITDA Growth.

The post Why People Matter appeared first on LMA-Consulting Group, a supply chain consulting firm.

In this episode of Interlinks, I am joined by my colleagues from the Supply Chain Special Interest Group at the Society for the Advancement of Consulting:

• Lisa Anderson, President of LMA Consulting Group Inc. in the Los Angeles metro area in California
• Dr. Karen Y. Wilson-Starks, President and CEO of Transleadership Inc, in Colorado Springs

In this discussion we explore some of the challenges and remedies that companies across the sectors are encountering as they face into the post-COVID future and the challenge of a never normal world with ongoing supply chain disruptions, geopolitical tensions, and climate change.

Originally published on Interlinks, June 5, 2022 .

Click here to download.

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CLAREMONT, CA—Today’s leaders realize they must make adjustments to remain successful in the new business environment, according to The Society for the Advancement of Consulting® (SAC). Opportunities are arising for those leaders who are flexible enough to adapt the changes necessary for a successful hybrid working environments.

These Daily Practices Have to Change

“Our most successful clients realize that offering hybrid working environments attracts, and more importantly, retains their top talent,” points out Lisa Anderson, president of Claremont, CA-based LMA Consulting Group, Inc and manufacturing expert known for creating supply chain resiliency. “Leaders will need to find ways to integrate remote employees daily and design workshops at key intervals to bring the full team together.

“There is a vast shortage of leadership talent. To successfully serve customers, grow the business, and increase profitability and working capital, successful companies will focus extra attention on developing and retaining emerging leaders. Strong leaders will have the agility, flexibility, and confidence to pivot as required and thrive post pandemic,” she adds.

Hybrid Success Rests on One Key Skill

“Remote work is nothing new,” says Steven Hunt, founder of Steven Hunt & Associates and an expert on managing change in global companies. “Take the global finance industry. Trading online from anywhere in the world has been possible for years. But traders still flocked into big hubs like New York and London. The reason is human network effects. People do business with people they know, and trust.

“The City of London knew this two decades ago,” Hunt explains. “Their research pointed to five factors for London’s magnetic attraction: career and business growth prospects, fast knowledge transfer, bold innovation hubs, status, and salary. Trust underpins all five factors.”

“Whether you work face-to-face, remote, or hybrid, the old command and control leadership styles will continue to wane. Trust-based styles are on the up,” adds Hunt. “Trustful dialogue is the skill all leaders must master in a hybrid environment.”

Great Management Counts

“Every situation is different. Every team is different,” according to Kathleen McEntee, President of Kathleen McEntee and Associates, Ltd (KMA), a full-service marketing firm known for developing strategies and tactics that distinguish its clients from competitors. “Managers must master new skills to manage hybrid work environments.”

“Keeping connected to your team collectively and individually is key,” notes McEntee. “The same old weekly staff meeting will not cut it these days. People want to know that their contributions count, understand how they fit into the organization, and desire to be connected. The good news is that this provides opportunities for managers, as well as challenges. People don’t leave a company: They leave a manager. In these days of the Great Resignation, being a great manager is more important than ever.”

Embrace the Potential

Instead of bemoaning the fact that the world is likely not going back to the way it was pre-pandemic, savvy organizations embrace the potential for growth in this new environment, according to Linda Popky, president of Redwood Shores, CA-based strategic firm marketing firm Leverage2Market Associates, and author of the book Marketing Above the Noise: Achieve Strategic Advantage with Marketing That Matters.

“Many organizations insisted their work could not possibly be done remotely—until they found they had no choice but to find a way to adapt,” she says. “Yes, there are challenges, but there are also incredible new opportunities that now present themselves. For example, workgroups can now effectively include members from multiple geographies or time zones in almost all work-related activities—from strategy to implementation.

“The key is to have open communication with your teams as to what’s planned and ask for their input and ideas on what they’d like to see improved.”

The New Challenges are the Old Challenges

“Ironically, I don’t see new challenges,” said SAC Founder Alan Weiss, PhD. “The problem is that too many leaders aren’t conquering old challenges: a workplace that provides support and recognition; serving as an exemplar of values; fostering innovation; and maximizing the customer experience. Focusing on ‘new challenges’ just ignores the fact that too many people have taken their eye off the ball because they’ve allowed themselves to be distracted and make excuses.”

Originally posted on ExpertClick:  February 1, 2022

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During the pandemic, there was a mass exodus of talent as leaders decided to retire early, switch careers or just take a step back. On the other hand, the leader’s job is becoming far more challenging. Not only has the last year required navigating the pandemic but now leaders are faced with scarce resources, more work and new challenges to tackle with extended lead times, inflation and rapidly changing customer conditions. What should leaders do?

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As I discussed in my What’s Happening video about talent during the pandemic, if you aren’t purposefully focusing on your stars, you will lose them! There is no doubt about it. Employees are on the move.

I become so passionate about this topic as more and more clients started losing key employees that I made this video as an equivalent of screaming from the rooftops. As I pointed out, there seem to be three reasons employees are leaving:

• Coronavirus inspired new career/ industry: As people realize life is short, they are inspired to transition to new careers, new industries and new companies that align with their vision of the future.
• Virtual inspired career options: If they don’t have to drive across town every day in the future, new options open up. For example, why live in the crowded city if you only have to drive in once a week. Why not a bigger house in the suburbs with green grass and a lower probability of running into protests getting out of hand?
• The traditional reasons: People leave people; not companies. Are you offering opportunities for growth? Involvement in key projects?

Although you cannot prevent each of these reasons, you can get ahead of this trend by understanding your key employees’ interests, career advancement ambitions, training and development needs and more. Worst case scenario, if you cannot offer what your star desires in a career path, he/she will make the transition FAR smoother and more successful for an employer he/she likes. One of my clients was in this situation, and the employee provided extra transition time and worked around-the-clock to ensure a successful project completion and made sure his team was up-to-speed before leaving.

Your employees are evaluating whether to stay, leave, or retire. Are you going to bury your head in the sand and hope it doesn’t happen to you or proactively address so you can get out in front of this issue? Read more about these types of topics in my eBook.

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How many Zoom meetings have you attended this week?

Since COVID, we probably lead or attend 35-45 virtual meetings a week. Whew! It seems we better figure this out and develop strategies for success.

What About a Virtual Conference?

Now take that to the next level with a virtual conference. In co-leading the Society for the Advancement of Consulting’s Global Annual Meeting, we had six Zoom sessions going at once and sessions starting at 6am Pacific (for European attendees) and going straight through to 7pm Pacific (for our Pac Rim attendees) with North American attendees in the middle. We left 10 minutes before the top of each hour for a break and scheduled a few networking sessions throughout the conference. No lunches. After all, which time zone would be allowed lunch? Of course, attendees could come and go but it made for long days for us. Now that is a coordination trick if you’d like your speakers and hosts comfortable, audience engaged and the core team sane.

A Few of the Key Lessons Learned (the first 7 that pop to mind):

1. Test technology in advance: No matter how experienced, items arise you don’t expect. The more prepared for the unexpected, the better.
2. Use Multiple Zoom IDs: We would have had a disaster if we had to end sessions before starting the next session, and that wouldn’t have allowed prep time with each speaker for last minute issues. There is conference software that avoids this issue but whether it makes sense to invest and figure out a more complex technology depends on the needs.
3. Get help: We had hosts, a technical support resource and a core team to jump in and resolve issues. We needed EVERYONE.
4. Music and graphics: They go a long way to creating a brand and pleasant experience. Just make sure you know how to use these features so that the audience can hear (not as easy as it sounds) and the presentation is showing properly.
5. Create engagement: Ideally, use multiple strategies to create engagement virtually with the use of interaction, sharing screens, chat, questions & answers, polls and more.
6. Show passion: Just like in a regular speech or workshop, you have to show passion. Facial expressions, movements and voice inflection make a big difference.
7. Offer Choices & Breaks: We put extra effort in pre-planning to offer options, choices, different types of sessions, different tracks and breaks for attendees. Since we were recording, it also offered an easy way to plan a break and catch up later.

The Bottom Line

In our experience, you must prepare, prepare and prepare some more. Of course, it is always a good idea but it is far easier to be ‘in the moment’ in an in-person speech. You should certainly be in the moment in a virtual meeting as well but you have to prepare for engagement, issues and more so that you have the opportunity to be ‘in the moment’. We had a few issues arise, and when they occurred, my co-leader or I jumped into the session to help the host spur the conversation or address the issue. 80/20, the audience didn’t even notice. With that said, a few of us slept for MANY hours upon the conclusion of the conference.

Did you like this article? Continue reading on this topic:
Zoom Fatigue and How to Stay Engaged

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As COVID-19 drags on, we are starting to see more Zoom fatigue and frustration show in employees. We are all tired of sitting at home with limited interaction and tensions can run high. It is certainly difficult to work remotely while filling in for your children’s teachers, supporting more activities you didn’t have to support pre-COVID etc. What should we do? 

Although there is no “solution” to this issue, I have a few suggestions:

• EAP: Make your employees aware of your employee assistance program and make sure it isn’t seen as a “bad” thing to pursue. In talking with clinical psychologists, I’ve learned that COVID is having a dramatic impact on people’s psychological health. Please understand this so that you know where they might be coming from and encourage them to take advantage of available resources.
• Recognize the issues: Ignoring issues won’t resolve the situation. Understand child care, senior care and other COVID-related issues. Be creative to find solutions that will support your employees but also support your business.
• Refocus attention: we are inundated with negative news. Instead of focusing attention on all the negative news, we need to refocus attention on how we can impact the future and create a positive future. We don’t have control over COVID but we can control how we react to it and what we DO. Create a vision and show how your employees can contribute. It is always better to be a part of something that is moving forward. 

A leader’s role has never been more important than it is now. Your employees are paying attention to you. Are you positive and energetic about the opportunities or down in the dumps? Read more about leadership during coronavirus in my eBook.

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