How do you build a collaborative and innovative supply chain team?

Some ways to get started : a) Goals of Supply chain should complement the goals of Business or wider Company b)Involving stakeholders during development of Goal would enable wider acceptance across the organisation c)Cross functional Goal Alignment sessions and identification of programs/projects in collaboration would enable better execution d)Break the silos,keep customers/client in the centre of your decision

Alignment with Strategic Objectives of the corporate is very important. Apart from vision, Supply chain team should have a Mission or Purpose, the reason for its existence. A mission statement brings team members together

The foundational step in establishing a collaborative and innovative supply chain is to ensure alignment with an organization's Strategic Objectives. Once this alignment is achieved, the subsequent imperative is to delineate and disseminate Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that holistically measure systemic performance, rather than focusing solely on individual siloed performance metrics. It is paramount to recognize that KPIs tailored to siloed performance primarily gauge the efficiency of individual functions, whereas systemic performance KPIs are indispensable for fostering collaborative improvement across the entire system.

I think maintaining a clear supply chain vision provides our team with purpose and direction. Staying adaptable and informed, the team updates their vision to align with evolving business conditions and industry advancements, ensuring ongoing success. Regular KPI monitoring helps track progress and appreciate team efforts, boosting their work passion.

It like asking "why" before "when" and "what". To deliver best result a "chain rings" what is the purpose and final goal so that they do not become a simple "email forwarders". The last is very important so do not overplay with top level, because performance and say/do ratio more valuable on the daily work. So the values that support your vision and mission and goal track like pillars should be clear for enyone. Regular discussion and observation from different perspectives (e.g. good or bad examples) may turn them into the culture. This what i do with my team week after week. Last but not least. Forget about values if company management does not follow it and only annaunce them...

Every body now a days expect a team that they can trust and vice-versa, but only a few realise that trust is earned and not taken for granted. It is easier said than done. Most of us do Gemba walks just because of pressure but in reality Gemba walks are followed up with actual single point Kaizens reflecting in execution. This is base surface where trust in team start to take shape and the journey is infinite and only for infinite mindset people.

In one of our projects, we implemented a strategy to foster trust. Regular team meetings were conducted where all members were encouraged to share their insights. This created a sense of shared responsibility for the success of the project. Trust-building exercises, such as collaborative problem-solving sessions, were organized. This helped break down silos between different departments and promoted a culture where everyone felt valued and heard When a design flaw led to a manufacturing setback, instead of assigning blame, we organized a lessons-learned session. Team members openly discussed the issue, proposed solutions and collectively implemented process improvements. This created a culture where mistakes were seen as opportunities

Fostering trust and openness in an organization is closely tied to aligning behaviors with its mission and vision. Leaders are central to this process, consistently embodying behaviors that align with the organization's goals. The Shingo Model?, a framework for transforming organizational culture, emphasizes three key principles: 1. Ideal Results Require Ideal Behaviors: 2. Purpose and Systems Drive Behavior: 3. Principles Inform Ideal Behaviors: Recognizing and promoting ideal behaviors enables organizations to foster trust and openness. This alignment is a potent driver of positive cultural change and organizational success.

As per experience Trust building needs time and passions. Below are the points I would say can help to boost trust of team. 1.Clear communication: Establish clear and open lines of communication throughout the team. Encourage team members to share ideas, concerns, and feedback freely. Make sure that information flows both ways. 2.Listen actively what your team members want to say. 3.Hold accountability of team members commitments and actions. 4.Give a free hand to work themselves and ensure them wherever they need support you will be there. 5.Keep Transparency about organizational objective, success, future plans, challenges. 6.Address conflicts openly and constructively. 7.Recognise and appreciate efforts taken by team members.

One thing I have found useful is allowing for feedback from your team members. It gives them a sence of believe and helps them have trust in their ability. This leads to more transparency and openness

One thing I’ve found helpful is to invite cross functional team for insights.It opens up conversation and brings in much needed diversity into the discussion. Enable an environment for all stakeholders to contribute,this would bring in more ideas/Inputs to the table.These inputs can then be filtered/sorted in line with the priorities and timeline.

In my experience, harnessing diverse skills in a team isn't a one-off effort, but an ongoing process. Initiating a mentorship program can be a pivotal step. It not only facilitates knowledge transfer but also opens doors to different perspectives that can lead to innovative solutions. It's about creating a culture where every interaction is seen as an opportunity to learn and improve. Moreover, it showcases an organization’s foresight in recognizing the value of diverse thought in driving forward innovation.

In a project, we intentionally formed a team with members possessing diverse skills. Designers collaborated with manufacturing experts, and logistics professionals worked closely with project managers. During the design phase, the team organized cross-functional workshops where designers explored the manufacturing process with input from manufacturing experts. This not only improved the feasibility of the designs but also fostered a sense of shared responsibility for the project's success. In one instance, a logistical challenge arose due to changes in the design. By leveraging diverse perspectives, the team devised an innovative logistics solution that not only addressed the challenge but also streamlined the entire supply chain process.

I think that excelled and diverse skills are something that we need to put a highlight on always by recognition and support . This will help to encourage the continuous development of the members, will boost the confidence in the culture where members will see that the team is supportive and of course i support cross training and cross sharing for everyone excelled and diverse skills so they can understand the importance of it to the team

I have learned that it’s important to have a foundation of individuals who are settled in their roles with no desire to progress - they tend to have been in post for some time and provide the organisational know how. Looking for candidates with transferrable skills is valuable - they bring a different perspective as they look at supply chain challenges. I have also recruited a number of MSc graduates who bring different capability, research, drive, innovation and youthfulness to the team. Having individuals of different nationalities is very enriching, as it creates a social aspect for the team as we learn about the different cultures, typically involving food for the office! This powerful mix brings a team to life to perform and deliver.

Leverage technology, but do so cautiously. Make sure there is a clear value add behind each new implementation, knowing that any technology creates a wake that needs to be managed. Implementing something is easy, maintaining it is the hard part.

Technology and Analytics plays a key role in improving Visibility/Agility across Supply chain and enables performance improvement.Few comments: a)Bringing your team to same level of knowledge level on Technology/Analytics is important for wider acceptance b)Invest in Training/Workshop/Site visit to learn,have found this to improve adaption c)Look for right solution as the solution space is crowded with many vendors d)Be Bullish on Technology,build the mindset across organisation to get bottom up ideas

Implementing technology wherever possible drives efficiency - using handhelds to scan in operations, using scripts, bots and innovative software to automate tasks in office based environments. Identifying, attracting and retaining individuals with the skills to deliver this is both critical and challenging. However, this is an area where you can empower individuals, providing the development opportunity they need whilst improving the business. The challenge in large corporates can be the red tape involved in gaining approval for applications, getting them installed and networked due to cybersecurity and IT / OT governance. The main thing is to never give up, there is always a way to achieve, keeping pace with the changes is more difficult!

In a recent project, we embraced technology to enhance innovation. We implemented a cloud-based platform that allowed team members to access project files and progress updates in real time. This eliminated delays caused by traditional communication methods and ensured that everyone had the latest information. Furthermore, we integrated a 3D modeling and simulation tool into the design phase. This technology allowed our team to visualize the manufacturing process in a virtual environment, identifying potential bottlenecks and design flaws before production started. The result was a more streamlined manufacturing process and a reduction in costly errors.

Integrating the right technology into your supply chain isn't just a boost for efficiency; it's a game-changer for your team's role. By automating routine tasks, you free up your team to focus on more meaningful, strategic work. The key is to be selective and intentional with the tech you bring on board. Equip your team with tools that directly address your challenges and provide the training to use them effectively. Cultivate an environment that encourages experimentation and learning. The goal is not just to do things faster, but to make room for your team to add real value in more impactful ways.

Define relevant KPIs that align with supply chain objectives. Track metrics such as production efficiency, lead times and inventory turnover. These indicators provide insights into performance and areas for improvement. Also conduct regular performance reviews with the team to discuss KPIs and overall supply chain performance. This creates transparency, encourages accountability and fosters a culture of continuous improvement. Establish feedback mechanisms at different stages of the supply chain. Encourage team members to provide input on processes, identify challenges and suggest improvements. This creates a culture of collaboration and innovation. And Finally, implement lean principles to eliminate waste and optimize processes.

Establish KPI's that are allign with your supply chain goals. This will also help to assess performance, identify areas for enhancement and make decisions accordingly. Have one to one meeting's with team frequently and discuss where we stand what areas need to improve in coming days. In next meeting ensure last meeting mentioned areas are worked by team. Share overall team performance with team members on regular basis, have brainstorming sessions to work on major areas of Supply Chain.

Schedule regular one-on-one meetings with the team to discuss our current standing and identify areas for improvement in the upcoming days. In the next meeting, ensure that the team has addressed the areas mentioned in the previous meeting. As a result, every organization's prospects will change.

To truly excel in your supply chain performance, ditch the one-size-fits-all metrics. Customize your KPIs to align with your unique goals and vision. Use real-time dashboards for instant insights; they're not just for upper management but can be game-changers for team members on the ground. Remember, data is more than numbers—it's the fuel for actionable insights. Make it a habit to translate these insights into quick, tactical shifts that your team can immediately act on. Don't just measure for the sake of measuring. Turn insights into momentum and drive continuous innovation.

To develop an efficient and high performing supply chain operation you need to measure end to end, setting the frequency for each aspect is critical. Examples, production output - daily, release and shipping performance - daily, inventory - weekly, supplier performance - monthly. Having predictive tools is as important as measuring retrospectively, so you can act on potential issues rather than having to rectify after the event. Having regular reviews of all metrics, discussing positives and negatives keeps the team on track, even when you’ve achieved you can improve the “how”. Comparing and analysing the data every time there’s a refresh also provides a deeper insight to the flexibility and agility required to meet market demands.

The best way of engaging people is to practice Genchi Genbutsu in the right spirit: it also helps with obesity in the leadership. (Unfortunately, there is a tendency to “go and see” and then act as the police which is disastrous.) However, to do that well, leaders, managers and supervisors must be great coaches adept at coaching someone, using A3, responsible for making a change, the improver. If the coach is good, he/she will push the boundaries of the improver’s knowledge experience and imagination; this will get him to engage people who have the knowledge to help the success of the change. Move your thinking from, “Don’t bring me problems; bring me solutions”, to “Don’t tell me your solution, please help me understand your problem”.

In my experience I engage and motivate my team to achieve our vision and goals. Engaging and motivating my team member help me to increase their satisfaction, retention, and productivity, we as a team or family start by setting clear and realistic expectations and roles for our team.

6. Engaging and Motivating the Team: Aligned with the Resource Allocation Budget (RAB) and established procedures, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) will gauge the success of each supply chain process. This facilitates the implementation of measurable rewards and penalties, promoting team motivation.

One thing I would like to add is constant expediting or gaps in demand is very hard on supply chains. It is important to share with your suppliers is the true customer demand. Traditional MRP systems because of the math that the use amplifies the changes in true demand creating expedite or delay messages. This is why alternative methods work better

I would add in a section on definitions so people can understand the context with minimum misunderstanding. An example is even defining the supply chain for start to finish can be different for many people.

Identifying and Development of Key Suppliers should be part of supply chain strategy. Like Toyota Suppliers should be considered as Business partners and team should help them to achieve win win

Establish updated value stream mapping all supply chain process and evaluate it with all related teams regularly to achieve goals or make innovation

7. Additional Considerations: a.Maintaining detailed and measurable documentation. b.Regular reviews and evaluations at defined intervals. c.Establishing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and KPIs for Rewards & Punishments. d.Ensuring adherence to SOPs and gaining stakeholder commitment to measure and evaluate activities continuously, enhancing productivity and efficiency. This approach aligns with ISO 90001 standards.