Overall, the book provides a comprehensive framework for understanding, modeling, and benchmarking supply chain leadership. It highlights the importance of the individual, emphasizes the need for integrity, and provides a range of practical tips for inspiring and developing employees.
- Leadership: The book defines leadership as the art and science of influencing and directing people to accomplish the assigned mission. It also discusses the importance of personal responsibility, recognizing the role of the "internal customer" as being the employee. The book stresses that leaders are not in charge of organizations, but rather the people within them.
- Modeling: The book emphasizes that leadership is not taught, but modeled. Leaders need to act in ways that encourage positive attitudes and ethical behavior. This includes setting a good example for employees and being honest in all dealings.
- Benchmarking: The book outlines a process for benchmarking leadership using the "House of Leadership" framework. This framework is based on the acronym LEADERSHIP, where each letter stands for a different attribute: Loyalty, Ethics + Honesty, Attitude, Determination, Dedication, Discipline, Devotion, Decisiveness, Equality, Example, Expectations, Enthusiasm, Respect, Responsibility, Reliability, Self-Development/Employee Development, Serving Leadership, Humor, Happiness, Health, Humility, Heart, Integrity, Inspiration — Supply Chain Intelligence, and Supply Chain Leadership Integrity, Professional Pride, Planning, Passion, People.
- Employee Morale: The book discusses the importance of employee morale, retention, and advancement as metrics for measuring leadership. It emphasizes the need for leaders to walk the floor and talk to employees to get a sense of their morale.
- Employee Productivity: The book discusses how to measure employee productivity and how to deal with declining productivity. Leaders should make sure that their measures are consistent and relevant to the work being done.
- Employee Retention Rates: The book stresses that the ability to attract and retain a quality workforce is a key metric of leadership. The book suggests that companies should have a system for tracking retention rates and then analyzing why employees leave the organization.
- The "Climate of Command": The book highlights the importance of the “climate of command,” emphasizing the need for leaders to walk the floor, visit the shops and sections of the organization, and talk to employees to get a sense of their feelings and perceptions.
- Promotion Rates: The book discusses the importance of promotion rates, stressing the need for leaders to promote employees who are ready for the next level and have been trained for the responsibilities associated with that level.
- On-Time Delivery: On-time delivery is a critical metric for customer satisfaction and is an indicator of leadership. Leaders need to ensure that their organization is meeting customer expectations.
- Perfect Order Fulfillment: The book covers the importance of perfect order fulfillment as a metric of leadership, stressing the need for employees to understand the importance of quality, clean distribution centers, and on-time deliveries.
- Employee Courtesy: Treating employees with courtesy is a key element of leadership and has an impact on how employees treat customers.
- Employee Burnout: The book addresses the topic of employee burnout, noting that leaders are often responsible for this. Leaders need to practice work-life balance and model the behavior they preach to their employees.
- Distribution Center Cleanliness: This metric provides a snapshot of leadership. Clean distribution centers are a sign of well-run organizations, where managers and leaders are invested in the operation.
- Customer Retention Rates: The book emphasizes that customer retention is a leadership metric, noting that employees mirror the attitudes of their leaders, and customer retention is impacted by the treatment of employees.
- Employee Recognition: The book highlights the importance of recognizing employees for good work, emphasizing that it is a key element of Six Sigma leadership.
- Dedicated Training: This is a critical part of leadership. Leaders must ensure that their employees are trained and competent, taking into account the importance of continuous training and making sure that trainers are teaching the right techniques.
- Employee Pride: Employee pride is a leadership metric that is harder to quantify than others. The book discusses the importance of creating a work environment where employees are proud of the products they make and the services they provide.
- Routines: The book stresses the need for leaders to be consistent in their work, noting the importance of having clearly defined routines and procedures.
- Leading from the Front: The book emphasizes the need for leaders to be visible to their employees.
- Benchmarking: The book provides a detailed scorecard for benchmarking leadership, which covers a range of metrics, from employee morale and retention to on-time delivery and perfect order fulfillment.
- Coaching: The book outlines the core concepts of coaching, emphasizing the need for coaches to know their players and to motivate them.
- Teaching: The book discusses the difference between training and teaching, explaining how to transfer knowledge to employees.
- Mentoring: The book describes the key elements of mentoring and how to establish a mentoring relationship.
- Serving Leadership: This concept is discussed in detail, highlighting the importance of putting employees’ needs above the leader’s.
- Supply Chain Integrity: The book explores the importance of supply chain integrity and its impact on customer loyalty, revenue, and overall business success. It also addresses the importance of a risk assessment plan for identifying and mitigating potential threats.
- Supply Chain Ethics: The book discusses the need to establish a culture of ethics within the supply chain.
- Supply Chain Intelligence: The book defines supply chain intelligence and emphasizes its importance for making informed decisions.
- Inspiration: The book covers the concept of inspiration and how to inspire employees, noting that some leaders inspire through charisma, while others must work at it.
- The Importance of People: The book reiterates that the supply chain is fundamentally a people business, emphasizing the need for leaders to care for their employees and to show them respect.
- The After Action Review (AAR): The AAR is discussed as a critical tool for evaluating and improving supply chain operations. The book provides a detailed guide to conducting effective AARs, including planning, preparation, conduct, and follow-up.
