Sheldon Ison

I had a great conversation with John Pavia on the Smarter Sourcing Podcast. We discussed: The transformation of team dynamics and communication strategies due to the shift to remote and hybrid work environments in supply chain management. The importance of contingency planning in navigating supply chain disruptions, particularly in the context of recent global challenges and the pandemic. How technology is reshaping procurement roles, streamlining processes, and enabling teams to focus on strategic decision-making and supplier relationships. Check out the full episode here: https://lnkd.in/gRxAmYZj 

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𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲 Recently, an associate commented as we closed out 2024, "If business is good and we are performing well across our core value driver metrics, why doesn't it feel like we are winning? How can we do a better job at celebrating? We finish one year and immediately jump into the next." I don’t have a perfect answer, but what I did think of was an often overlooked yet powerful tool for celebrating and sharing our successes. That is the power of gratitude. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗕𝗲𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲 Research shows that gratitude boosts mental health, happiness, and resilience. When leaders express genuine gratitude, they promote a positive atmosphere that benefits everyone. 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀 Leadership is fundamentally about relationships. Leaders who show appreciation build trust and loyalty. Simple acts like acknowledging achievements or expressing thanks can make employees feel valued and motivated. 𝗘𝗻𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 Gratitude fosters respect and open communication, encouraging collaboration. When leaders model gratitude, it creates a culture where everyone feels comfortable sharing ideas and working together. 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆 A workplace infused with gratitude boosts employee satisfaction and productivity. Recognized efforts lead to higher morale and a willingness to go above and beyond, benefiting the organization’s bottom line. 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 Gratitude helps leaders handle adversity by shifting focus from problems to solutions. This positive outlook inspires teams to persevere during tough times. 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗪𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗜𝗻𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗽𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲 Incorporating gratitude doesn’t require grand gestures. Here are a few simple ways to express it: 1. Regular Acknowledgements: Thank team members during meetings. 2. Personal Notes: Send handwritten notes or personalized emails. 3. Celebrating Milestones: Recognize achievements, big or small. 4. Listening Actively: Genuinely listen to ideas and feedback. 5. Lead by Example: Show gratitude in daily interactions. 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 In today's world of violence, political tensions and a lack of civility Gratitude is a strategic approach to building engaged, productive, and resilient teams. By appreciating efforts, leaders can transform organizational culture. As we navigate modern business complexities, let’s harness the power of gratitude to shape successful and thriving teams. By embracing gratitude we can truly transform ourselves and those around us in our organizations, one thank you at a time.

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Great opportunity to visit North America Manufacturing Excellence Summit (NAMES24) in Fort Worth, Texas and meet manufacturing & supply chain executives. Interesting to see other manufacturers tactics and strategies, emerging artificial intelligence or how they find, train, and retain the people they need to succeed in New Normal environment. Please see just few takeaways:  - 88% leaders expect an even faster rate of change in 2024 - 75% says retaining talents is a top challenge - Leaders rank leadership as the No.1 driver when transformation successful, but only No.10 when transformation underperforms. Workers rank leadership No.1 regardless! #hollisterlietuva #wearehollister #NAMES24

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With more pressure on supply chains than ever, it's up to leadership to motivate and lead their teams through this time. This answer? I believe this Forbes article has a big part of it. Having a diverse set of minds on any team is crucial for problem-solving, adapting to the needs of internal and external stakeholders, and stronger collaboration. Lucky for us, this is EXACTLY what we need as we head into the new year!

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Here's a great read from two of our world-class ERA manufacturing specialists, where they provide insights regarding market conditions, potential impacts on procurement, and supply chain planning. Wondering if there's additional cash flow available in your supply base? Let ERA show you how our proprietary analytics can help predict the savings we can generate for your organization. It starts with a simple 30-minute conversation. Reach out to me at [email protected] #manufacturing #supplychain #finance #cfo #management #eragroup

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Happy Supply Chain Week! We hope that everyone enjoyed the food and festivities, what an amazing season for reflection and gratitude. As we conclude the week, on behalf of Akron Children's Supply Chain leadership team let us acknowledge the contribution of Supply Chain is invaluable as reflected in the following team developed poem: We are Supply Chain. Our brows sweat, for all our customers. On world stages, we are the light in darkness. We see complexity, and display simplicity. We are noble leaders, and humble followers. We are multidisciplinary, clinically integrated. We raise bars, for a sustainable future. We honor pioneers, and lead as innovators. We organize it all, for educated decisions. We are agilely lean, and deeply gritty. We are the glue, that bonds all domains. We are uniquely special, embracing diversity. We blame processes, we do not blame others. We enthusiastically run, and joyfully advise. We are trusted advisors, and open-minded experts. We strategize plans, aligned to our mission. We thrive in change, and cautiously adopt. We are learned mentors, and diligent students. We foster quality, in evidence-based ways. We are fiscal stewards, and waste not. We drive towards value, of any form. We advance industry, and internally network. We are team players, and sole performers. We advocate, for all voices to be heard. We are difficult to sway, and easy to partner. We are flexibly versatile, and firmly sound. We ask for our customers, not for ourselves. Some said we “stock shelves”, now it is known. We are Supply Chain, accepting a call to serve. With gratitude, Joseph Carr, RN, MBA Vice President of Supply Chain Akron Children’s #SupplyChainWeek #ACHMoreThanAJob

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https://lnkd.in/ehKWeUSH As we move into the new year, some of healthcare supply chain problems still persist in many instances to myopic thinking and a failure to realize the need to change paradigms. The healthcare supply chain world is changing at light speed and in most instances upstream visibility and transparency isn't keeping pace with the advancements in the downstream. Visibility is an issue especially when your supply chain starts 6500 nautical miles from our west coast, but so is transparency. It's time for our healthcare supply chain leaders to have a moment of clarity as well as honesty about where the vast majority of Class I, Class II and Class III products derive. Our mainline distributors/suppliers don't manufacture these products most of the time. They use FDA contract manufactures all over the globe but primarily in Southeast Asia. Healthcare system leaders must start asking questions like Tom Harvieux asked. Who controls the raw material? We also need to be tracking on the Chinese New Year, container rates, bunker fuel rates and contract shipping rates, logistic costs from port to the DC and with these we get a better picture of imbedded costs and risks. There are also a whole host of geopolitical issues.Secondly, there aren't limited manufacturers of most products. Take a look through the FDA website. Fluids are a little different however we need to change the way we think about how we source, procure and own Class I, Class II and Class III products. What's the definition of insanity?? Visibility and transparency work hand in hand and we must start functioning in some regard like other supply chains. Sure, health systems have a multitude of SKU's but so does a 787 Dreamliner....2.3 million. Look through the 10Q or 10K of a few on your publicly traded suppliers and find out how much manufacturing capacity they actually own. It may surprise you how little. Modern end to end supply chain theory demands that we have visibility from raw material to the final end user but we have to know every entity along every step. Take pharmaceuticals for instance. China and India produce about 60% of all API's imported to the United States. Scarier yet, 90% of all generics rely on API's produced outside the United States. Take their lead and know where your inputs are derived. We in the healthcare system setting especially those with scale need to build direct relationships with these global manufacturers. It will reduce supply chain risk, disruption, lower costs, provide for greater transparency and create greater business continuity by reducing shortages. Reach out and let's talk supply chain!! Happy New Year!! Duncan Dashiff Gene Schneller Warren Sukernek

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A few days ago, I was chatting with a friend about how exciting it is to dive into new topics with the help of AI. It got me reminiscing about an old Acronym bot from the early days of internet messengers. Imagine if we could go beyond just acronyms and ask about inventory levels, product quality best practices, and more. Then, as I was about to mow the lawn, I stumbled upon a fascinating Gartner podcast. Around the 8-minute mark, they delve into exactly this topic. We’re living in an exciting era where our methods of learning and work efficiency are being transformed. While AI might not completely revolutionize our work culture just yet, it’s becoming a critical guide. We hold the steering wheel, but AI helps us navigate the best routes to achieve our goals. Now, back to that lawnmower. 🤷🏻‍♂️ #AI #Learning #WorkCulture #Innovation #Efficiency https://lnkd.in/drGawgBr

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It’s a joy to see young minds get excited to learn more about Lean. The Progressive Machine is now available for only $2.99. Hopefully we can keep that excitement going. Don’t hesitate to reach out to get recommendations on other books and / or authors. Get your copy of The Progressive Machine here: https://lnkd.in/gndXQKmc #lean #fyp #bookstagram #book

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🌐 Join Our SCM Innovation Network 🌐 Are you driving innovation in Supply Chain Management through advanced technology or groundbreaking services? We want to hear from you! If your specialization aligns with Supply Chain Mapping, Gen AI Implementation in SCM, Digital Transformation, Demand Planning, Network Optimization, Inventory Management, Upstream technologies, 3rd Party Suppliers Management, Fleet Management, Logistics Management, or Business Process Improvement, we invite you to join our network for potential collaborations. Ready to showcase your offerings and engage in meaningful discussions? Simply complete our short form to kickstart our conversation: https://lnkd.in/dbz-qXXR Exciting news! We are thrilled to present our SCM Innovation Network, a platform where forward-thinking organizations and professionals in the supply chain domain come together to revolutionize supply chain management. Introducing Intas, a prominent multinational pharmaceutical company renowned for its expertise in formulation development, manufacturing, and marketing worldwide. With a network of subsidiaries like Accord Healthcare spanning across various regions, Intas holds the 6th position in the Indian pharmaceutical market and stands as the largest privately owned Indian generic pharmaceutical enterprise. Thank you for being a part of our initiative. #SCMInnovation #Startups #DigitalTransformation #SupplyChainVendor #SupplyChainManagement

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Great Monday! 🔄 Supply Chain Leaders how are you managing change within your operation?! 🌐 In an era marked by rapid technological advancements and global disruptions, the ability to effectively manage change within the supply chain is more crucial than ever. 🛠️ Why is Change Management Critical in Supply Chains? Adaptation to Market Dynamics: As markets evolve, supply chains must adapt quickly to meet new demands. Effective change management ensures smooth transitions and quick responsiveness. Technology Integration: Implementing new technologies like AI, IoT, and blockchain can be complex. A well-managed change process ensures these technologies are seamlessly integrated, minimizing disruptions. Risk Mitigation: Change inherently comes with risks. A structured change management approach identifies potential issues early and develops strategies to mitigate them. Employee Engagement: Change can be unsettling for employees. Involving them in the change process through clear communication and training ensures they are on board and motivated. Continuous Improvement: Change management fosters a culture of continuous improvement, driving innovation and operational excellence. 🛠️ Key Elements of Effective Change Management Clear Vision and Objectives: Define what you want to achieve and why it is important. This provides direction and purpose. Stakeholder Engagement: Involve all stakeholders early in the process. Their input and buy-in are crucial for successful implementation. Communication Plan: Keep everyone informed about the changes, the benefits, and the impact on their roles. Transparency reduces resistance. Training and Support: Provide the necessary training and resources to help employees adapt to new processes and technologies. Monitoring and Feedback: Continuously monitor the change process and gather feedback. Be ready to make adjustments as needed. 💬 Join the Conversation! How is your organization managing change within its supply chain? What challenges have you faced, and what strategies have proven effective? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below! #SupplyChain #ChangeManagement #Logistics #Innovation #TechnologyIntegration #ContinuousImprovement #BusinessResilience #Leadership

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I'll be speaking at ProcureCon Supply Chain 2024! Looking forward to connecting with colleagues and peers and to our engaging discussions. To learn more about my session, click here https://lnkd.in/enr-QGH3 . #ProcureCon #ProcureConSupplyChain

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Supply chain benchmarking is a helpful practice to help us improve supply chain resiliency. Benchmarking data can give supply chain professionals insights to help balance the need for flexibility and quality with identifying opportunities for cost savings. #supplychainbenchmarking #healthcare

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Lots of insights from a recent Gartner podcast highlighting the pivotal role of product design in fortifying supply chain resilience. While the quest for resilient raw material sourcing typically leads to strategies like dual-sourcing, in-sourcing, and near-shoring, it's increasingly evident that the solution lies not solely in sourcing adjustments, but also in strategic design considerations. Embracing a holistic approach, integrating lean, simple, modular, and platform-oriented designs, while cognizant of global dynamics, is paramount for enhancing supply chain resilience. By proactively identifying sourcing alternatives less susceptible to disruptions, supply chains can effectively bolster operational stability and mitigate risks. Definitely worth the time listening to this episode! #SupplyChainResilience #ProductDesign #GlobalSourcing #StrategicPlanning #GartnerInsights #SupplyChainManagement https://lnkd.in/dZpmahAr

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💡 Supply Chain Leaders! 💡 In today's fast-paced business environment, partnering with a consulting firm can be a game-changer. Whether you're looking to streamline operations, implement new technologies, or develop strategic plans, a well-executed consulting engagement can deliver transformative results. Here are some best practices to ensure your consulting partnerships are successful and impactful: Define Clear Objectives 🎯 Start with a well-defined scope and clear objectives. Understand what you aim to achieve and ensure these goals are communicated clearly to your consulting partner. Choose the Right Partner 🤝 Look for consultants with expertise relevant to your industry and specific needs. Evaluate their track record, client testimonials, and case studies to ensure they have a proven history of delivering results. Establish Transparent Communication 🗣️ Maintain open lines of communication throughout the engagement. Regular updates, progress reports, and check-in meetings help ensure alignment and address any issues promptly. Set Realistic Timelines and Milestones 📅 Develop a detailed project plan with realistic timelines and milestones. This not only helps in tracking progress but also keeps everyone accountable and focused. Ensure Mutual Accountability 🛠️ Define roles and responsibilities clearly. Both parties should have a shared understanding of their duties and be held accountable for their commitments. Incorporate Flexibility 🌀 Be prepared to adapt. As projects progress, new challenges and opportunities may arise. Flexibility allows you to pivot and adjust strategies as needed. Measure Success 📊 Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the success of the engagement. Regularly assess these metrics to ensure the project is on track and delivering the expected value. Foster a Collaborative Relationship 🌐 Treat your consultants as partners, not just service providers. Encourage collaboration and knowledge sharing to maximize the value of their expertise. Plan for Sustainability 🌱 Ensure that the changes implemented are sustainable. Develop a plan for knowledge transfer and training to empower your team to maintain and build upon the improvements. Review and Reflect 📝 At the end of the engagement, conduct a thorough review. Assess what went well, what could be improved, and how the outcomes align with the initial objectives. This reflection helps in refining future engagements. By following these best practices, you can maximize the benefits of your consulting engagements and drive meaningful, lasting improvements in your organization. Ready to embark on a successful consulting journey? Let's connect and discuss how we can collaborate to achieve your business goals. #Consulting #BusinessStrategy #ProjectManagement #BestPractices #ConsultingEngagement #BusinessGrowth #PartnershipSuccess

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🌟Supply Chain Leaders!🌟 Are you struggling managing and facilitating the pleuthra of meetings on your calendar?! Fear not! As someone passionate about fostering collaboration and achieving team goals, I’ve gathered some key best practices for effective meeting facilitation that I’d love to share: Define Clear Objectives 🎯 Start with a clear agenda and specific goals. This ensures everyone understands the purpose and expected outcomes. Prepare Thoroughly 📋 Distribute materials and information in advance. This allows participants to come prepared, making discussions more meaningful and focused. Encourage Participation 🗣️ Create an inclusive environment where everyone feels comfortable contributing. Use open-ended questions and actively listen to all viewpoints. Time Management ⏰ Stick to the agenda and respect the scheduled end time. Time-box each agenda item to avoid overruns and keep the meeting on track. Stay Neutral and Objective ⚖️ As a facilitator, your role is to guide the discussion, not to dominate it. Remain neutral, ensuring all voices are heard and considered. Utilize Visual Aids and Technology 📊 Enhance understanding and engagement with visual aids like slides, charts, and whiteboards. Use technology tools for virtual meetings to keep everyone on the same page. Handle Conflicts Diplomatically 🤝 Address disagreements calmly and constructively. Aim to mediate conflicts and find common ground to keep the meeting productive. Summarize and Document Decisions 📝 Conclude with a summary of key points, decisions made, and action items. Ensure these are documented and shared with all participants post-meeting. Follow Up 🔄 Effective meetings extend beyond the room. Follow up on action items and ensure accountability to maintain momentum and drive results. By implementing these best practices, we can transform our meetings from time-consuming obligations into powerful tools for collaboration and success. Let’s strive to make every meeting count! 🚀 #MeetingFacilitation #Leadership #Productivity #Teamwork #BusinessSuccess

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Tariff increases have been a hot topic of conversation. While they're of serious concern, the right strategies can foster necessary resilience in the coming years. As Ji Li at Industry Week puts it, "The answer lies in revisiting the fundamental principles of supply chain design." This is a great article to remind us all that there is hope in the midst of great change if you're willing to lead boldly. #SupplyChain #Strategy #Leadership

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