He might seem like the unlikeliest logistics consultant, but in his mission-driven work to provide meals at disaster sites, Chef Jose Andres has a pretty good understanding of the industry. For that reason, he was one of the keynote speakers at this year’s ProMat, and he shared some of his lessons learned from the field. His advice included notes for working under uncertain conditions, which, when you look back over the past few years, is applicable to just about any company. His tips:
- Start with a clear mission—In the case of Andres, that mission is to feed people in the middle of a crisis. For the supply chain, this is relevant, as well. You must define your company’s purpose and disseminate that down to everyone on the team. With a vision at hand, everyone can rally to support it.
- Be flexible and adaptable—Planning is critical in supply chain management, but so too is adaptability. All the planning in the world leading up to March 2020 couldn’t have prevented the major disruptions the industry faced. Having the ability to pivot and change course is just as essential.
- Perfect is the enemy of good—While striving for perfection is never discouraged, sometimes it can get in the way of effective supply chain management. There’s a point of good enough that will facilitate smooth operations without delay. Expediency of operations is essential today, and if you wait until everything is lined up perfectly, your operations may slow.
