Straight Talk from David Doherty OAM

David Doherty OAM is a past President and Life Member of the SCLAA and a highly regarded logistican. Send your Straight Talk feedback and comments to davidoh1@optusnet.com.au

Will things ever be the same again after the Pandemic, and its associated economic and supply chain upheavals?

More importantly, do we want things to go back to “normal” again, as they were pre-Pandemic?

Maybe it is time for new thinking, new initiatives, courageous action, and entrepreneurial spirit. Downturns and difficulties can be a breeding ground for breakthroughs. Did we learn from the disruptions caused by the COVID nightmare?

Real Leaders are needed. Authentic Leaders with consistently applied principles regardless of the difficulties. Legitimate principles must be on show every minute, every day, every week, every month, every year.

Groucho Marx offered, ”Those are my principles. If you don’t like them, then I have some others”.

How are you personally placed regarding consistent valuable principles and authentic behavior? Is there an opportunity for you to reinvent yourself to meet the new post pandemic circumstances?

Barrack Obama said, ”Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we have been waiting for. We are the change we seek.”

Flexibility is a key in Supply Chain performance but it should not come at the expense of principles and ethical conduct.

Value generating Supply Chains depend on diligent honest collaboration and shared benefits. I doubt that is the situation in many Supply Chains.

Trailblazers have produced enormous improvements in business and personal benefit over many years. Are there any trailblazer warriors out there ready and willing to lead us to new endeavors and standards?

Some years back the noted Guru John Gattorna wrote a book; ”The Supply Chain Missing Link-People”. After all the hype and technological developments Gattorna concluded that people were the basis of effective value generating Supply Chains.

I am obsessive now about the necessity to develop young people to meet future challenges. Their personal advancement, and our collective growth, are our pathways to the future.

The upcoming ASCL Awards recognise many elements of performance in our industries/profession. The Future Leaders Award is of particular importance. The Award is named after the legendary SCLAA Life Member, Vince Aisthorpe. Vince was head of the team (along with Nerida Kelton and many others) in SCLAA Queensland that created and delivered unique annual conferences predicated on low-cost entry, focused learning aimed at translation into immediate use in the workplace, and most importantly, fun, entertainment and enjoyment. The conference also proudly boasted a greater good objective (fundraising for charities including Christmas hampers for those in need). Vince was an outstanding Supply Chain Professional, a true SCLAA Trailblazer, who saw the need to champion young people with dreams of a career in Supply Chain and Logistics.

When the Future Leaders Award is presented at the Awards night in November please reflect on the legacy of Vince. He would be satisfied if we all determined to contribute in some way to the enhancement of opportunities for emerging professionals and practitioners.

Mentoring programs are important, by the way Mentors and Mentees learn and develop through that process.

I am distressed by the political and business leadership malaise effecting all of us. Our National and State Parliaments don’t seem to understand what the suffering communities everywhere need. I don’t want time to be wasted on political weaponising and adversarial grossly negative debate. For goodness’ sake! People are hurting! Focus on facilitating ways to allow people and all communities to pursue better lives.

Democracy is being threatened in many parts of the world. We must not let that threat progress here.

So, I am digressing. Give me a minute to get back to my point.

It is easy to fall into the practice of reacting to issues. Supply Chain disruptions tend to make us think in reactive terms. Real growth comes from creating and implementing. Nurturing young dreamers is a rewarding activity. If you are not a mentor, go and be one. If you haven’t got a mentor, go and get one (regardless of your age or experience level).

Perhaps we should initiate a Mentor and Mentee of the Year Award.

“I want my children to have all the things I could not afford. Then I want to move in with them” (Phyllis Diller)

It is never too late. Decide today to be a part of the future in Supply Chain and Logistics.

“Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself” (George Bernard Shaw)

Namaste

David Doherty OAM (davdoh1@optusnet.com.au)