In addition to offering insights into planning horizons, supply chain strategy drivers, and keys to supply chain success, the recent report on Supply Chain Strategy in the Board Room by the Cranfield School of Management and Solving Efeso also discussed what it all meant for supply chain leaders of tomorrow. It’s conclusion was that the CPO of tomorrow needs to fit the following profile:
- Strong Communicator: gravitas within Leadership team
in many companies, the sourcing / procurement / supply chain leader still doesn’t have a seat at the table, and even when she does, she often reports to the COO, CFO, or another CXO that’s not the CEO
- Multi-Disciplinary: able to understand corporate & customer service strategy
without this insight, the CPO will never develop a supply chain strategy that complements and enforces the corporate strategy
- Collaborative: works as a team player, does “external sensing”
in modern terms, the CPO must have a high EQ IQ
- Vision-Led: but practical and pragmatic
the CPO must be able to think long term, but able to adapt to short-term circumstances and fluctuations
- Fact-Based: but able to deal with “ambiguity and ambition”
the CPO must have a solid grasp of true analysis, and apply those skills whenever data are available, but also be able to fill in the gaps with wisdom and experience when data is sparse
- Culturally-Intelligent: able to deal with a mix of global, regional, and local culture/leadership styles
modern supply chains are global and they are going to stay that way
In other words, nothing that Sourcing Innovation and other top blogs haven’t been telling you for years, but it’s nice to see more support for the profile.