Page 13 - Logistics News August 2016

training

Exploding myths and exploring resonances

By Charles Dey, www.charlesdey.blogspot.com

Some myths around learning in the workplace and uncannily significant resonances between
overseas and local research uncover significant opportunities for both the people and the
organisations involved in supply chain management.

SOME TRADITIONAL preconceptions that Where should training be focused?
need to be managed to remove constraints on Having established what works for workplace
the path of successful training implementation training, we find that there is an uncanny resonance
include: between research carried out in the USA and the
Barloworld Logistics supplychainforesight survey.
People don’t have time for learning
People will make time, given the right In the USA the leadership and professional
motivation. As adults we are willing to invest competency requirements for future Supply Chain
in our learning and development – but only managers were found to be:
if convinced that it will improve our work
performance, advance our careers and enrich Ability to negotiate and collaborate with
our lives. So, if it is clear that the training on value chain partners; ability to collaborate across
which we are embarking will help us grow, functions; ability to drive or support diversity and
evolve and stay marketable, the time will be inclusion; strategic thinking and problem solving;
found. ability to manage global/virtual teams; ability to
persuade and communicate effectively; leading
Traditional training methods, like and developing others (Melnyk, S. and Seftel, C.M.,
classroom training and even online 2016: Quoting Deloitte’s Third Annual Supply Chain
courses no longer work Survey 2015).
Whilst it is true that people, especially Gen
Ys, learn from a great deal more sources than Examining the 2015 supplychainforesight
previous generations, formally based training is survey it will be found that, to achieve key strategic
very necessary. supply chain objectives, very similar competencies
are needed:
The HR/learning function owns
responsibility for employee development Identifying and managing change; growth and
Once responsibility for learning is shared expansion into new markets; increasing flexibility,
between the learning function, managers agility and responsiveness; sustaining existing
and individuals by building and managing a areas of financial returns; introducing new products
mentoring culture that empowers those in the and services; using supply chain as more of a
workplace to discover and connect with the competitive advantage; investment in business
right people, experiences and resources, this is intelligence (Frost & Sullivan. 2015: 17).
where effective training begins.
The role of the supply chain manager is clearly
moving from tactician to strategist. This represents
huge opportunities for organisations that, to
take full advantage of them, need to position
themselves through effective, focused training. •

Interested in pursuing this topic? Join the discussion on www.charlesrdey.blogspot.com.

August 2016 | Logistics News 11