Looking back, what strikes me is the incredible pace of new technology being introduced. It arrives at near breakneck speeds, and teams must learn and shift to keep pace with competitors.
Technology, by and large, leads to automation. We use the tools to make our jobs easier. The bits of automation today — ship-to-shore cranes, self-driving trucks, etc. — are starting to really drive efficiencies and improve service delivery to customers.
The thing that cannot be automated is how companies build up teams and a culture. Teams and companies can be ripped apart by constant change, or they can come together and thrive by growing through it. That kind of resiliency and preparation are part of what must be ingrained and built into high-performing teams — and no technology can automate that process.
Companies that have that kind of resilience — the attitude, perhaps, of “bend but don’t break” — will be successful regardless of what automation comes their way. Those teams generally have the culture, process, and structure to handle the tremendous uncertainty that the future holds. And this mindset applies across all of the supply chain — without the ability to truly predict the future, how we respond to changes affects how we do in the market. It could cause internal chaos — unless the culture is established and people are ready for the unexpected.
What will separate the best of the best will be how teams use their expertise and ability to adapt to help their organizations grow up or down, without completely breaking the processes they have built. By leveraging the people and using the data available to them, they can make decisions and move swiftly. These teams can adapt and incorporate the new technologies that are on their way and will thrive in the years to come.