Manufacturing Leaders: Here’s Your Thought Leadership Round Up to Close Out 2020

For manufacturers, Q4 2020 has been a confusing time. On the one hand, we have a lot to celebrate in the industry. We’ve solved some of the toughest problems that we’ve encountered in our careers. We’ve learned invaluable insights about the resiliency and adaptability of our global supply chains — including the initial deployment of a vaccine.

The challenging counter-narrative to this optimistic perspective is the reality that we still have a long road ahead of us. As ready as we are for the escalating global crises to be over, we still have a lot of work to do to keep moving forward. Manufacturing leaders have a crucial leadership role in this economic and public health climate.

One of the challenges that many of us are navigating right now is information overload. It’s tough to keep up with routine self-improvement through education. To help you develop a balanced, long-term perspective, the team at Maven Wave curated some informative resources to help expand your perspective.

How Do You Transform a Company as Large as UPS?

Source: Innovation Leader

In this interview, Scott Price, president of UPS International shares strategies that the shipping leader has used to transform operations across “hundreds of thousands of employees, a heritage that stretches back more than a century, layer upon layer of technologies and systems.” He explains steps that he personally takes to identify change agents, navigate through conflict, and how to transition from a short-term to long-term planning mindset — a skill that is currently absent from the sector.

Global Supply Chains in a Post Pandemic World

Source: Harvard Business Review

As manufacturers focus on the future-now, it’s important to remember that the decisions of today will influence the long-term. One of the biggest challenges is that “the pressure to operate efficiently and use capital and manufacturing capacity frugally will remain unrelenting.”In this article, Harvard Business School professor Willy C. Shih shares a tactical list of steps that manufacturing executives can take to align short-term, medium-term, and long-term goals.

Overcoming Pandemic Fatigue: How to Reenergize Organizations for the Long-Run

Source: McKinsey

One of the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic has been a mental health crisis. It is understandable that manufacturing workforces are feeling depleted due to financial stress, as well as the added pressures of family life. “75 percent of employees in the United States and close to a third in the Asia–Pacific region report symptoms of burnout,” according to research from McKinsey. Even if you are feeling exhausted yourself, it’s up to you as a leader to motivate your workforce. This resource from McKinsey shares tips for re-energizing teams—even when there are no clear answers.

Pfizer, J&J Chiefs Talk Vaccine Distribution Hurdles Ahead

Source: Fierce Pharma

A COVID-19 vaccine approval is only the first step. Now, pharmaceutical companies need to scale up their manufacturing and deployment capabilities. In this article, you’ll read a summary of side-by-side interviews with Johnson & Johnson CEO Alex Gorsky, Pfizer chief Albert Bourla, and Moderna President Stephen Hogue. Topics of interest include building trust among minorities in hard-hit communities, navigating ethical dilemmas, and reliance on a just-in-time delivery system rather than the United States’s chosen distributor McKesson.

Safety of Foods, Food Supply Chain, and Environment within the COVID-19 Pandemic

Source: Trends in Food, Science, and Technology

The global food chain is experiencing an impact from the pandemic — as is the health and safety of workers responsible for keeping the global population fed. This research study, conducted by a research team across Greece, Saudi Arabia, and Austria highlights the need for the development of more safety measures. The recommendations and insights from this study may be beneficial to the strategic agendas of manufacturers outside of the food industry.

Need Support Moving Into 2021?

You’re not alone. There is a need for continued discussion and insights-sharing in the manufacturing sector. One of the most valuable steps that leaders can take is to keep their eyes and ears open for new information, particularly around the topic of human health, diversifying supply chain operations, implementing new safety measures, and empowering workforces to stay engaged.

Taking the right step forward can be daunting during this incredibly unpredictable time. Maven Wave can help get your company get future-ready and execute on your ever-changing business objectives. Contact us to connect with our experts to discuss how we can help you identify and prioritize what needs to get done as true strategic partners.