All transformation success stories - in moving a function from the tactical to the strategic, focus increasingly on efficiencies, value delivery and overall corporate (commercial) alignment - follow a similar path. Acknowledging these parallels, we invite all professionals tasked with driving the strategic transformation of their respective function to join this IACCM Ask The Expert call featuring Lamar Chesney, a respected leader in business transformations.Mr. Chesney is a seasoned operations, financial and supply chain professional with more than four decades of diversified business experience as a senior executive in the financial services, manufacturing, audit services, educational, transportation, professional services, consumer products and energy industries. Benefit from Lamar's experience and put his advice into practice as you work towards your own strategic transformation success story...Louis Pasteur once said that 'chance favours the prepared mind.' Such holds especially true in the complex world of business. More often than not, executives fail to devote sufficient attention to fully understanding the context in which business transformations exist. Most executives are captivated by the potential benefits that could emerge from change. Doing so obscures their focus of the adverse consequences that will likely occur. This not only leads to setting unrealistic expectations but also to inadequate planning and analysis. As a result, it is inevitable that leaders will be disappointed by the unfulfilled prospects of change. Executives who desire to transform their Procurement organizations are not exempt from this misguided approach.Building a more strategic Supply Management organization is good ... but building what is capable of being effectively used is critical in any transformation, including Supply Management. Over-building is as much a mistake as under-building. While a 'build it and they will come' approach is admirable, it is not a sound strategy on which to invest precious time, energy and resources. The realization of Supply Management's strategic potential is greatly dependent upon the environment in which it will operate. Building a strong strategically capable Supply Management operation will not guarantee cultural change and acceptance. Determining organizational readiness and cultural receptivity are vital to building the best Supply Management operations.It is past time to break the cycle of building what one thinks one needs from a more strategic Supply Management organization and hope it will be successful. Leadership demands contextual awareness as much as clarity of vision and persistency in pursuit. Every company can benefit from a more strategic Supply Management organization. Only those that manage maturity of its migration are truly successful.
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