Skills for Effective Problem Solving in Supply Chain

Because firefighting kills supply chain ... The document shows how to address common firefighting situations: 🔥 # 1 - The line shutting down because they are running out of an ingredient ↳ Check on available inventory at other plants and open purchase orders ↳ Call supplier(s) to ask for options ↳ Check BOMs (bills of materials) for substitutes 🔥 # 2 - Every week there are stockouts of corrugated boxes ↳ Document reason (production schedule changes, quality, etc) ↳ Per Pareto, identify the 20% root causes of 80% of the stockouts ↳ Re-calculate safety stock 🔥 # 3 - The packaging is going to arrive late ↳ Find out about expediting options; timing and cost ↳ Work with scheduler and/or supplier(s) to identify options ↳ Explore other sizes/ packaging alternatives 🔥 # 4 - The company needs materials asap but the containers from China will arrive in two months ↳ Determine quantity needed asap ↳ Ship air for urgent quantity and ocean for the balance ↳ Search local alternatives for the urgent quantity 🔥 # 5 - A truck with a delivery is coming but there is no space in the warehouse ↳ Work with supplier and/ or trucking company for alternate slots ↳ Identify nearby warehouses with space availability ↳ Look into bill and hold agreements for the future 🔥 # 6 - There is a pile of aging inventory ↳ Perform segmentation to prioritize (e.g. dollar amount, expiry date) ↳ Identify potential use and timing ↳ Explore options with suppliers and marketing and sales teams 🔥 # 7 - A raw materials delivery gets rejected due to quality issues ↳ Reach out to the supplier to get a replacement batch ↳ Check on availability on the material with alternate suppliers ↳ Work with production scheduler on potential changes Any others to add?

#1 skill companies hire McKinsey alumni for? Structured problem solving. Why? Because people who turn ambiguity into action and chaos into clarity are the most scarce, valuable assets. Here's the 3-step system McKinsey consultants use to tackle any business challenge: 1️⃣ Define the Problem - Clarify exactly what needs solving - Create a SMART problem statement - Identify key stakeholders and success criteria - Set clear constraints and deliverables 2️⃣ Decompose the Problem - Break down complex issues into manageable parts - Use issue trees to map relationships - Ask "how might we" questions to spark solutions - Find the root causes, not just symptoms 3️⃣ Prioritize Issues - Rank challenges based on key criteria (e.g., impact, feasibility) - Focus energy where it matters most - Make data-driven decisions about where to start - Avoid the trap of trying to solve everything at once This methodical approach is what separates strategic problem-solvers that senior leaders trust. Not magic. Not genius. Just process. And the best part? You can master this methodology too. Start with clear problem definition. Move to logical decomposition. Finish with structured prioritization. Most business problems don't need genius solutions. They need good-enough answers that create progress. Some action is almost always better than paralysis. What complex challenge can you apply this to today? ♻️ Find this valuable? Repost to help others. Follow me for posts on leadership, learning, and excellence. 📌 Want free PDFs of this and my top cheat sheets? You can find them here: https://lnkd.in/g2t-cU8P Hi 👋 I'm Vince, CEO of Sparkwise. I help orgs scale excellence at a fraction of the cost by automating live group learning, practice, and application. Check out our topic library: https://lnkd.in/gKbXp_Av

📌The Power of Root Cause Analysis in Process Improvement 🚨 Ever wondered why problems keep recurring despite your best efforts? 🔑 The answer often lies in not addressing the root cause! I first came across Root Cause Analysis while studying Global Supply Chain Management during my Master’s degree. It fascinated me how a single issue could have multiple underlying causes. There are several methodologies to identify root causes, but my favorite is the 5-Why Analysis. Here’s why: 🔍 5-Why Analysis is all about digging deeper by repeatedly asking “Why?” until you reach the fundamental cause of the problem. ⚙️ It’s simple yet powerful. 📊 It doesn’t require complex tools or data. 💡 It fosters a problem-solving mindset. Example: 🚚 Problem: A product shipment was delayed. ❓ Why? The product wasn’t ready on time. ❓ Why? The assembly line was halted. ❓ Why? A critical component was missing. ❓ Why? The supplier didn’t deliver it. ❓ Why? The order was placed late. 🎯 Root Cause: Inefficient ordering process. If you’re new to this, try using 5-Why Analysis for small projects or even real-world problems. 🔍 This simple methodology can help you discover insights you never thought existed! Hope this helps anyone working in process improvement. 🚀 Let’s keep learning and growing! #ProcessImprovement #RootCauseAnalysis #5WhyAnalysis #SupplyChainManagement #ContinuousImprovement #ProblemSolving #BusinessExcellence #LeanSixSigma #CareerGrowth