ILT Supply Chain Champions Day - December 2000 Objectives of the day
- to build momentum and belief in the Championing system
- to appraise high-level management on the LOGIC message of supply chain management
- to review the present role of the Champion and whether it responds to the needs identified by the ILT membership
Supply Chain Management : The LOGIC message
Supply Chain Management is NOT restricted to any one department. It is a strategic tool towards continuous business improvement. Decisions on how to manage your supply chain should not be taken in isolation from your supply chain. As a senior manager, your job is to add value and manage waste. Any activities that to not respond to this role are a potential for waste. Tools available
A number of the tools available to Supply Chain managers were shown to the Group with case studies of where they have been used to good effect. The Group was then allowed to explore the use of the tools via a facilitated Case Study workgroup.
Facilitated brainstorming session to explore the group's perception of their role as Supply Chain Champions and their aspirations for the future.
Setting a context "How efficient are you as an individual in fulfilling your Supply Chain Champion role at present?". the Group voiced a spread of 20-80%, with the median at 35-40% (blue dots on diagram 1 below and written feedback on the voting rationale)
Offering the question "What factors are necessary for maximum effectiveness in the Supply Chain Champion's role?" The room was split into four Workgroups. Ideas were brainstormed (diagrams 2 to 5) and grouped into 16 clusters:-
Factors necessary for main effectiveness in the SCC role - clusters: - Corporate culture (action plan table1)
- Credibility (action plan table2)
- Communication (action plan table3)
- Communication - encourage open feedback & awareness (action plan table4)
- Action
- Champion's attributes
- Clarity / definition of role
- Clarity / definition of process
- Empowerment
- Engagement
- Focus on results dynamically
- Preparation
- Scope
- Skills
- Take off the blinkers
- Trust
Each group then prioritised the clusters and developed actions for the top one. This resulted in a Group Action Plan:- 
The participants were then asked to provide feedback for how the actions agreed in the last part of the exercise would change their ability to be effective in their Supply Chain Champion role (green dots on diagram #1)
Discussion on complaints received and actioned
This had to be brief, because of lack of data from over 60% of the Supply Chain Champions. It will need to be addressed at the next meeting.
Main Conclusions
The Supply Chain Champions group expressed a wish to meet more regularly. A four-monthly schedule was agreed, with April in Reading (BG Group's site) as the next date. There was a strong request for the need to redefine the scope and purpose of the Supply Chain Champion role to move away from the negative perception of an'ombudsman' towards a more open and constructive role. This will be explored in more detail at the April meeting.
