Is your logistics in a downward spiral? This is how you regain your grip!

Sometimes they slide downhill and interim managers are called in to clear the rubble. 'Do not let it get that far, intervene earlier', said interim managers Marcel van Sas and Bart van Keulen in their first blog on this subject. In this second blog they explain what that intervention looks like in concrete terms. They give four tips.

Trade wars and geopolitical tensions are putting international supply chains under pressure. Meanwhile, customers remain as demanding as ever in terms of delivery performance and there is an acute shortage of staff. In our previous blog we already showed what that leads to: overloaded managers who are only 'firefighting' and lose sight of the higher goal. Only when they drop out or step down is the help of an interim manager called in: who then has to take rigorous measures to get the basics back in order.

In part 1 of this two-part series our message was: intervene in time! Do not wait until your logistics performance falls through the floor and managers leave the sinking ship, but take action at the first signs. By calling in help in time, you can save yourself a lot of damage. Not only human damage but above all financial damage too. But what does that 'intervening' look like in concrete terms? We give four tips on that.

1. Make it visible

In stressful situations in an organisation, there is often all sorts going on at once: high sickness absence, procedures that are no longer followed, disappointing performance. That is precisely when there is a need for overview.

Tip: Visualise what is going on. Hang processes, KPIs and bottlenecks on the wall on large sheets of paper. Use brown paper and sticky notes to make clear together with the team: what is getting stuck where? By literally drawing out where there is friction, you create overview and urgency. Everyone sees at a glance: this has to change.

2. Set priorities, and dare to choose

If you want to improve everything, often nothing happens. In many organisations there are dozens of points for improvement, but focus is lacking.

Tip: Together with your team, choose a handful of points with which you achieve the most effect and stick to them. Park the rest for later. That way you create clarity and achievable goals. The result? Quickly visible improvements and a motivated team that feels: we are making progress.

3. Ensure mental and physical safety

People form the backbone of your operation. But under pressure the feeling of safety is often the first thing to disappear: with the risk of reticence, stress or even absence as a result.

Tip: Ensure a safe working environment in which people feel free to speak up. Listen actively and seriously to signals from the shop floor. And do not forget physical safety: check whether your emergency response team is fully staffed, whether all first-aid kits are stocked and whether protocols are up to date. Safety is the basis of change.

4. Invest in consistent leadership

Without clear leadership, noise arises. Especially in hectic periods, the role of operational managers is crucial: they have to stay on course and create calm.

Tip: Encourage a daily rhythm, for example with a short morning stand-up in which you discuss challenges and align goals. Work from a clear plan and show how employees contribute to it. And perhaps most important of all: make sure managers are consistent and predictable in their behaviour. Ad hoc decisions are disastrous for the flow of your organisation.

Results on all fronts

Logistics organisations are under pressure and are in danger of buckling. Do not let it get that far, intervene in time. Make challenges visual, develop improvement plans and set priorities. Attention to people is crucial; ensure (mental and physical) safety and engagement. And last but not least: invest in operational leadership that is focused on the long term. With that you lay a foundation that makes you fully ready for the future again. You achieve results on all fronts, even in the turbulent times that lie ahead.