Our world relies on things. We use them in every aspect of our life; in our homes, work and travel. They make everything easier, better and more enjoyable for us. But from start to finish, they take a lot of work. Everything from the raw materials to manufacturing, logistics, and transport, relies on what comes before and after; if one part of the system is faulty the whole thing grinds to a halt.
In any chain, someone has to manage all the links make sure they all work together smoothly. A supply chain manager is someone who oversees this entire process, both the people and networks that feed into the lifecycle of a product. With more and more moving parts (both machines and people) supply chain management is vital in today’s world. You’re the cog that holds everything together. You get to touch on all different aspects of the supply chain. It’s an omnipresent role. From the bigger picture right down to the granular details — a supply chain manager has to be across everything.
Why your network is more than your networth
When the term was first coined in the 1980s, supply chain management mainly focused on the technical aspects of the role. Businesses wanting to make processes faster concentrated on how to make machines more efficient. But as our world becomes more connected, networks are have become key. Supply chains are underpinned by two types of networks; physical objects and the flow of information. Communication is vital to keeping the whole thing moving and making sure that overtimes it keeps on evolving. Because every link relies on another, even the smallest change can have a significant impact.
People aren’t machines
Based in Germany, Walther Melneck tries to get the most of the supply chain by coaching people to work in a more meaningful way. Eight years ago, he pioneered a new program called World Class Procurement. The training technique is aimed at helping Siemens’ supply chain managers understand their own skills and weaknesses. “People think supply chain management is about objects, but it’s not — it’s about people.” He says. “You have to be a networker to do this job because you interact with so many people; from R&D to quality, sales, logistics, and the factory.”
Management is a skill set all unto its own. We’ve all had experience of terrible managers; they can make or break a workplace. It takes a combination of understanding the product (and all the technical aspects that come with it) and knowing how to get the most out of people.
It’s a challenge Walther knows inside out, which is why he’s best placed to help others make the transition into the upper echelons of management. He started his career in the company in 1985 as an engineer. “I studied precision engineering as my first degree,” he says. “But during one of my first jobs at Siemens, I was selected to be part of a program that nurtured young talent under 30 at the start of their career in leadership. I was part of an opportunity for huge change in the company — to retrain engineers as managers,” Walther says. “They even paid for my MBA in Change Management at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Boston, America.”
Most people see management as an inevitable rung on the career ladder, but Siemens understands that it might not be for everyone. But for those who think it might be their calling, the company will do everything to help them along the journey. Walther boils it down to one thing — continuous learning.
Psychology underpins all decision making
As with all new things, roadblocks are inevitable. But despite our natural resistance to difficult situations, it’s generally better to work with something, than against it. “Cooperation culture is really important to us,” he says. “We don’t just have to do the mechanical part, we have to help people work together day-to-day.”
It might sound evangelical but the truth is that Walther’s program is anything but. It’s not a twelve-step program or a quick fix solution. It’s just a combination of Walther’s decades of experience in the industry and training at the world’s most prestigious business school that helps supply chain managers keep an eye on the bigger picture. “My coaching focuses on self-help. Because I’m only with an organization for a short period of time, I can’t tell them how to do their job for them but I can help them be better at it by digging out their competencies and revealing what they’re good at.”
Self-improvement is a constant battle. Our minds naturally veer down tunnels, get sidetracked by unexpected problems and blow things out of proportion. All Walther does is tell you how to reframe the issues and work through any hurdles. “People are much more knowledgeable than they think,” he says. “All I do is dig about and ask them about their competencies. Essentially I help them find their own way.”
While Walther’s program emphasizes the importance of finding your own way of working, the structure is always the same. Each project lasts a week and starts with him getting to know the person and their teams. By the end, they have gained enough insight into how they work to put it all into practice. “I often compare it to riding a bicycle,” he says. “I can explain to you where the bell is, where the pedals are but until you actually try riding it — it’s all just theory.” Walther’s coaching all comes down to the person and their team, but it’s underpinned by the same principles.
The powers of persuasion
“A big part of what I do comes down to psychology,” he says. “Sometimes I have to devolve into trauma therapies to understand how the brain works.” But it’s all part and parcel for Walther. “In this industry,” he says. “It’s important to learn how to deal with resistance — both technically and psychologically.”
Cultivating the right type of culture
It’s been over a decade since management guru Peter Drucker coined the phrase “culture eats strategy for breakfast”, but for Walther it still rings true. “Even when you’re primarily working with machines, at the end of the day it’s the people behind them you need to work alongside.”
Collaboration means working with different cultures
“You have to be people-centric if you want to work in supply chain management,” says Walther. “If you engage with people and ask the right questions, then you’re ultimately showing them you want to understand them. I’ve worked in Dubai, Singapore, The US and Europe and it’s all the same. People want to see that you care about them.”
Always tap into other people’s skill sets
“We have highly qualified people, expert networks, and knowledge databases,” says Walther. “And we also have a additional advantages, like deep in-house knowledge and access to data.” As an expert in his field, Walther has to be constantly engaged with the subject at large. “I’m always scanning the channels outside of Siemens for valuable information,” he says. “If I can’t find the answer I collaborate with other specialists.”
There’s nothing like reassurance
Positive feedback is never a bad thing, but the best comments are what makes Walther’s job worthwhile. “There’s nothing like someone coming up to you and asking for more,” he says. “When people tell me they think it’s the way forward, it makes my day.”
Walther Melneck is Program Manager for the World Class Procurement Program at Siemens. He helps Siemens’ procurement organizations all over the world to be prepared for future challenges. He lives with his family in the beautiful 2,000 year old city of Augsburg in Germany. Find out more about working at Siemens.
Walther Melneck is a Future Maker — one of the 372,000 talented people working with us to shape the future.
Illustration: Lauren Rolwing
