Strategies are not optional! They are your essential roadmaps to success, so please create them carefully.

There are so many organisations that do not see value in formulating strategies. Your team require direction from your strategies so they can align behind them to ensure objectives can be achieved.

The most important step is to achieve strategic fit between your supply chain and the needs of each market segment to be served. Undertanding their needs and the implied demand and supply uncertainty leads to an informed strategic sourcing program. This is followed by an honest assessment of whether your current supply chain structure is suitable to support these segments. Included in this process is gaining an understanding of your supply chain drivers and whether they will support your goals.

What about your teams? Do your teams have the necessary knowledge, skills and abilities to perform their roles, and are they fully utilised? Don’t think goals can be easily achieved without clearly defining the route to success.

One other point that is surprisingly common which must be avoided. The strategy needs to be shared with all personnel within the business!

Don’t hide the roadmap from your team!