If I were to only recommend one article to read this week, it is “Being the Agile Boss”. It is relevant for the times and a reminder that we should be investing our energy into three key areas; our teams, our network, and ourselves. The most notable principle is “Great leadership is always about an emotional connection. Ask yourself: How are people experiencing you? And how are they experiencing themselves when they’re with you?”

​I’ve also included an article on Amazon vs. Walmart, if you are interested in an opinion piece. The last article on “Who should own inventory risk” feels a bit like the pendulum is swinging back to what Dell and others pioneered years ago with build to order. That is, being close to the customer and having manufacturers carry the inventory.

​Europe’s supply chain continues to recover. It’s currently running at 94% capacity

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​Being the Agile Boss, MIT/SMR, August 11 (12 min read)

Agile leadership matters now more than ever… leveraging, but not reacting to the turbulence around you. The three imperatives of great leadership are;

• Managing your team with shared purpose and learning guided by 1) why do we exist? 2) whom do we serve?
• Managing your networks to cultivate new sources, mapping interdependencies, checking assumptions, and collaborating on responses to fast-changing circumstances
• Managing yourself in times of crisis requires continued commitment to your own well-being and development. “Leadership begins with you: Your values, beliefs, strengths, and weaknesses drive your decisions and actions and demonstrate your true character”

​In the Big Battle Between Amazon vs. Walmart, Here’s Who Wins the Most, Inc., August 16, ( 4 min read)

The conclusion of this is that Amazon and Walmart will end up almost indistinguishable. I am not buying it.

​Who Should Own Inventory Risk? SupplyChainBrain, August 13, ( 3 min read)

Allowing the customer’s voice to drive supply-chain activities, every element of the process is leaned, and non-value-added costs eliminated