Which millennial is my new leader?
I am always charmed by the positive way we look at the logistics industry to be a little conservative and traditional. Even more since I know that within most logistic companies advanced systems make the best possible customer dreams come through. So where does this image comes from?
I came across an interesting article of Wills Moore from Korn Ferry:
As the use of mobile and social platforms and access to Wi-Fi continue to increase and technologies continue to enhance the user experience and website capabilities, ecommerce will continue to grow. But amid this virtual reality with its wish lists, pop-up shopping carts, and packages that appear on our doorstep, it’s easy to overlook the human element.
A Fiercely Competitive (e-commerce logistics) Talent Market
Absent from all the articles and research reports covering the explosive growth of e-commerce is a conversation about the growing gap of leadership talent. These leaders are often hard to see and harder to find as they operate behind-the-scenes. Operations directors, heads of procurement, warehouse managers and solutions-oriented sales executives – leaders within e-commerce logistics – have facilitated the rise of online retail and will continue to steward its growth.
The unprecedented rise within the space has led to a fierce competition for qualified talent – especially within the areas of operations and sales. News breaks regularly of talent poached from one company or another. The demand for experienced professionals and technical experts in the e-commerce sector is growing faster than online sales itself and companies willing to pay above market for top talent are finding themselves better positioned for success. New Skills and Competencies Needed
For an industry that relies on long-term relationships rather than on one-time transactions, e-commerce providers need to be as technologically savvy and innovative as the customers they support. As an online retailer’s business evolves, so too must the business of their logistics partners.
Today, the most capable operations leaders are those who possess the leadership capabilities of a general manager, the foresight of a talent scout, and the interpersonal skills of a customer relations expert. The profile of a best-in-class logistics solution sales executive has evolved to more closely resemble that of their technology counterparts. To be successful in this role today requires a greater willingness to take risks, the ability to better adapt in changing circumstances, and more courage than ever before.
The logistics industry has traditionally been slow to develop a pipeline of innovative leaders. As logistics leaders typically score lower in learning agility and other key traits needed for success in today’s business environment, companies have started to look beyond traditional talent pools to find these skills. Experience is no longer the most important piece of the resume as employers are assessing candidates to better understand what drives them, how they will perform in a culture that values innovation, and their ability to thrive in a rapidly changing business environment.
We all know that the best logistic providers prove their right of existence in times where systems offer no solutions and experience takes over from scripts. We all know that experience dies. So we all know that building up new experience should be a continuous process in any industry, including building up new experiences in new technologies. Should we, therefor, not all ask ourselves the question: Which millennial is my new leader?
You better start anticipating….the next millennium is on its way.