In 2019, This One Soft Skill Reigns Supreme: Emotional Intelligence

by Jennifer Hart Yim | May 28, 2019 | Blog, Talent

Soft skills are more important than ever, and emotional intelligence is arguably more important than all the rest.

Highlights:

Because Supply Chain now touches on every aspect of a business, soft skills have become more important than ever.
Emotional intelligence is the ability to understand one’s own emotions as well as the emotions of others.
Emotionally intelligent people are more thoughtful about decisions within an organization. They’re able to see others’ points of view, and better judge how their decisions will impact others.

This guest post comes to us from Argentus Supply Chain Recruiting, a boutique recruitment firm specializing in Supply Chain Management and Procurement.

The rise of emerging technologies like big data and AI has changed the skills profile for a number of white collar careers – not the least of which is Supply Chain Management, which is our specialty at Argentus. Tools like SAP, other ERP systems and Supply Chain visibility software have opened up massive opportunities for people who can analyze data and draw intelligence. They’ve raised Supply Chain’s profile in companies. The function now drives and transforms big picture strategy instead of just fighting daily fires.

Supply Chain is a STEM field. People with engineering, data analysis, systems development, and other hard skills will always be important. But there’s something interesting happening in the skills profile for top Supply Chain people: because Supply Chain now touches on every aspect of a business, soft skills have become more important than ever. It’s a bit of a paradox, but it’s borne out in our conversations with clients, as well as executives across the field.

And in 2019, there’s one soft skill that reigns supreme: emotional intelligence.

[bctt tweet=”According to the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs report, emotional intelligence is the most important emerging soft skill heading into 2020. ” username=”Fronetics”]

According to the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs report, emotional intelligence is the most important emerging soft skill heading into 2020. This great article in Fast Company digs into the research. It examines the importance of emotional intelligence (EQ), and explains why hiring managers often prize EQ over IQ when identifying talent today.

What is emotional intelligence?

In short, it’s the ability to understand one’s own emotions as well as the emotions of others. It’s closely related with empathy, and leads to an increased ability to understand your team’s needs in the workplace. In general, research has found a correlation between high emotional intelligence and job performance, mental health, and leadership skills.

In a recent interview, Supply Chain VP Taras Korec identified emotional intelligence as one of the most crucial soft skills for everyone in the field, from the analyst level up to the VP level. He also said he hires based on attitude and emotional intelligence rather than hard skills.

But organizations don’t always see the value in developing their employees’ emotional intelligence, and this has big ramifications. As Taras put it, “if you’re an analyst and you go to your boss and say, ‘I want some training on the hard skills,’ that’s a pretty obvious sell. But how many people have the courage at the analyst level to say, ‘I want to take training on emotional intelligence’? A lot of leaders may not have invested in those skills themselves. They may not see the value in them, which reinforces that deficit throughout the organization.”

According to the research, these are some of the biggest career advantages enjoyed by people with high emotional intelligence (EQ):

The ability to deal with pressure. Emotional intelligence helps you understand and regulate your own emotional state, which leads to better stress management and healthy coping mechanisms. Supply Chain is often a high-stress profession, with critical business outcomes riding on SCM planning and performance – so emotional intelligence is particularly helpful.
Increased co-operation. The Fast Company analysis points out how workplaces are becoming more collaborative, as well as inclusive to people from different backgrounds. Emotional intelligent people are better relationship-builders, and that’s valuable in a field like Supply Chain where you’re often working with people from all over the world.
The superpower of using feedback as fuel. In general, intelligent people tend to recognize the importance of self-improvement and skills development. But people with good emotional intelligence are also more open to others’ feedback – which is necessary to see what they need to improve. They don’t take criticism personally, so they’re better poised to turn feedback and areas of improvement in performance reviews into fuel for personal growth.
Improved leadership skills. People with high emotional intelligence have better empathy, resilience, and ability to build influence – key traits for business leaders. Success in Supply Chain Management – especially in disciplines like Procurement – relies on an ability to build relationships and influence stakeholders from across the business. People with high emotional intelligence are great at rising above daily firefighting. They’re more likely to be seen as leaders within a business. They’re respected. People listen when they speak, even if they don’t have a “leadership” title. As Supply Chain VP Taras Korec said in our recent interview, “there’s no reason you can’t lead, regardless of your title.”
Better decision making and ability to adapt to change. The business world is changing rapidly in the age of digital technology, and this is especially true within Supply Chain and Procurement, which are undergoing major transformations at top organizations. Emotionally intelligent people are more thoughtful about decisions within an organization. They’re able to see others’ points of view, and better judge how their decisions will impact others.

Like any soft skill, emotional intelligence can be intangible. It’s way harder for a Supply Chain professional to put emotional intelligence on a resume than their skills with a particular SAP module. Conversely, it’s also harder for a hiring manager to systematically screen for emotional intelligence than other “hard” skills. It’s harder to design a university course around. But the fact is, you know it when you see it, and truly great hiring managers know how to assess emotional intelligence in a job interview.

You might not find emotional intelligence in a list of SCM core competencies – but like any other soft skill, it’s crucial. And it’s only becoming more important.

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5 Must-Read Books for Supply Chain Leaders

by Fronetics | Mar 13, 2018 | Blog, Content Marketing, Leadership, Logistics, Marketing, Supply Chain

Here are five books for supply chain leaders to stay on top of industry trends and management practices.

“Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality.” — Warren Bennis

All executives and managers bring different skills to the table. They have different experiences and approaches that set them apart. So what makes an executive a great leader? Great leaders embody the ability to inspire and empower their teams to succeed.

But great leaders don’t stay great, unless they continue to adapt to new environments, approaches and, ultimately, challenges. One of the best ways to sharpen your leadership skills is by learning from other leaders’ experiences. Leadership books, especially those focused on the supply chain and logistics industries, give valuable insight into the trials and triumphs of your industry peers’ encounters.

Here are five books that we recommend reading to keep getting the job done: empowering your team, learning about industry trends, updating your management practices, and other key insights.

5 must-read books for supply chain leaders

1. The Supply Chain Revolution: Innovative Sourcing and Logistics for a Fiercely Competitive World

The smartest leaders see supply chain and sourcing for what they can be: hidden tools for outperforming the competition. Steve Jobs, upon returning to Apple in 1997, focused on transforming the supply chain. He hired Tim Cook, and the company sped up the development of new products, getting them into consumers’ hands faster. The rest is history.

Across a range of industries, once-leading companies are in trouble. While competitors were shuttering stores, Zara’s highly responsive supply chain made it the most valued company in the retail space and its founder, the richest man in Europe. The success of TJX, Amazon, Starbucks, and Airbus is fueled by supply chain and sourcing. Showcasing real solutions, The Supply Chain Revolution aims to educate leaders to improve customer satisfaction and increase revenue.

2. The Forklifts Have Nothing To Do! Lessons in Supply Chain Leadership

The Forklifts Have Nothing To Do! by Colonel Joe Walden provides practical methods for improving supply chain operations. Walden has spent more than 25 years leading supply chain operations and believes that improving your supply chain will improve your bottom line, regardless of your industry.

His recommendations draw on examples in civilian industry and military operations, including his recent experiences in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Supply chain operations in the military are very similar to supply chain operations in commercial industry. Both have the ability to improve operations for the customer.

3. Managing Supply Chain Operations

Managing Supply Chain Operations by Lei Lei, Leonardo DeCandia, Rosa Oppenheim, and Yao Zhao shows leaders the key drivers of supply chain performance. These include demand forecasting, sales and operations planning, inventory control, capacity analysis, transportation models, supply chain integration, and project management and risk analysis.

The book is enhanced by real-life examples and case studies, as well as strategies from best practices and a focus on social and economic impact. The content reaches beyond traditional operations management and draws on the extensive experience of the authors conducting industry projects through the Rutgers Center for Supply Chain Management. The input of senior business executives has been an invaluable asset in presenting a balanced knowledge of both quantitative models and qualitative insights.

4. Avoiding a Supply Chain Apocalypse: The Best of Dr. Tom’s Advice

In his creative guide Avoiding a Supply Chain Apocalypse, Dr. Tom DePaoli offers practical strategies and tactics, learned and tested from his purchasing and supply chain career.

DePaoli recommends a multi-faceted, diverse approach to avoiding supply chain meltdowns. He challenges readers to survey his best writings and to select what fits their particular organizational cultures. There is no one-size-fits all in the supply chain. As the importance of supply chain management grows leaps and bounds, the supply chain professional must develop multiple options and proficient tactics to ensure the continuity of the supply chain.

5. Supply Chain Metrics that Matter

One cannot snap their fingers and deliver supply chain success. It happens over the course of many years and is measured in inches not miles.

In this book, Lora M. Cecere evaluates the progress of over a hundred companies over the period of 2006-2013. The effective supply chain makes a difference in winning a war, saving a patient, and driving commerce. But it also makes a difference in a community having clean air, potable water, and a higher standard of living. Mistakes are hard to overcome. Supply Chain Metrics that Matter tells this story. The book links corporate financials to supply chain maturity, and what metrics matter most.

What books for supply chain leaders do you recommend?