With more supply chain crises brewing, be proactive in your preparations.

The various issues that have beleaguered the supply chain, and those companies and individuals that rely on it, continue to baffle me. I fully understand that when Covid emerged on the scene, especially as quickly as it did a few years ago, the global supply chain, as well as so many other aspects of our “normal” life, came to a grinding halt. But that was then, and this is now, so I cannot stop thinking, “What does this all mean?”

That companies were forced to shut down, whether partially or completely, for lengthy periods of time while the pandemic was in full rage is understandable. Safety of employees and the fear of what might or could or is happening to public health have a way of moving to center stage in people’s minds and habits, regardless of where they live or what they do for a living. It was understandable that shortages occurred with factories’ production levels slashed for the health and safety of employees.

Never underestimate the wisdom that can come only from experience.

Spoiler alert: Some younger people may not like what I am about to say.

“Tribal knowledge” seems to be a concept hated in the world of manufacturing. Regardless of industry, it seems that leadership – and especially auditors – hate any aspect of a task based on an employee’s “experience.” Rather, the prevailing thought is that all production tasks should explicitly be the result strict adherence to detailed, well-written procedure(s) or “work instruction(s).”

The invariable question raised by those who detest relying on “knowledge,” such as certification (ISO/AS, etc.), corporate supply chain and quality auditors, is: “How do you know” the employee knows what they are doing? I find this thinking intriguing. Paradoxically, the same could be asked of the auditor.