Why the Smartest Supply Chain Leaders Learn From Each Other

What is the most valuable source of knowledge for supply chain and logistics executives — one that delivers practical insights, applicable guidance, and unbiased advice?

Before reading on, take a moment to think about it.

I’ll give you a hint: in a survey we conducted several years ago, industry associations (like CSCMP and ASCM) and conferences ranked second and third, respectively.

What topped the list?

The number one source of valuable knowledge, according to the executives we surveyed, was “direct conversations with other executives and peers” — in other words, peer-to-peer learning and networking.

And today, as I continue to have these conversations with executives, what I hear consistently reinforces these findings: “Who better to give me practical knowledge and advice about a problem or opportunity I’m working on than other executives who have already been down that road.”

Simply put, peer-to-peer learning and networking matters more than ever.

In their book A New Culture of Learning, Douglas Thomas and John Seely Brown argue the following:

“The major pitfall of the 21st century’s teaching model is the belief that most of what we know will remain relatively unchanged for a long enough period of time to be worth the effort of transferring it…The old ways of learning are unable to keep up with our rapidly changing world.”

This is particularly true in supply chain management, where new technologies, business models, competitors, regulations, and economic forces are constantly emerging, requiring companies to continuously evolve their thinking, processes, and networks.

Just look at trends such as AI and tariffs — topics that likely weren’t included in supply chain textbooks or courses developed just a few years ago. Thomas and Brown position peer-to-peer learning as a more effective learning model in rapidly-changing fields like supply chain management.

Bill Taylor, cofounder of Fast Company magazine, makes a similar point in an HBR blog post titled Are You Learning as Fast as the World is Changing?:

"These days, the most powerful insights often come from the most unexpected places – the hidden genius locked inside your company, the collective genius of customers, suppliers, and other smart people who would be eager to teach you what they know if you simply asked for their insights…Nobody alone learns as quickly as everybody together."

Source: Talking Logistics

Image Source: Vecteezy