RISK MANAGEMENT

I had the opportunity to develop and implement an inventory management program when I was working at a big-box retailer in the mid-2000s. In reviewing the roles from our textbook, the Entrepreneur and Idea Generator would probably best describe my dual roles in the project. This project was relatively simple in design but had never really taken shape in the history of this particular organization. Our task involved removing and downstocking all product that was stored above 8 feet within all aisles in the store; essentially packing the shelves and reducing overhead stock by as much as 80%. This allowed us to streamline our ordering system and “forced” our employees to order from what was missing on the shelf; creating a just-in-time product ordering system to minimize inventory carrying costs.

My role as Entrepreneur was to recognize, propose, push and demonstrate the basic ideas of this project and determine the necessary solutions to make the project a success. As the Idea Generator, I was tasked with “synthesizing information” from a variety of sources such as other retailers, current internal processes, senior leadership, store employees and relevant technologies at the time. I assigned a Project Leader who at the time was the Dept. Manager of Receiving for the store. He had multiple years experience with the company and with the receiving, coordination and stocking of all inventory. He did not provide “value” in the beginning stages of the project, not because he didn’t understand the processes, but because it was the wrong role due to his personality and lack of overall vision of the end goal. I was able to reassign him to another role that better suited our project objectives.

When facing any and all unk unks as a Project Leader, I believe your first and primary skill is the ability to prioritize objectives and multi-task in a highly volatile environment. The project leader must be disciplined in their approach and execution of often highly technical processes and procedures in all phases of the project. Have they created the culture of open mindedness that is discussed in the textbook, allowing for new solutions to emerge and ensuring that the vision’s integrity and common direction are not compromised during the project