“You can be as technically brilliant as you can be, but if you can’t make it work with other people, then what’s the point?”

– Sandra MacQuillan, Chief Supply Chain Officer, Mondelez International

As a corporate team gets larger, the internal status of their leader is elevated, but with that elevation comes a whole new set of challenges and demands.

When there are thousands of people in an organization – like the 54,000 people that work for Mondelez International – it might be easy to think of them as machines. But as Mondelez International Chief Supply Chain Officer Sandra MacQuillan points out, they are people – just like the millions of people all over the world that snack regularly on brands like Oreo, Cadbury, Ritz, and Trident. Forgetting that would be the #1 mistake a leader could make.

In this episode of Supply Chain Now, Sandra MacQuillan joins Co-hosts Greg White and Scott Luton for a real ‘master class’ on what it means to be a supply chain leader:

· How a team is different from a group of people, and why individuals need to be willing to drive their own technical and professional development

· Why achieving ‘neutral’ status in any area related to the environment is not enough when having a positive impact is possible

· The ten most important things that a Chief Supply Chain Officer has to do in order to be successful – including knowing when (and how) to say no

Intro/Outro (00:00:03):

Welcome to supply chain. Now the voice of global supply chain supply chain now focuses on the best in the business for our worldwide audience, the people, the technologies, the best practices, and today’s critical issues. The challenges and opportunities stay tuned to hear from those making global business happen right here on supply chain now.

Scott Luton (00:00:32):

Hey, good afternoon, Scott Luton, Greg white with you here on supply chain. Now, Greg, how are we doing today? I am stoked, Scott. I cannot wait for this episode. This is someone we talk about all the time we hold up as a leader and I know she’s going, Oh my gosh, what do I have to live up to? But look, the beauty of it is just being her is enough. And what an incredible example of leadership, I won’t say any more than that. Excellent. Well, you know, Saturday night live used to have a skit entitled bill Brzeski and it was a folks around the bar kind of telling these big tales about this legendary figure called bill Brzeski and the seventh, right skit in that same season, he shows up bill Brzeski shows up and that’s kind of, it’s kind of what we have here today. Sandra McQuillan with mandolins international is here with us live here momentarily. So stay tuned for what promises to be one of our best livestreams in recent memory. So, all right, so Greg, let’s do a little housekeeping before we, we roll out the red carpet. You ready? Let’s do. Yes.

Scott Luton (00:00:32):

Scott Luton (00:01:42):

Uh, so Monday, uh, on the supply chain buzz, we featured at really a home run guest and Elliot page with one of the world’s leading busiest, most successful airports, key supply chain infrastructure, uh, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta international airport. So today we’ve focused our, we published the replay of that episode. So you can find that wherever you get your podcasts from be sure to subscribe for free. So you don’t miss a single conversation, right? Ton of incredible knowledge there, we got to come full circle on a discussion we had prior to COVID about some freight expediting techniques that this airport is using. And man, where they put to the test where they not, Oh, he and he took in any question, any questions that folks had Elliot was, uh, he is a smooth operator. So y’all check out that, uh, episode. We invite you to relisten to that conversation and we just published our latest webinar. This is gonna be a cool one. Uh, Greg, you know, we’ve done hundreds of webinars going back for years. This is the first time in recent memory that, that we’ve really focused on, uh, supply chain security, especially in that ICT space, uh, information and communications technology. So critical discussion to be had, right? Well, as we start to branch out into all things business, right? Not just supply chain, but digital transformation in all of

Greg White (00:03:00):

This is a huge part of the supply chain. We’re constantly talking about security and communication. So this is a huge part of the supply chain and will come into greater focus. As the supply chain has found greater, what should I say limelight? Right

Scott Luton (00:03:16):

Well said. And of course, Kevin L. Jackson will be leading the session. He leads our digital transformer series and we partnered with, uh, the, really the voice of that industry, the telecommunications industry association, Tia, uh, to bring that to you. So you all check that out. You can register for free. You can go to the website it’s already been published and join us. And then finally, uh, our nonprofit making it happen for second quarter that we want to spotlight is good. Three sixty.org, right? Greg, we learned

Greg White (00:03:45):

A lot about product in philanthropy with our good friend Claudia fried, right, and her organization. And good three 60 is a broader based initiative. A very similar thing, taking products that have our cast castoffs or, or surplus and putting them to good use for people in need, incredible impact that they’re having around the globe

Scott Luton (00:04:08):

$700 million in product distributed to families and folks in need in 20, 20 alone, 37 year track record, check them out. Good. Three sixty.org. And they’re doing great work. Okay. Well, let’s say hello to a few folks, and then we’re going to welcome in our wonderful guests here today. Let’s see here, Ron Mann. Rhonda is here early today. Yeah. She joins about halfway through. Great to see you.

Greg White (00:04:33):

I mean, what time is it in Phoenix? Yeah,

Scott Luton (00:04:37):

She gets a, a check by her name. Rose is with us via LinkedIn. Great to see you Rose Kuldeep is also via LinkedIn. Uh, great to see here today, Peter bullae and he’s everywhere. He’s managing projects. He’s talking supply chain talking leadership. Welcome. Welcome today. Peter Schenevus nevus is back. Hello again from India nevus. We were talking a couple of times this week about, um, gosh, the food delivery. I want to say, uh, not Bubba Wallace. Well I’m, I’m going to name her name. Yes. And Mumbai in particular. And it’s one of the most efficient logistics organizations on the globe. Really? Yes. Harvard did a study back in 2010, I believe. And they officially deemed them that they were operating at a six Sigma rate of performance and companies 10. Yes. It must be stellar by now. Richard Branson. One of your favorites flew in and spent a whole day with, I’ve got to look up, uh, Amanda, see if you can shoot me that name.

Scott Luton (00:05:38):

I want to get it right, but fascinating. So anyway, [inaudible] welcome to the conversation. Great to have you here via LinkedIn. Let’s see here. Kayvon, Kayvon, the word Smith and breakfast dinner with new abnormal. That’s right. Ben Harris. I’m glad someone else has that skit from SNL. So great to have you back with us. Ben clay, of course, clay demanded behind the scenes, along with Allianz making it happen. Producing today’s episode, Dabo Wallace, not Bible Wallace, Dabo Wallace. That’s the phrase, the system, uh clases I was close, um, mess around few constants air. You got the ball around the hang is with us. I believe from China, uh, for the third or fourth live stream. Great to see you via LinkedIn and hello everyone else. We’ve got an awesome conversation teed up here today. So with no further ado, Greg, are we ready to get down to work? Well, I’d love a little more ado since there, since it’s about Sandra, but no, let’s let, alright on that note. Let’s welcome in Sandra McQuillan executive vice president and chief supply chain officer with mandolins international.

Sandra MacQuillan (00:06:46):

Hey

Scott Luton (00:06:50):

Sandra, such a pleasure to have you back. Uh, not only, you know, there, there are several checkboxes here. We love our repeat guests, but we love even more. So repeat guests that are, uh, as Greg was saying on the pre-show indeed legendary, you know, folks that influence a word as we talk about a lot is thrown around all over the place. These days you’ve got those, but then you’ve got folks that when they speak and weigh in on issues, the world truly listens. And of course that’s, that’s the category you’re in. So Sandra, welcome to supply chain now.

Sandra MacQuillan (00:07:20):

Thank you for sure, Sandra.

Scott Luton (00:07:23):

Well, you know what, we’re going to, we’re going to make that pressure evaporate because we’re going to have a little bit of fun on the front end. Yeah. So Greg, we were, we had a great conversation yesterday with Mike Griswold and we were talking beer because yesterday, Sandra, I didn’t know this until we were doing the homework yesterday was national beer day. So to start with the tough questions first, tell us, what is your favorite beer or adult beverage?

Sandra MacQuillan (00:07:46):

It’s stout actually in his Guinness. Oh my gosh. I love the point again is it’s a pint, not half. I love it like a Guinness. I mean, I married an Irishman anyway, so I was always bound to be there, but also I think it’s medicinal because it has so much iron in it, you know? Like, can you take it for the health benefits

Scott Luton (00:08:08):

And, and the shot of Jameson while you wait for the foam to dissipate

Sandra MacQuillan (00:08:13):

Talking about Greg?

Scott Luton (00:08:15):

Well, let’s do one more up question before we kind of change gears. You know, I think my father-in-law has about 12 different locations around their property. It’s perfect for drinking adult beverage. Is there one place that comes to mind where you’ve really enjoyed that pint of Guinness?

Sandra MacQuillan (00:08:30):

Yes, actually. And this is in my pool floating on the pink Flamingo. That’s exactly what, because the sun just comes in nice and it’s not too hot, but it’s very relaxing. And if I’m lucky I can have the Guinness in one hand and I can have a book in another and that’s just lovely. Love it. All right, Greg, where are we going next? Can,

Scott Luton (00:08:51):

Can I give an opinion because I love Guinness as well. The two brewers in

Greg White (00:08:56):

Up at the top of the Hill, just before you get to the long walk and Windsor, if you’ve ever been there, Sandra, we had our office down right on the Tims, right before you cross the bridge into Eaton. And I felt like it was good exercise because it was uphill all the way to two brewers and quite a long time.

Sandra MacQuillan (00:09:12):

Yeah. So you’re working it off before you drink it. It’s great.

Greg White (00:09:15):

Right. That’s right. And then on the way back, it’s downhill. So stumbling distance. And we had gotten so familiar with the, with the pub keeper there that I had a very particular place that I sat and it was next to the fireplace. So he would make me stoke the fire with coal in the fireplace, but that makes a Guinness coal and iron does make Guinness tastes.

Sandra MacQuillan (00:09:38):

Right. You know, as a, I love going back to, I’ve actually been to the Guinness factory in Dublin, which was amazing. Cause it’s also amazing from an automation point of view in terms of you don’t see it really, but then you get to taste it afterwards, which was really cool.

Greg White (00:09:54):

So let’s talk about the perfect time to drink again, us in the States, particularly I think, which is spring because it’s such a heavy beer or stout that it’s, it’s perfect for a little bit cooler weather, but it does give you that little Ray of sunshine. So spring is sprung here, at least in Atlanta. And as you think about spring, what are some of your favorite outdoor?

Sandra MacQuillan (00:10:16):

So love hiking really loves biking actually and running, but more hiking these days. And obviously the pool, which is fantastic catching up with friends. When you say the sun out, I always also go to, uh, um, that little table that you sit out with your mates and you have a glass of white wine or a red wine, white wine when it’s hot. That for me, the combination of your friends and your family around you and that one glass or whatever, I just say one glass of wine. It’s perfect for me. I love the weather here when it’s like this. Yeah.

Greg White (00:10:47):

I think we all love the way you live already.

Sandra MacQuillan (00:10:52):

Yeah. As T squared ways in nice intersection pubs, Yemen.

Greg White (00:10:58):

Yeah. I wonder, have you ever done any supply chain discussions or negotiations at a pub? Have you ever done that?

Sandra MacQuillan (00:11:06):

They’re not that they’re not necessarily brilliant, but yeah. They seem like it at the time. Don’t they? It was the best conversation I’ve ever had. Yeah. If that we had a whole supply chain. When I worked in bars, we had a whole supply chain conference at the Dublin brewery. So you can imagine how good that was an evening. Wow. After the brewery signed up for that one already,

Greg White (00:11:31):

Let’s talk a little bit about, let’s talk some supply chain, but look you are, I can verify that you are one of the most highly esteemed chief supply chain officers on the globe because we esteem you very highly all the time. Nobody disagrees with us, Sandra. You’ve done some great things at a lot of companies, Kimberly Park and Mars, and now at mandolins. But what is one of the favorite, your favorite aspects of what you do or the impact that you’re able to have?

Sandra MacQuillan (00:11:59):

If you look at what we do in supply chain, we have we’re, we’re the biggest people organization that there is in any company. And we sometimes don’t think about it like that. I thought about it like that. Yeah. You look at, we’ve got 54,000 people in mandolins who sit in supply chain and supply chain, German manufacturing and logistics. And I know it varies by, by some places, but I’m 54,000 people who sit in that area. So we have, we have this huge responsibility to make sure we connect as well as we can through or directly with them to, to, and I love that connection, that listening, that hearing what people are doing, even if you can’t visit, which is like the last year, you can still connect virtually. And it’s wonderful what people will share with you. And I think as I’ve matured in my career, that’s the bit that really inspires me.

Sandra MacQuillan (00:12:51):

When you see what you do impacting hopefully positively those people who are in your organization and to have the, you know, to have the privilege to, and the, and the, the responsibility to make sure that what you do works well for 54,000 people, I think is a, is a huge, huge honor. And also something that I love because together with the team, you don’t do it on your own, but together with your team, you can then cascade that through. And that’s probably the most important thing. And we, we might, we don’t think about it. You know, I don’t go with the biggest people organization, but we are,

Greg White (00:13:25):

Man. I, that is, that’s an awakening. You know, what’s interesting is we often tout a numb, some numbers like Harvard business review identified that in the U S alone 44 million supply chain professionals as of 2018, that was 37% of the working population we’re in supply chain. So if you extrapolate that globally, Sandra that’s over 700 million people potentially. Now let’s say that the numbers extrapolate directly, but let’s, let’s cut it by a couple hundred million and say 500 million people around the globe are engaged in supply chain. Yeah, you’re right. And I can’t believe that never struck me like that.

Sandra MacQuillan (00:14:06):

Um, I think because we think about it as making, you know, buying stuff, making stuff, selling stuff, and actually it’s more about the people than it is about the, the, the, of course, the products and packaging and all that sort of stuff, and really important that it’s about the people at the other end, there’s about the consumer who happens to be a person. So if it starts, if it’s not disconnecting it and you’re like, well, what’s my life really about online is really about stuff with people is great, you know,

Greg White (00:14:32):

With the team, with the town, I love that phrase. You used, you know, one of the things we’re talking about, the global supply chain professional community, we were talking with a technology organization earlier this week and one of their supply chain team members is doing big things, right? His, uh, educational background is in fine arts

Scott Luton (00:14:52):

And classical arts. And it really, when we sat there and talked about that for a minute, because we all win when we’re bringing a wide diversity of, of talent and views and perspective into the industry. And it really, in that moment, it really perfectly illustrated that. So, so I want to shift gears, you know, Sandra is, was on the front end. We really enjoyed a variety of conversations with you. And, and, and in some cases, your teams in previous episodes, and I had a great chance to, um, to sit down with you kind of one-on-one in a private conversation and, and kind of hear some of the things that you’re really that’s really got your attention right now. And I’m sure you’ve got probably seven full plates, right out of camera view that you’re, that, you know, you’re charged with, but you really narrowed that down to three buckets. I’ll call them. We love that phrase around here. Cause this is a great visual. Yeah. The first one was diversity and inclusion shed, a little leadership perspective around this vital aspect of, of business in society too.

Sandra MacQuillan (00:15:51):

Yeah. So I’m going to start from a different place on this. And I know we’ve got people from around the globe who are on, I think, so of course, everybody who’s, anybody we know about the horrors that have happened here with African-American people are now with Asian American people, but let me, let me, they’re completely unacceptable. And let me put that a little bit to one side on the, this DEI piece as well. I have an absolutely firm belief that you won’t be successful unless you, as a leader are challenged. And unless you actually have people in your team who are going to challenge you, but having incredible experiences, cultural or travel or work, or their backgrounds that are different than yours, that they can bring to the conversation because it may not be over what they say, but what they have been through as an experience will have framed how they feel or what they do.

Sandra MacQuillan (00:16:45):

And I think you need that, particularly as you go up through the organization and get teams to, to work, to do what everybody thinks we should be doing, you really need to have that healthy tension that no, I don’t agree that challenge, you know, and you need people there who can do that. And that takes, you know, it takes time, but that is diversity for me. And I, I don’t want all the women in my team. I don’t want all men in my team. I want, I want the shift. That’s the agenda. That’s the background. That’s the cultural, that’s the race, you know, for us, Brits are different than North Americans. We say we speak the same language, but we don’t. Um, because our experiences have been different. I mean, I’ve tried to buy stuff in shops and he’s like, Whoa, okay. People listen to my accent.

Sandra MacQuillan (00:17:30):

They don’t hear what I said, which is really funny, but equally well in America, Americans coming to England would be the same. So you need that experience. So people can say, hang on, that won’t work in that plant or that won’t do that. So that, that for me, DEI is the output is that you get a really strong, cohesive risk facing into a not concerned or conservative. You get those conversations. And I think we’re getting there. My team is amazing and we’re getting there in my team around people just saying what they think, and that’s what you need that authenticity, that, that background at that brings

Greg White (00:18:08):

Love that. And we’re seeing a lot more action to address that and to make it happen, as you’re wanting to Greg with some of what you heard, their distinct point of view, right? When you have that, that diversity of culture, of thought of gender, of race, of whatever you get that distinct point of view of how people have lived their lives. And it’s even that, I mean, it could just be that you’ve lived your life differently than some other white person or whatever, right. That this, that distinct point of view is, is really, really important. And it’s so productive, right. I was fortunate to grow up in a multicultural family anyway. So it’s kind of, I don’t know, it’s kind of second nature for me to embrace that, but I think if, if it’s not natural for you to embrace it, enjoy the, you know, enjoy the pleasure and the, and the solution and the resolution that it can bring.

Sandra MacQuillan (00:19:02):

I mean, and also just, just push a little bit on this one, because it’s easy to recruit or work with people who think like you do really easy. And sometimes I have to say a gap in the morning. I think I wish I had a letter. Yes. People who worked in my team because we get to a better solution with, with all the great people who work in my team, you know, but, but actually it takes more, it’s more exciting and more rewarding to, to find the people that you think, gosh, that’s going to look me up a bit, but am I mature enough? Am I self aware enough to be able to deal with that? You know, rather than all, they’re just not going to fit because they’re not going to say they’re not going to be like me or think like me, we don’t want, you don’t want people who think like you, you want the difference. And then of course, you know, you, hopefully you’ve collected, you make the call on what you go, but actually maybe not, maybe in the end you have to call it. But I think that’s, that’s really fun.

Greg White (00:19:59):

Take a step back every time and say, are they right? Right. I mean, if you think about not presume, they’re wrong, say, are they right? Right. And couldn’t they be right. And that’s a great, great perspective to tackle.

Sandra MacQuillan (00:20:14):

Make sure I think the thing in that for me, I had an experience this week. We were doing some reviews on a, with Andrea Turner. Who’s my head of global logistics and her team who are fantastic. They did some amazing stuff. And that was, there was a very small thing. I’ll tell you how silly it is. There was very, very small thing that they called this, this process that they were in and they were running a word that I couldn’t really understand, you know, in terms of how did that make it easy? So they use the word capability for a part of the process and a tool. And I was like, I’m not sure does that really work? And then I went through it again this week. And I mean, you guys were so spot on, we’ve got a lack of capability in this space. So you’re ahead of the game on that one in terms of where you go. So I think also looping back and making sure people know that yeah, you were right. And it might not have been a right long conversation, but gosh, good for you for sticking to your guns. You know, it was, um, really, I think that’s also important as a, as a person, particularly in supply chain because we try some things, some will work in some way, but it’s okay if it doesn’t or it’s okay to get it wrong, just go back, you know?

Scott Luton (00:21:17):

Yeah. Sandra, I’m getting texts, we’re getting comments on what you’re sharing. Just like we, we knew what we expected and we still have two more buckets that we’re going to work through here today. So

Sandra MacQuillan (00:21:28):

Not me for the 500 things that I would do as a supply chain for food.

Scott Luton (00:21:32):

Right. Right. I know we should probably warn the community. This is going to be a seven hour show. It’s going to be like a telethon for supply chain. There we go. I’m going to, I’m going to share a couple of comments really quick, but, but one quick aside, I know that we we’ve shared with our community, how much we love Sandra’s perspective, but, but here for the first time live, I’m hoping they pick up on one of my favorite things about you, which is how genuine and authentic you are when you’re sharing. And we don’t get, you know, I I’ll, from my point of view, we don’t get that oftentimes in those senior levels of leadership. And it’s like, we’re, as Greg says, we’re sitting around a kitchen table, you know, breaking bread talking shop and that genuine having a Guinness,

Sandra MacQuillan (00:22:15):

We haven’t again, is that would be good. We’ll have to do that at some point

Scott Luton (00:22:18):

Soon. So let’s share, uh, Geneva says supply chain management system is teamwork. And how you feel that working along with other professionals. I love that. Yeah. Let’s see. I see Peter, I’m trying to circle back to your question. Once we worked through a couple of others,

Sandra MacQuillan (00:22:34):

Can I just make a comment on that? Sure. I think it’s, it’s, it’s right about the professionals, but don’t forget the people in there, you know, because I think sometimes in that, you know, I think, I think you’re spot on Shreeny is it Shreeny or sh

Scott Luton (00:22:48):

Trinity is, I may be mispronouncing it, but

Sandra MacQuillan (00:22:50):

No, no. I think, I think, I don’t know. Is she needless his name? Isn’t it you’ll tell us if we’re wrong. I think you’re absolutely spot on supply chain management system is a teamwork. It has to be. And that yes. We’re professionals actually. I think nowadays the bigger pieces, by the time we get that we’re professionals, because we’ve learned and you get the job because you’re, you’re, you know, you haven’t been doing it, you know, and you’re doing it well, otherwise you wouldn’t get it. I think the bit that’s even more important now is to make the teamwork. Is that how do you work with people? You know, that people can activity in a team because if you, you could be a bunch of professionals, but you’re not talking to people in the right way, or you’re not connecting as a human being human to human. You’ll miss all that. And it’ll become a, let’s just deliver what we need to deliver versus gosh, how can we take this and make it exciting and fun and get more, you know, just to, just to build on what you’ve said, she needed us.

Scott Luton (00:23:47):

W well said, and Amanda Clay, I’d love to know who this LinkedIn user is, but you can feel the passion from Sandra completely agree, completely agree. Todd rains, uh, when a Greg’s dear friends says, it’s a great point to take a step back and remove yourself or your viewpoint and see the bigger picture from a grander perspective, tough to remove the ego. Really great.

Sandra MacQuillan (00:24:10):

It is actually Todd, that’s a really great point. And actually, I think it comes, you know, if you, you have to work on yourself to be able to do that because you could fall for the, the nonsense of you’re more senior than X, Y, and Z, and therefore, but that’s just judgment. That’s not actually about really trying to do anything. If you ask me that’s more about, I need to feel better than X, Y, or Z. So I’m going to feel better and that’s, and I’m all Sr. I think if you can, I don’t have a lot of time. Everybody’s got ego, but I don’t have a lot of time or space for the ego coming first to the door and following behind, you know, I, I never, I never really have to get over that yourself. You have to work on what can I let go? It doesn’t really matter. You know, I don’t have to work, witness,

Scott Luton (00:24:55):

Love it. I hear sometimes this phrase, isn’t gonna matter in a hundred years and move on. You know? So as Leah says, growth cannot happen within comfort. Stepping out of your own bubble of culture, influence mindset is very uncomfortable, but it definitely adds a genuine layer to leadership. You can better help others develop in areas. They may not. They might not even think they can thrive in. Yeah. Excellent, excellent point there

Sandra MacQuillan (00:25:24):

Completely agree. And is even more so now with our virtual world that we’ve been in, that we take the time to, to do that and to connect even more because yeah, by, by default, and you can just say, how are you and move on? But if you can go, well, tell me how you really are. How’s the family has this, you know, you can take that extra two minutes. You may get much more to connect people with as well. So I do believe more. I think the, what we’ve been through in the last year or so, which isn’t over yet, I think this will bring us more and more thank goodness into basically the whole [inaudible] part of, uh, being a leader. And I think that’s growing so much more because we’re less clever human beings are really clever. If we don’t feel valued for who we are, then why are we going to do anything more? I think now this is I’m hoping maybe, maybe not yet, but this is really key. You can be as technically brilliant as you can be, but if you can’t make it work with people, then what’s the point.

Scott Luton (00:26:24):

Love that. All right. So we’ve got a mock count. Let’s see here. Let me get my math, uh, 17 t-shirt isms already, Greg and Sandra. So I love that if you can’t do it with the people, what is it? What’s the point? What is the point? Don adds, he loves what Todd rains mentioned. The egos can definitely prevent constructive growth in an organization. Okay. So Greg, before we move on to, we’re going to be talking about sustainability and really taking care of the planet. Next final thought here in this, in this really important D E uh, diversity equity and inclusivity space.

Greg White (00:27:01):

Look, if, if you can’t get over this, if you can’t get over all of this diversity and equity and inclusion, for any other reason, do it for selfish reasons. As, as Sandra just said, you will be better for it. You’ll be better served for it. Your organization will be better for it. And eventually you will find in your heart in your mind that, that it is great for you. It’s great for everybody else, but look, let’s face it. We’re selfish human beings. We are often ego and self-driven so just try it. Right. I would just encourage everyone to try it. It is so enlightening. It’s so uplifting and it’s so effective.

Scott Luton (00:27:43):

Mm agreed. And, and it’s so needed. So dearly, dearly needed. Okay. Let’s talk about moving from a, that kind of first bucket to the second one. We know that you and the model, his team have been dedicated to driving sustainability gains. And you know, in that last meeting that one-on-one I had with you, Sandra, I can’t find my notes. I misplaced them, but I think you said something like we’re missing somewhere the dogs. Hey, but you said it’s about more than just neutral is one of the phrases. Talk to us about what folks really need to know. Um, and, and your perspective on sustainability.

Sandra MacQuillan (00:28:22):

Yes, definitely. Well, actually one of the reasons I, I went to one of the things that tipped you over the, it set me over the edge for the move into Mondelez was sustainability. Because if you look at the, the, um, the focus and the purpose is about empowering people to snack, right. And when I see snack, right, for me, that also means how are we making the products and how are we distributing them and how we know what’s in them? Um, all that, that kind of thing. Um, so it, it, it’s a huge context for me and was something I was really, really interested in. And basically you end up, you know, you end up then making a choice on, does this meet my values? You know, is this actually something that, that I think I can, I can live and breathe? So that’s that you’re right.

Sandra MacQuillan (00:29:07):

It, it’s very important in model Elisa. And we’re so focused on it. We’re also focused on doing it in a way, and certainly this fits with my values authentically. So, you know, there are some great aspirational statements out there from people. And I absolutely believe that that that’s the right thing to do, but sometimes they’re a bit too aspirational. So what’s it grounded in and what are you going to do? And for me, we talk about everybody talks about being neutral in terms of, you know, the planet and making sure I actually think, and I talked to my team a little bit about this, not a little bit, but a lot is how do we become a positive influencer on the planet? What can we do? And I don’t know, I don’t mean that means we would change completely our technology or our start, but how do we, can we, in our little microcosms that we sit in, in a country, can we positively give back in some shape or form through technology or, or whatever else they might be in terms of what we do.

Sandra MacQuillan (00:30:02):

And then that would feel really that’s business really becoming, you know, it’s not a charity of course, but it’s, it’s something that you can feel proud of, of, you know, this, all the circulation that we did is now drinking water for somebody, you know, and that’s, that’s a positive step forward. So that’s, that’s the way I tend to think of it as, and how do we go? Why, why would we just be neutral? How can we do anything to be positive in terms of what we do on our footprint? Uh, because it’s state or whatever you believe in global warming, it’s clearly not, there’s something not right. You know? Right.

Greg White (00:30:37):

It doesn’t matter if you believe it or not, it doesn’t hurt to do something positive. That’s the way I look at it. Right. Who cares about who cares? I mean, of course believe it, or don’t, and there are plenty of people on both sides, but it doesn’t hurt to do the right thing. When, when I was raised, I was taught you pack out what you pack in. Right. You know, it’s simple things. It’s simple things. I I’ve often called parents accidental environmentalist, turn off the light. When you leave the room, don’t leave the water running when you brush your teeth. I mean, it’s simple things like that that we hopefully impart to younger generations and that they extrapolate and grow on to see the bigger impact of yet bigger things.

Sandra MacQuillan (00:31:20):

I’m not sure I quite got there with my 18 year old yet, but you know, that light is always on many more, but,

Greg White (00:31:28):

But, but you know what, the next time they berate you for your stance on, on the environment, just remind them of things.

Sandra MacQuillan (00:31:36):

And then you can talk to me if you turn it off now anyway, but he’s not, you know, he’s still,

Scott Luton (00:31:41):

So I’m going to, I’ll share a couple of comments here, but first you mentioned drinking water. Uh, tomorrow we’re publishing a really neat episode with a nonprofit called filter of hope. And they’ve dedicated themselves to getting, uh, these filters that can clean even the toughest of waters around the world. And I can’t remember some of the stats they shared, uh, the, the health problems and the deaths that are created from lack of good drinking water. But I want to also on a much, much lighter note, we’ve got one quick followup question from Korean, but I want to, you know, on the front end, as we were talking kind of our fun questions, Sandra, Oh, I really, when I first put that together, we were Greg and I were going to ask you about Oreos, but you probably get asked about Oreos all the time because of cinnamon Peters. Can we all cheers and say Oreos rock and because they truly do. And our episode would Quintin, we talked quite a bit about Oreos, but what’s your FA do you, uh, I know that healthy snacks is important too, but is there a favorite Oreo type that you have?

Sandra MacQuillan (00:32:42):

Oh, I liked it. There are loads of Oreo types. Have you not even know? We had a lady Gaga Oreo recently, but I don’t normal ones and standard Oreos. I love actually.

Scott Luton (00:32:57):

Yeah, me too. All right. So we gotta go back to work. Now, Kerryn asks a great question here. So Kerryn is with, uh, she leads our tech talk digital supply chain podcast. So she says many companies have narrowed their product portfolios to reduce complexity during the pandemic. Of course, we’ve all seen that. What are your thoughts on the timeline of a return to product innovations and new product introductions, and then as a quick follow-up as consumers, anything else that we should might watch for in some of these sustainability initiatives?

Sandra MacQuillan (00:33:27):

Yeah. That’s great. Thanks, Karen. Uh, on eight, take the question off. Love to remember. Okay. So we’ve also, yes, absolutely. Yeah. I think a lot of companies have looked at SKU rationalization and we’ve done the thing, what we haven’t done interestingly enough is we haven’t said no to new product innovations or renovations of current products. We said, yeah, yes, let’s do those. But overall, we want to see a 25% reduction in SKU S you know, um, which is, yeah, it was huge. And it takes time to make that happen, but we haven’t done it at the cost of product innovation and new products. If we need them, then we would do them, but it has to be, we still have to attain that 25%. How do we reduce overall, which is a nice tension actually for our commercial side of the business. At one point they wanted supply chain to manage that.

Sandra MacQuillan (00:34:23):

And I made the point very clearly, it’s not my baby. This one, you create them and you kill them. I just make them here. I really do just make them with my 54,000 people, whatever, you know, take the decision to rationalize that. And you need to own that in the business units. And that’s, that’s been really, really good at, in the business units are seeing the benefit of doing that. So, yeah, we just haven’t done it at the cost of it’s just that we haven’t moved away from the 25% reduction and said it has to happen in overall. And then what should you watch for in the sustainability initiative? Well, we’re pushing hard on in Montana. If it’s middle East that you mean, then we’re looking at wellness and we’re looking that there means in terms of we’re looking at at, um, what’s, you know, making sure the products are exactly as we would want them to be in terms of empowering people to snack, right.

Sandra MacQuillan (00:35:11):

And that we’re doing it right in that way. So a lot of work on making sure that we’re, we’re creating those products that the consumer would want. And then also on the packaging side, you know, we’ve made some commitments externally as well on recycling and plastic use. And we’ve got to 20, 25, I think. And we moved to a whole new world on, on what we do with plastics and become recyclable, you know, so that, that we don’t have anything that’s that wouldn’t be able to, to not throw away, but to actually use again. And that’s huge if you think of a lot of the CPG suppliers and manufacturers. So that’s another one we’re also working on water Mack, making sure that we’re, we’re minimizing, particularly in auto stress areas. You know, how do we, how do we make sure that we’re, we’re doing the right thing in that space?

Sandra MacQuillan (00:35:59):

And of course, there’s this the CMT piece as well, but we’re, we’re actually, we’re revising our targets at the moment to say, what’s our commitments. We’ve already made a commitment anyway, to be much less than the 2%. I think that will be low. And we’re not at one, but we’re below the two. And we’re looking at where does this take us to then for our 20, 30, 20, 40 view. But again, things that we know how to do, not, not or aspirations that we believe we can fix in our lifetime, not to NCAT, as you were saying, Greg, you know, cause I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t be signing up for that. I, somebody else, you know, they whatever and walk away and that’s not fair.

Scott Luton (00:36:41):

I’m going to share a couple of comments. And then Greg, I’m gonna circle back to you and get your take on what Sandra has shared. As Leah says, agree with that, Sandra, we reach so far to try and make change, but positivity can be shared right where we are in everything. We do excellent point there. Rhonda shares our sentiment. One wonderful message. Today from Sandra. She’s a beautiful spirit speaking in an important language. How about that? Where that coming together. So sometimes they come and go really quick here, let me finish that. I may have done that,

Sandra MacQuillan (00:37:13):

Greg. I like it. Thank you,

Scott Luton (00:37:16):

Chefs in the kitchen. Glad to be listening, good vibe feelings for all. And then let’s see here, Anna, Mary, great to see you and Mary came in a little late and have to check out early, but thank you supply chain now and Sandra for the content. Uh, so great to have you here and, and I’m not sure who typed this in our team, but we agree. You can really feel that authenticity and positivity, such a lovely human and addition to supply chain.

Sandra MacQuillan (00:37:41):

I think so I was just going to say, sorry, you go with pizza box.

Scott Luton (00:37:44):

Go ahead. Peter just loves your gluten-free Oreo.

Sandra MacQuillan (00:37:48):

Yes. Yes. They’re just out aren’t they? They’re not, they’re not that long. Oh my goodness. The response we had from the gluten-free or the allergy part was just brilliant. And you know, it changes you, you can do something that you, it took us, it takes a while to get there, but gosh, what a brilliant thing to in public does that, right. You know, this is where we go. Well, yeah, we’re doing some good. And to the comments about, I think what we do and the functions that we’re in are just magical. And if we can, and I think people are amazing. And if we go with a positive point of view, that there’s a positive intent in there. And of course it’s not always that way. So I’m not my, you know, and then I just decided to avoid that piece of it if I can, because it does, if it doesn’t serve me, well, why am I bothering?

Sandra MacQuillan (00:38:32):

You know? So I think that in that positivity piece, if you can’t fix it, let it go and do what’s right for you. You know, even if, cause they talk about resiliency and they talk about, you know, excuse my language, but happens. So just accept that that happens. And then, okay, how do you see the positives through it? If there’s a positive and there’s always a positive, even in the darkest times, there’s always a positive through it. And then don’t listen. The bit that has been really helpful for me, if it helps people is, um, if something isn’t making you feel good or something you’re reading, isn’t making you feel positive, they read it. Cause it’s not, it’s all about, you know, if you can just get your head to let me look positively rather than spend all the time. And then in that dark well of, you know, everything’s going to go wrong. And of course it will, but if you just look further forward and um, and why not,

Scott Luton (00:39:26):

You know, on a related note, I came across the German proverb earlier this week. Fear makes the Wolf bigger than he or she is. And on a related note, you can get, we can get in these middle traps sometimes and get outside of reality and make any problems or negativity much bigger than what they are. So love what you’re sharing Sandra. Okay. Greg, I know you’re dying to,

Greg White (00:39:48):

I’m dying to get it in here. Yes. So a couple things, um, a couple of tidbits of wisdom, I’ve heard, one of them may have actually been a country song, but I’m sure they co-opted it from somewhere else. One is don’t admire the problem, right? We talked about that a lot in problem solving. But if you are, if you’re in an area of negativity, don’t sit and admire the problem, right? Move on. If you’re going through hell, keep up.

Sandra MacQuillan (00:40:12):

Exactly. Cause there’s that on the other side, whatever it is, it’s going to be better than what you’re in. I’m I’m fully on to that one, you know,

Greg White (00:40:21):

And to go back to the point, this discipline that you all have instilled, Sandra is something that I have been railing for and against in retail and brand brands for well, we’re limited to two decades to around two decades. And that is this discipline of rationalizing skews. Not, not as you say, not stopping innovation, but creating a trade off that says, if we want this, then this has to go as merchandisers, as merchants, as product placement, product strategy, people we’re terrible at getting rid of products that need to go away because it could come back. It could come back, try it hasn’t been, it hasn’t been good. It’s been at the bottom of our list for 27 years, but he could come.

Sandra MacQuillan (00:41:06):

Yeah. And they do pop up. Don’t they

Greg White (00:41:13):

To have instilled that discipline is important. And I think as much as it is skew rationalization, it at least stems the tide of SKU proliferation, which has been a huge problem in retail with brands and with retailers themselves, uh, for decades. And we don’t need 40 flavors of, or frankly I’m, I’m happy one. And I know you got to market to all, all types of people and it’s important for the growth of the, of the company, but that discipline is important. And I hope that more companies hear what you said there. You don’t have to stop innovation to limit your, your skew. Yeah.

Sandra MacQuillan (00:41:50):

If I made it sound too easy, it’s not because the B yeah, well the business units are all, it’s not what they really want to do. Cause every SKU is other babies. So it’s not easy to do at all. But I think, and actually my boss deck has, there’s been absolutely resolute in this one and not. So I think you need to have all of the organization lined up to make it happen. Stop innovating. If you don’t, you keep going, look at lady Gaga came out while we were already, would you say the number of SKS we had? So you don’t stop if there’s a really good reason to go there. And that was irrelevant as almost a renovation, but you don’t allow them to, you don’t learn to proliferate because I don’t as a consumer, I don’t know about you. I sometimes walk down. I don’t know which one to have. There’s too many. I don’t mean Oreos, but I mean, you know, any products, how can there be so many different types of ginger? It makes no sense olive oil, well, they’re more expensive. Or do I need to, am I kind of a consumer that needs to pay more for the foyer? Or does it just kick in the pan, you know, sort of, does

Greg White (00:42:50):

It need to be extra extroversion or

Sandra MacQuillan (00:42:53):

Really need to be that?

Greg White (00:42:55):

Is it even extra, extra, right. But I think that what that creates though, is it creates an interaction because as you said, you don’t own the product, but boy can, the supply chain organization provide a ton of data to allow a merchant or a product strategists to make a decision around a product. That interaction is so powerful, so powerful. And I think that opens up that diversity of thought, even within the organization to, to share with one another and to identify the right things, to get rid of and the right things to add. All right. So we’ve got one more bucket to get to talent development. We’re going to touch on that and just a second, but I’ve got a question for you and Sandra, if you can’t speak to this, but by all means no worries. But Simon, you know, on any given day, the last 20 days the ever given captivated the world’s attention, right? So Simon poses, this question, you know, were there any mandoline supply chain impacts related to the Suez blockage? Anything you can share there?

Sandra MacQuillan (00:43:57):

Yeah. W we we’ve been fortunate. Um, I think actually, as opposed to others have been, we would monitoring it incredibly closely, actually, Quentin, who, you know, in my team, he was monitoring it through his team on the procurement piece, in terms of supply. We haven’t seen anything yet, but of course there’s a ripple effect going through after the debacle. That was, that was Bosu is, you know, um, I really feel, and I hear it was human error, so that’s even more disturbing, isn’t it really? Because there was a big thought processes and to follow. And so that’s, that’s an interesting one for them to do, to actually pilot vessel. Right. So I don’t want to be on the other side of the table on that investigation, but that’s okay. You know, we haven’t Simon, we haven’t been not, not yet, but it can take a bit of time to ripple through obviously. And it’s more from the roars and PACS piece that we were looking at because obviously that’s a great quick route through to Europe and vice versa, but so far nothing that’s come to my attention. There may be some small pieces, but nothing that’s been serious enough to come up to, to us, to me.

Scott Luton (00:45:06):

Um, I appreciate you answering that question. Thanks for waiting and all that. Yeah, for sure. A couple of comments and we’re going to keep driving to talent. I want to share this, uh, Mahesh great to see him Mahesh, once again, he says discipline and character, very important in a person. It helps us to achieve anything. I completely agree with you there. And Travis Turner is with us here today from higher dynamics. Right. See Travis going back to SKU rationalization. He says, it’s the Chick-fil-A concept with skew rationalization. They have a limited menu, add something, requires getting rid of something and they do all right. As a business. Last time I checked.

Sandra MacQuillan (00:45:39):

Exactly, exactly. Less, less choice, but better choices. Yeah, exactly.

Scott Luton (00:45:46):

All right. So let’s talk about one of our favorite topics around here. Actually, I’ll, I’ll all these are, but you know, talent, talent, talent, and, you know, Sandra in our prep call, you shared with me how you view senior, all supply chain practitioners, but you know, senior leaders, it’s a responsibility when it comes to developing and grooming, you know, the next talents that come in and do even bigger things than we’re doing now. So Sandra speak a little bit about talent development, how you’ve used.

Sandra MacQuillan (00:46:14):

Yeah. So I think, I think it’s a partnership actually. Sometimes people will come in and say, develop me. And you’re like, Ooh, that’s not how it is. You’ve got to, you’ve got to want to go there yourself. You know? And I think it splits into the work experience piece and then the personal development work, because you can move job rotations and we’ve got career roadmaps that we give to people, you know, in terms of where they can go and what they can do. That’s the technical part, the bit that, that people really have to, to partner with these, that, that partnership on your, your personal development. Um, and it takes a long time. It’s a really scary, really scary place to go when you start going and looking at this, because you have to face some demons of what you did well or what you didn’t do well, or what’s actually been driving you.

Sandra MacQuillan (00:46:57):

And that, that can be quite like, Whoa, really am I, am I? And you’re not, there’s no weirdness about it. It’s just once, you know, you can start doing something with it. So I think it’s a partnership don’t come in to be developed, join in and, and look at how you think you need to develop. I don’t blame people. It’s, it’s not a it’s. This is just because you’re not getting what you want. If it’s constant that you’re not getting it surely it’s the, you know, the environment, you know, and I’ve got, you know, people that you, you know, who they always blame the environment that they’re in and you gotta, it, can’t be times out of four, it’s got to be something around the development you need. And, and that for me is wonderful when you see people growing and just building that confidence to be able to try things differently.

Sandra MacQuillan (00:47:41):

And I think really important that in that is having people who will tell you the honest yeah. In a caringly candid way. And I use that really Kathy, because lots of people think you need to be brutal and you need to be caringly candid, and then support people on the way. And I think if you can get to that place, you, then you can help people to continue to develop it after a while. If they choose not to, then that’s the choice they make. Because again, it’s his choice. You choose to go there or you don’t. And if you choose, I mean, if any of the people on this call choose, gosh, what courage you got because it is hard to do and you have to face looking in the mirror and just go, yeah. Care. I’m not, I’m not, I’m not perfect. I’ve got some stuff that I’ve really screwed up on and I’ve heard some people, so let me go and sort this out.

Sandra MacQuillan (00:48:26):

And also on the other side of the really well, and I’ve lost some, you know, lots of people and it all works, but you’ve got to face into the other bit. So talent management, talent development, I think that you’re right to cook down development is about both sides of the work side. And then the, the, how do you get stuff done? And do you care enough? You know, I do think that it’s coming out more and more and more because I know the leaders I’ve worked for that I’ve loved working for. They, I feel the care and I don’t mean that they’re looking after me or put me in a nappy or in, I don’t mean that at all, but I mean, they, they can see or like they ask, how do you, how are you? And they really want to hear, it’s not just tick the box and move on. And I know the people I’ve worked for that. It’s about the numbers. It’s not about me. And then you can make a choice.

Scott Luton (00:49:12):

Yeah. Um, did you, did you say a nappy?

Sandra MacQuillan (00:49:14):

Yeah. A diaper

Scott Luton (00:49:22):

Sometimes

Sandra MacQuillan (00:49:22):

You don’t use the word here in the UK. We always use them.

Scott Luton (00:49:27):

I love it. I also love this comment here from our town. You’ve got 54,000 partnerships.

Sandra MacQuillan (00:49:34):

Yeah. That’s, that’s how I see it. You know, and I think also that, that piece about, um, I really do believe that yes, to your hard work and whatever you get to where you are, but at the same time, you’re just another, just another person just doing a different job. So why wouldn’t you go and talk to other people who’ve had different knowledge or whatever, and yet they may be not at the same level as you, or they may be higher than you, but there’s still people still doing the same things that people do. So there’s a, there’s a little bit of that in that too, that I love just connecting.

Scott Luton (00:50:12):

Hmm. Travis ads very well put Sandra talent, talent development is a partnership. It doesn’t get more simple than that. Agreed Travis, good stuff there. And by the way, I should correct myself. Uh, or I was corrected, uh, this came from one of our, one of the participants of the committee members. Uh, I believe Kai, if I’m pronouncing that right. So excellent point there. And Erin, uh, adds to that, uh, something you said earlier, less choice, but better choice. She loves that quote. All right. So Sandra, um, we’re approaching the top of the hour if I may, and I’ll put you on the spot, you’ve got a couple of extra minutes. We got a couple of questions. Is that okay? Okay.

Greg White (00:50:52):

Simple. Man’s takeaway from what Sandra just said there, you know, when you talk about, when you think about talent development, I think, I think of how I have to think of things, Sandra, in very simple terms and some of what you said there, this is not the totality of it. But one of the things that really struck me is the associate has to come with the want to, and the management has to come with the, how to write in addition to the caring of course. But if you think about it, if somebody comes to a company with, I want to, I want to learn, I want to grow. I want to do, you know, I want to, I want to be better, whatever I want to perform well, and management comes with the here’s, how you do that. Here’s how we break down barriers to allow you to do that. Here’s how we teach you what you need to know to do that. I mean, that is just such a powerful and simplistic message. So I really appreciate you saying it that way. And that’s kind of my interpretation of some of what you said there.

Sandra MacQuillan (00:51:46):

Thank you. No, I firmly believe in it. You know,

Scott Luton (00:51:48):

I love it. I love it. Um, David says different viewpoints are going to see different details. So if you could weigh in here, this is, this is a great question. And we’ve seen this for, for quite some time, especially as we’ve moved to the digital recruiting landscape. Right. I think I read somewhere, uh, not too long ago that recruiters have seven seconds to review resumes just because of the plethora of them. So as Leah says, Hey, what do we do about job seekers trauma? It’s real honestly feel I had it. And it’s a common thing. It’s I guess she’s saying it’s more common with this online process when it comes to recruiting any, any comments or any challenges you’d like to pose to all of our wonderful HR and talent leaders out there.

Sandra MacQuillan (00:52:34):

Uh, I, um, I, I’m sorry that you, you felt that way as well actually, cause that shouldn’t be the experience, but guess when you’ve got so many thousands of people, at some point, I think my insight would be, we need to make sure that we don’t treat people like machines, you know, and, and actually, and I, I’m not opening my myself, please, please, don’t everybody do this, but, but you know, one of the things that that works is that I’ve seen is, um, going in on that rather than going to the recruiters that go into the websites. So companies and looking at those, you probably are more, you’re more likely to get a connection with that. And also if you have people in the company that you know, or your LinkedIn with, or whatever, then sending the resume, the resume or CV or cover letter to them and them to forward it on your behalf into the company makes it more personal.

Sandra MacQuillan (00:53:29):

Because I think you’ll, I mean, I’ve had calls with headhunters and actually sometimes I had one recently that, um, I wasn’t absolutely interested in, but it was all, wow, you’re going to earn more money. And I said, then you don’t understand people. This isn’t just about money, you know? And I thought, how do you know anyway, because you don’t know what they are and you know, whatever, but you then go, this is not about us. You need to know the individual. If you’re going to make those kinds of statements, particularly if you’re knocking on the door of people, you know? So I think there is a, it becomes like a routine if you’re not careful. So I would find a different way if you know, a company whose values that you really appreciate and you think that would work with yours, then, then either find a way into people that, you know, in that company or go to that website, or if the worst comes to the worst and you, you see somebody who’s more senior in that company, I’ve had people please don’t do this.

Sandra MacQuillan (00:54:25):

I’ve heard people do this, where they sent me their CV and cover letter and said, I’m really keen to work. And I just don’t know how to get there. And then I’ll do, I can follow it for you, but I can’t help you in the process. The process still needs to take place, but you know, there’s a, you can, there’s other ways around it versus versus that I think. And actually, if it does feel like it’s a machine, maybe it’s the wrong, wrong place to go, because then that’s not about you, you know, what are you going to bring? And I, I really would absolutely say make sure that you make the decision about working for the boss. You’re going to get not the boss because you’ll be stuck with that boss. And if it’s not the right person, you’ll just leave again. And, um, at some point that doesn’t help your CV or your resume. Um, but I would, you’re, you’re as much part of that choice about where you go and what company and what people you work for.

Scott Luton (00:55:16):

So, Greg, I know you want to comment on that. I want to just add on that last thought that Sandra added, you know, for 20 years, we’ve tried through associations and then what we’ve doing here to connect people, right. And we’ve come and we’ve all been there looking for that next opportunity. Right. But I think a really important thing. And I, and I’m not throwing stones at anyone I’ve spent time recruiting and I’ve spent time as job seeker, but, you know, owning your job, search, putting the time, investing into what those cover letters or resumes or what the outreach looks like, really customizing it, creating a short list of the companies that you really would love to work for, and then tailoring that communication to them and not just to the HR and talent teams, but to any other connections you can make on LinkedIn to see how you might, can triangulate and get your at bat. I think that’s really important. And, and as Leah, Hey, I’ve all been there. We’ve all experienced that the black hole that sometimes can be the recruiting process. So I feel your pain and, uh, we’ll, I’ll try to break through together. Greg, what were you gonna add to that? You said a lot of it and, and so did Sandra, but just, again, some simple,

Greg White (00:56:24):

Some simple axioms, don’t earn your next job network, your way to your next job. And it, and you know, as so many people say, it’s not what you know, it’s who, you know, and again, I will say this again, it’s, that’s 180 degrees wrong. It’s not who, you know, it’s who knows you and who knows the value that you can provide to an organization. So know people and have those people that know you help you get to the next level.

Sandra MacQuillan (00:56:48):

Honestly, companies like, um, like Monda lays any of the three companies I’ve worked for Kimberly Clark Mars. There’s kind of companies. We, we, we want brilliant talent. So, um, you know, if you’re brilliant talent or if you’re just, if you’d, haven’t been able to prove your brilliant time, but I’m not going to turn away somebody because I just don’t know them. I might not have a job at the moment, but I can put, put that person into the machine if that’s the right word, which is not a machine, because I just said into a machine, but you can put it into this into the, and you don’t endorse it. Cause that’s not, that’s not fact you don’t know the person, but you can, it becomes a different, it becomes a human being that goes into the system rather than a name and a CV. And I think that’s, that’s hugely important because we want the, how as well as the Watts, you know?

Greg White (00:57:39):

All right. So we’re going to pose one more question to you here. We really appreciate your time and your flexibility. And, and as, as you see the messages, folks are just eating up what you’re sharing with a spoon here today, Peter, this question twice, I’m going to, uh, he’s, uh, he really wants an answer to this. So, and he’s a wonderful, uh, member of our community wonderful, uh, professional. So he’s got a question as an executive VP. How do you go about identifying great thinkers within your organization to promote and move forward? Do you rely solely on senior management or take initiative from your level?

Sandra MacQuillan (00:58:15):

I’m not sure I fully understand the, the, the, the piece around, do I rely solely on senior management or taking an initiative from my myself?

Greg White (00:58:23):

How much manage management more senior than you?

Sandra MacQuillan (00:58:27):

Oh, no. Gosh, no. I mean, I love as much as I love my bosses. No, no, I know what you mean. Yeah, no, I don’t, I don’t rely on senior management at all, if anything. I mean that, that’s the last, that for me is more about the last tick in the box of if somebody just does the fit just right. And is the CEO okay with it? You know? Cause most of the roles that you get are pretty like when Quentin came in as the CPO, you know, that’s a huge job that sits in my org obviously, but they can be interacting with their CEO and everyone else. So that’s the last piece in it. I use, I use my own initiative or my own intuition with what I see first of all. And if I think about the people who I brought in, I’ve known them before they’ve come in or I’ve, or I’ve known about them before they’ve come in.

Sandra MacQuillan (00:59:20):

So being educated in, you know, being clear about what you want and then being clear about who, you know, that could make that happen. And even if it means waiting for awhile, I would just stick to your guns on that one and sort of do that. So I think there’s a, I think that’s probably the key there. I don’t, and then my boss will tell me if he doesn’t like them, but he’s also very good at saying this is his point of view, you know, but it doesn’t mean that you, you don’t do it because you might see something else that’s in there. So I, I, I own, I own the, the positions and I own the people putting people into IO and whether it works or not, you know, in that partnership around talent development and so far, so far, it’s been okay. But, um, and in fact, out of my last job, one of my team was promoted into my role. And that’s just like, you want to hit the sky with that one and go, gosh, because he’d worked so hard and he did so well and finally gets the recognition, but you’ve been part of that journey, you know, um, which I think you have to use your, your, your intuition as well as then ticking all the boxes on the technical stuff. If that helps

Scott Luton (01:00:31):

Love that so much, uh, so much to, to, to focus on here today so much, goodness, Sandra really appreciate all the time. Uh, you know, we’ve enjoyed each of your appearances here. You’ve been so gracious and, and clearly as you can see, it’s not just me and Greg and our team, you see it in the comments, folks really appreciate where you come from and how you deliver it. And, and just how open you are. So let’s one final question. How can folks connect with, with mandolins and, and you’ll learn more about all the great things y’all got going on.

Sandra MacQuillan (01:01:01):

Yeah. So I’ve just done 10 things that our supply chain officer does. Did you not want to go on for another?

Greg White (01:01:07):

Let’s do it. Absolutely. I’ll take as much as we can get. If you’ve got, if you’ve got seven minutes or seven hours, we will take it. Please do please Sue share with the community, what you would hope that they would take away from this. Yeah.

Sandra MacQuillan (01:01:25):

Yeah. Well, and even if you’re, if you’re going into a chief supply chain officer job, the first thing I would do is, is work out what, or understand what you’re walking into in terms of what is the supply chain definition in the company. And does it meet your definition? So we have, we have all sorts of things like in my, in my organization is procurement money, patching logistics, health, and safety and quality and, and engineering. But in, in others, it’s not. So know what you’re walking into in terms of that definition. Cause sometimes the title can be, can be misleading. And also there may be a different, different view that people have of what they’re going to get from the job. So I would definitely do that first, know what you’re walking into in terms of what the org is and how much freedom do you have within that org to do what you believe is important.

Sandra MacQuillan (01:02:16):

Then when you’re in, um, I would listen and talk to as many people as you can all over the place and say nothing, say nothing is really hard sometimes, but just say nothing and just let it all go in. Cause it might not be right, but it’s a point of view that you can work out what actually is going on because what you’ll get is everything’s brilliant as you walk in, you know, what you might see as you listen and talk to people in here is, ah, here’s where I can make a difference. Here’s where I can make a difference. So you can really work out what, what you can bring as a leader, as well as a supply chain professional to the game in that that’s that’s, that would be the second thing I would say. And the third one, which is connected to that one would be, and don’t take everything at face value.

Sandra MacQuillan (01:03:01):

People will want to tell you how brilliant it is and how brilliant they are. And they should be able to do that. And underneath it, there’ll be some reds there that actually are underneath the greens. And you need to know what the reds are because you then need to know, is it, this could be another place where you can go and help fix it. And I I’ve had that experience time and time again, where they will tell you how brilliant it is and you go, yes, it is. And it’s supply chain. So you’re not going to be a hundred percent brilliant because we’re supply chain. So where do we go to fix the, how do we talk about the things that aren’t working and then how do we fix them? So that would be, um, another one. And then when you know that, so you have to roll up the sleeves and find out stuff as well.

Sandra MacQuillan (01:03:40):

You can’t, it’s not all going to come to you because it will be filtered. You know, so also know that and be conscious about that. Take away the filter and you have to tell, we don’t have to, you know, you’re not, you’re not doing the inquisition, but just gently asking those questions, you’ll get so much. And then once you know that I would set out the strategy of what your, what do you think you can deliver differently? So I know that from my predecessor, he and I, he’s great guy. And we’re very different so that you can see the differences that you can bring whilst respecting the past, which is hugely important because the past brought you to where it is now, how do you build on that? Because you’re not there to tell people what was wrong. You’re there to say, okay, this is brilliant.

Sandra MacQuillan (01:04:22):

And then how do I fix these bits? So how do I move into these pieces to continue the work that you’ve done? Great. And then how do we build on that as we move forward? Because otherwise you’ll lose the team that were there before as well. And also there is some brilliant stuff that’s gone on. So that would be another one. And then the, as you built your strategy out and understood what it is, even then you organizing your measure to deliver it. So what are the right measures? And it won’t be the measures that you have before, and you may have tier one and tier two metrics and the tier two, or even tier three. And they feed up to those eight or 10 that you want to be held accountable for, but you can feed those up to be able to show progress, but you organize as well to make that happen.

Sandra MacQuillan (01:05:04):

And you know, B, B M caringly ruthless about the right people in, in your team, because if you don’t help anybody, if you’ve got the wrong person in that job, you don’t help the person in the job, their team, or even the, the wider organization. So you can, and that doesn’t mean you find people, you can just move them to where, where they’re better suited. There’s lots of that in, in my experience that, and people feel better cause there was breathed out when they realize they’re in the right role. So the talent and making sure you can be caringly ruthless in a, in a very nice way. Um, I think is, is then sets you up with the right team to be able to execute what you want to do on that, on that your strategy. And don’t let them call supply chain across bucket or an enabler to top line and bottom line.

Sandra MacQuillan (01:05:58):

So keep that in your head, unless you believe we’re a cost bucket. And then of course you should just say we’re across bucket, but let’s keep communicating that, that last piece is keep communicating your view and your vision. And I always talk about the consumer and people go, well, your supply chain. Yeah. Making stuff for, you know, and my team doing things for, you know, so actually making that, that really humanizing that is really, really important. And educating the world on the power that, um, supply chain can bring, if we’re enabled and measured on all of the holistic metrics, I think will really make your life just so much more fun, but also really, really rewarding. And that’s what, and sometimes it’s really hard because people want to take you back to show me the bottom line and you know, yes I will. And that’s the right eventually, but what about all this great work on service and quality and people and passion.

Sandra MacQuillan (01:06:55):

And there’s just so many other pieces that we do. So that would be probably what I would say. And then the final bit, have the courage to say no, if you don’t really believe in it, you know, and you can say no very nicely, but you can still say, no, that’s the identity. And then you have the conversation. If you certainly at the chief supply chain officer, we’re just going to say, yes, that’s not going to, there’ll be things you don’t agree with. And that’s okay constructively to put that on the table and just say, look, I’m not in that place at all. And you don’t have to make it a fight. You just declare where you are.

Scott Luton (01:07:27):

And I would add, you’ve got to say, no, it’s not even optional, right? If you say yes to everything, you’ll never get, you’re never get anything done and you won’t be served your team. Won’t be well-served. So really it’s a tough thing. Speaking from personal experiences, it’s terribly difficult to say no, but yeah. So as you can see, we’ve got a lot of comments here. I like what Corinne says, buzzer beater. Thanks for list, Sandra. Really appreciate that. Todd, thanks so much for your insight, positive outlook and taking time to share with us. Cause Tom talked a great call out. Tom is our most valuable and Sandra has given us well over an hour, so really do appreciate. And that was a, um, pull the curtain back a little bit. Greg said, Hey, by the way, at, at, at, uh, 12th at 1158, Hey Sandra, uh, you want to put together a top 10 list if you will. And gosh, just like that. Yeah. I love it. Uh, Sandra, um, really appreciate. So that magical question folks know plenty of your products, but where can folks go? Yes,

Sandra MacQuillan (01:08:26):

Sorry. I wasn’t avoiding it. I promise

Scott Luton (01:08:29):

That was good stuff. That was, I mean, all of it has been, but I appreciate you assembling that list. Um, but how can folks learn a lot more about things maybe they don’t even know yet about modeling?

Sandra MacQuillan (01:08:39):

Yeah, so we’re, we’re pretty much everywhere on LinkedIn. I would definitely connect with LinkedIn and our websites. Our website is normally pretty, pretty up to date and we have, I would go in on there and, and again, just knowing, knowing people in that organization, you’ll get a feel for what so, who we are. And if you want to, you want to have a look at us then, you know, we’re always on the lookout for talent. So don’t be Debby shy about putting it forward. You know, I think that would be, and we’re, we’re pretty good. Sometimes I let me mess up, mess up, but we’re pretty good at coming back even. And if I hear about it, I’ve had people say, I just haven’t heard anything. And I go, guys, can we just do these? I don’t want to have 550,000 got the website first. And that’s cool, you know, but, but we are, we’re, we’re a lot in the media and we, we’re pretty, pretty open about what we do authentic hopefully in terms of what

Scott Luton (01:09:35):

Well, you know, Sandra inspires all of us on so many different levels, but this was a key point that someone captured and I’m not sure who this was, clay or Amanda. She could let us know, keep communicating your vision, even when you think no one’s listening. Even if you’re a hundred, 900 iteration, keep at it persevere because that’s how you break through. So really appreciate you sharing that. And it’s a great call out there.

Sandra MacQuillan (01:09:58):

One thing I’m sorry, but you need to keep communicating. Cause people have got so much information going on and actually they may not hear it. So I just keep, I got annoying ad nauseum around consumer at the center of what we do and what, what does that mean? What are you go, this is what it needs, you know? And you just, you have to keep saying, I don’t mean strap lines because they have to be with integrity, you know? But, um, yeah, you have to, don’t underestimate the power of communication because we do sometimes and we have a lot of it. So, you know, make sure it’s targeted. Sorry.

Scott Luton (01:10:31):

No, no great point. Especially in this remote environment, whereby if, if you got a hundred emails, you know, eight months ago, you might be getting know 10,000 emails these days. And, and to your point, Sandra can get lost in the shuffle and, and folks may not be disagreeing or even ignoring you. They may not have ever gotten when you were communicating. So, um, what a wonderful, well, 74 minutes with the one only Sandra McQuillan EVP and chief supply chain officer with mandolins international, Sandra, thanks so much. We’ll look forward to reconnecting over that pint of goodness in person soon. And Greg, I don’t want to steal our, our, our, um, uh, sign off here. What else would you share with Sandra?

Greg White (01:11:17):

Thank you. I mean, I think you just laid out the keys to success for the current and the next generation of chief supply chain officers. If you, if you know nothing else, three supply chain officer listened to the last 10 minutes of this, because that, that is a powerful formula for success. So thank you very much. I don’t know what else to say. I’m I’m dumbfounded, which is rare.

Scott Luton (01:11:41):

Well, Sandra, thanks so much. We look forward to reconnecting soon. This was, this has been, you know, you always deliver. It’s one of those things we talk about, I think, uh, several other handful of guests, it’s always better than advertise. So have a wonderful rest of your week. And we look forward to reconnecting soon with Sandra McQuillan, EVP and chief supply chain officer with mandolins international. Thanks Sandra.

Greg White (01:12:05):

Yeah, likewise, man.

Scott Luton (01:12:09):

I mean, she’s always on fire, but clearly between our notes and, and our commentary, what we thought was really important that she shared and, and of course all the great comments I couldn’t get to all of them. I’ll tell ya. Um, one individual, the same individual captured this and two or three others. This is, I think it’s Chi. I think I’ve got his name.

Greg White (01:12:30):

Yeah. Sometimes LinkedIn blocks us from certain users.

Scott Luton (01:12:33):

Yes. To Chi keep coming back and keep sharing all of y’all. But, but I loved your call-outs here today. And we had a bunch of really good ones. Enrique is with us leader of logistics, with purpose and supply chain. Now in a spaniel, it all comes down to communication, especially direct old-fashioned human to human good point there. All right. So we’re going to, I know we’re over folks. Thanks for sticking with us. That was certainly well worth it. Big. Thanks to Sandra McQuillan for joining us today. Especially with as much as, as she and the team have going on several full plates, probably just out of you, of our camera. Joel, check out supply chain now.com or working really hard to serve as the voice of global supply chain, featuring leaders. No nonsense action-based leaders, just like Sandra McQuillan with mandolins, Greg, your last word before I sign off, gosh,

Greg White (01:13:25):

There’s just so much F uh, first of all, I really do believe that what she gave in the last few minutes is a formula for success for any chief supply chain officer, frankly, any executive or leader, um, needs to consider those things as they go forward. And I think about what the discussion we had just yesterday about gardener, I’m thinking they must have just asked Sandra how, how to make chief supply chain officers. She just gave us seven of their 10, right? So, um, obviously she’s got her finger on the pulse of these things. I can’t get over the fact that she’s a very caring person. I don’t know if you noticed she called out everyone’s name, who asked her a question that caring is genuine? You know, she is incredibly knowledgeable, incredibly insightful.

Scott Luton (01:14:12):

She’s got, obviously got the supply chain gifts, somehow managed to die Dodge, the ever given bullet. And you know, there’s just so much to learn here. I don’t know, probably tell I’m struggling. I don’t know what else there is to say, except that she is the best chief supply chain officer I’ve ever met. Um, powerful words coming from the one only Greg white talking about the one only Sandra McQuillan. So we are big fans, but, but now in the live live manner, for those of you that haven’t caught Sandra keynoting here or speaking there, or, uh, you know, you see why, I mean, it’s right here. So thanks so much for joining us. Thanks so much for all the comments and interaction that really makes our day big. Thanks again to Sandra big, thanks to the folks behind the scenes, making it happen. Uh, Amanda Clay and Allie, thanks so much for all that. Y’all do Greg pleasure to do it. Hey, on behalf of our entire team here, everybody hope this finds you well, have a wonderful rest of your week. Hey, do good. Get forward. Be the changes need to be just like Sandra McQuillan. And on that note, we’ll see you next time here at supply chain. Now. Thanks for buddy.

Intro/Outro (01:15:18):

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