Blog

Successful Transformation?
02.02.2023
“Change management” cannot be separated from the operation of a business, and even the most effective change management will not succeed in a harmful work culture. LinkedIn Post more

Bi-Directional Orchestration
27.01.2023
Our 39th iBsing Pioneers session was a cool session ð , with a brilliant guest speaker Nicole Miara, and many attendees. During the session, we discussed the biggest business challenges for 2022, including: â¢Â          Issues in the energy market â¢Â          Semiconductor shortages â¢Â          Volatile demand â¢Â          Little interest in major start-up investment â¢Â          Steep price increase of metals in Q1 2022 […] more

How are you running your Business?
10.01.2023
Like a machine or like a living organism? Three years ago, I thought that running a business like a machine is nonsense! Working in corporate organisations can feel like itâs only about⊠1.      Being measured and compared against certain targets 2.      Increasing pressure to improve performance and output 3.      Avoiding mistakes 4.      Predicting the future 5.      Controlling the alignment with […] more

We need a Business Case and a “Good Story”
20.12.2022
Here are some take-aways from yesterdayâs iBsing pioneers session about âDigital Transformationâ Why do we do the change? âš We need a business case and a compelling story to tell the organisation. How are we doing the change? âš Step by step â start small and then scale up. What are the key challenges? âš […] more

Executive Interview (EMEA Recruitment)
14.12.2022
Link to Interview  December 12, 2022 Helmut Leitner is the Founder of Heliblick in Zug, Switzerland, a management consultancy that developed the iBsing framework. He is also a Board Member at CSCMP Roundtable Switzerland, after having a successful Supply Chain career in companies such as Johnson & Johnson, Merck, Sharp & Dohme and Smith & Nephew. You […] more

What is the best way to bring the right data into the cloud?
10.12.2022
I thank Heymen Jansen from ProMatters for a brilliant overview on âððð©ð¥ðšð²ðŠðð§ð ðšð ðð«ðšððð¬ð¬ ðð¢ð§ð¢ð§ð ðððð¡ð§ðšð¥ðšð ð² ð¢ð§ ðŠðð§ðð ð¢ð§ð ðð§ ð2ð ðð®ð©ð©ð¥ð² ðð¡ðð¢ð§â in our Nov 22 iBsing pioneers call. Thanks to the S&OP and IBP experts participating in the call for discussing potential IBP applications and barriers. Here are some key take aways: Process Mining can be used to⊠[…] more

The Virtuos Cycle of Excellent Culture –> Excellent Engagement –> Excellent IBP
05.12.2022
I had the pleasure to join the CParity Event in Amsterdam with >200 S&OP IBP experts and to learn from many awesome speakers about all aspects of IBP. I contributed with two sessions. In the presentation âððððð¢ð§ð ð®ð© ððð ðð¬ ðð¡ð ðŠðð¢ð§ ðð«ð¢ð¯ðð« ðšð ðð®ð¥ðð®ð«ðð¥ ðð«ðð§ð¬ððšð«ðŠððð¢ðšð§â I had the opportunity to explain that a good […] more

“Do we want to integrate processes by integrating systems or by integrating data?”
25.11.2022
I am excited that Heymen Jansen has accepted the invite to be the guest speaker in our next iBsing pioneers call on Monday, 28th Nov from 16:00 – 17:00 CET! He will provide valuable insights on deployment of ð·ðððððð ðŽððððð ð»ððððððððð ðð ðððððððð ðð ð¬2ð¬ ðºððððð ðªðððð before we go into small breakout groups for learning and […] more

S&OP to IBP – Summit in Amsterdam
19.11.2022
I will be speaking at the upcoming 7th Annual S&OP to Integrated Business Planning (IBP) Summit scheduled for 1st â 2nd December, 2022, at The Leonardo Royal Hotel Amsterdam, organized by Cparity Event. I look forward to connecting with you and sharing insight on my topic “ðºðððððð ðð ð°ð©ð· ðð ððð ðððð ð ððððð ðð ðððððððð ðððððððððððððð” […] more

“Customer Beliefs” are not always “Customer Needs”!
14.11.2022
If I had asked my customers what they wanted, they would have said: A better budget planning process. #iBsing LinkedIn Post more

Valuable Mentor-Advice: “Nourish your external network!”
28.10.2022
Some years ago, I had an exciting job, a lot of responsibility on my shoulders, and I was struggling with my workload. All my focus was on operational priorities, organisational changes, system implementations and team development. I asked my mentor for advice. I did not expect the answer: âNourish your external network!â I was super […] more

The most popular IBP process: ALLOCATION!
17.10.2022
In the midst of âVUCA worldâ the product allocation process is further increasing its importance! I am looking forward to insights from our guest speaker: Khadidja Bouallaga Francis, Global Demand Manager at Guerbet. Khadidja has just finished her MBA Supply Chain Management with a master thesis on the topic of âImplementation of IBPâ. She will provide us […] more

“The state of S&OP in Finland”
04.10.2022
“The state of S&OP in Finlandâ was the topic of the Sep 22 iBsing pioneers call with almost 20 S&OP and IBP practitioners from different industries. Many thanks to Timo Rantala, who provided the introduction speech and shared preliminary results of an ongoing academic research from Arcada University of applied sciences involving real IBP/S&OP practitioners. Special […] more

IBP is not “black and white”!
28.09.2022
The Truth is not in the middle, and not in one extreme; but in both extremes. (Charles Simeon) In yesterdayâs iBsing pioneers call a controversial question has been discussed: âWhat is the purpose of IBP?â Integrated Business Planning (IBP) is not about “who is right, who is wrong”, but about trade-offs. Integrated Business Sensing (iBsing) […] more

New IBP perspectives from Finland!
22.09.2022
âEi kysyvÀ tieltÀ eksy.â Is a Finnish saying and means: âWho asks for the road doesnât get lost.â In that spirit I am looking forward to new perspectives from our guest speaker: Timo Rantala, Head of Integrated Business Planning at Tikkurila will provide an update on âThe status of S&OP in Finlandâ, which is based on […] more

Supply Chain Management versus Impression Management
06.09.2022
C-Level leaders are more and more reliant on Supply Chain Managers because⊠⚠they have the ððððð¬ âš they address the ð«ðšðšð ððð®ð¬ðð¬ âš they are ððšð¥ð¥ðððšð«ððð¢ð¯ð âš they have the ðð®ð¬ððšðŠðð« ð¢ð§ ðŠð¢ð§ð âš they are striving towards ððšð§ðð¢ð§ð®ðšð®ð¬ ð¢ðŠð©ð«ðšð¯ððŠðð§ð However, what happens if the C-Level leaders⊠⚠do not want to hear the […] more

Demings 14 points: 40 years later – what has changed?
04.09.2022
In 1982, William Edwards Deming (1900-1993) – the leading management thinker in the field of quality – presented âDemingâs 14 pointsâ in his book âQuality, Productivity, and Competitive Positionâ (later renamed âOut of the Crisisâ). In 2022, Demingâs 14 points are still valid, and ðŠðšð¬ð ððšðŠð©ðð§ð¢ðð¬ ðð«ð ð§ðšð ð¬ð®ðððð¬ð¬ðð®ð¥ ð¢ð§ ð ðððð¢ð§ð ðð®ð¥ð¥ ððððŠ ðð§ð ðð ððŠðð§ð ðð§ð […] more

Setting up IBP as the main driver of cultural transformation
16.08.2022
I am looking forward to the 7th Annual âS&OP to Integrated Business Planning (IBP)â Summit on 1-2 Dec 2022 in Amsterdam! That will be a great opportunity to learn more about current IBP trends from high calibre speakers of top companies across different industries. As part of that event, I am pleased to present some […] more

If the WHY and the HOW of IBP are clear, the WHAT will be easy!
11.08.2022
I am looking forward to provide the introduction presentation for the 34th iBsing pioneers call on Mon, 22nd Aug at 16:00 to 17:00 CET. The topic will be the âWHY, HOW and WHAT of IBP.â From my experience, most IBP teams have a great focus on the âWHATâ and the âWHYâ (e.g. Financial Health). However, […] more

iBsing Newsletter
02.08.2022
–         The other department has no clue –         IBP will never work –         newsletters will always suck ð ð For those who are more optimistic and who are looking into⊠–         fostering collaboration and team ðððððððððð across organisations –         boosting organisational ððððððððððð and improvement via IBP –         the Integrated Business Sensing (ðð©ðððð) framework ⊠please just let me know. I could […] more

Is your IBP information ESSENTIAL for your organisation?
28.07.2022
âIf it isnât a clear yes, then itâs a clear no.â (Greg McKeown) Thanks to Ling Pizzinato, Director Global Supply Chain at Teva, for the insightful presentation: âHow to connect, simplify and filter information in IBP?â in yesterday’s 33st iBsing pioneers call. Despite the holiday period we had a fantastic group of eight S&OP/IBP practitioners who […] more

IBP transformation must be driven internally!
11.07.2022
Integrated Business Planning (IBP) is a brilliant process to nurture cross-functional team engagement and achieve outstanding organisational performance. From my experience a ððððð ðððð ðð ðð ð°ð©ð· ðððððððððððððð ðððð ðð ð ððððð ðð ððð ðððððððð ððððð. However, there are some areas, where external consultancy can be of great support. Principles for a successful IBP transformation: âš […] more

More Focus on the Common Ground!
06.07.2022
In last weekâs âiBsing pioneersâ session we explored the question âHow to align different IBP stakeholders with different departmental requirements?â One group had a suggestion: Letâs put less focus on the different departmental needs, and more focus on the common ground! How should we balance time, resource, and cost to get the best outcome for […] more

IBP in a government organisation – how to align different stakeholders
17.06.2022
I am pleased to announce the speaker of the 32nd iBsing pioneers call on 27th June 2022 at 16:00 to 17:00 CET: Fernando Collazo, Senior Manager IBP at ANSTO will share profound insights about IBP in governmental organisations. In the breakout sessions we will explore how to facilitate between stakeholder groups with different interests and […] more

How to sell S&OP internally? Avoid the penguin zone!
02.06.2022
Last week in the iBsing pioneers call we discussed the topic âHow to sell S&OP internally?â. Nearly 20 S&OP / IBP practitioners from different industries and regions joined the call. The breakout groups discussed an impressive number of ideas how to address typical objections against S&OP (see post-it notes). Alexandra Eberhard, Director Supply Chain Global […] more

How to sell S&OP internally?
20.05.2022
The 31st iBsing pioneers call on Mon, 23rd May from 16:00-17:00 CET will focus on âð¯ðð ðð ðððð ðº&ð¶ð· ðððððððððð?â. In small breakout groups, ðº&ð¶ð· / ð°ð©ð· ððððððððððððð from different sectors will discuss that topic with peers for ðððððððð ððð ðððððððððð. I am thrilled that Alexandra Eberhard â Director Global Supply Chain at Selectchemie AG […] more

âTransforming the Businessâ canât be separated from “Running the Business”
02.05.2022
âðððððð ððððððððâ was the topic in last weekâs CSCMP Networking Event in Zug, and I looked at the topic from an IBP perspective: What does âðð§ððð ð«ðððð ðð®ð¬ð¢ð§ðð¬ð¬ ðð¥ðð§ð§ð¢ð§ð (ððð)â have to do with âðð«ðð§ð¬ððšð«ðŠð¢ð§ð ðð¡ð ðð®ð¬ð¢ð§ðð¬ð¬â âïž The people who are âðð®ð§ð§ð¢ð§ð ðð¡ð ðð®ð¬ð¢ð§ðð¬ð¬â on the ground and who are close to the customer or to […] more

S&OP = the right choices for the resource plan
20.04.2022
I am pleased to announce the speaker for our next iBsing pioneers call on Monday, 25th April from 16:00 to 17:00 CET: Rym Khelil (Division Sales and Operations Planning Manager at Schlumberger) will talk about âS&OE application in the energy service industryâ. Please check out the website to get a flavour of the complexities of that […] more

4 or 15 IBP Groundrules – too simple or too complex?
15.04.2022
In last weekâs iBsing pioneers call we discussed ððð ð ð«ðšð®ð§ðð«ð®ð¥ðð¬. Whilst everybody strongly agreed about the importance of common IBP principles, the outcome of the different breakout sessions were quite different. âš Group 1 came up with ððšð®ð« ð ð«ðšð®ð§ðð«ð®ð¥ðð¬ and argued to âkeep it ð¬ð¢ðŠð©ð¥ðâ. âš Group 3 came up with ðð¢ððððð§ ð ð«ðšð®ð§ðð«ð®ð¥ðð¬ and argued […] more

Take a helicopter view, trust your senses and IBP will transform your business!
30.03.2022
ððððð ððððððð ððð ð ðð ðððððððð ððððð! 1: We set up a ðððð-ððš-ðððð ððððð ðð¯ðð§ð for Supply Chain professionals on the 28ðð¡ ðð©ð«ð¢ð¥ ð¢ð§ ðð®ð , the last one having taken place more than two(!) years ago. 2: Since the topic is about âðð«ðð§ð¬ððšð«ðŠððð¢ðšð§, ðð¡ðð§ð ð ððð§ðð ððŠðð§ð ðð§ð ðð«ð ðð§ð¢ð³ððð¢ðšð§ð¬ ð¢ð§ ðð®ð©ð©ð¥ð² ðð¡ðð¢ð§â, my friends from the CSCMP Swiss […] more

Conflicts are the most important IBP ingredient!
23.03.2022
People generally quarrel because they cannot argue. Gilber Keith Chesterton (English writer and philosopher) Fear not those who argue but those who dodge. Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach (Austrian writer) The aim of argument, or of discussion, should not be victory, but progress. Joseph Joubert (French moralist and essayist) Creativity comes from a conflict of ideas. Donatella […] more

Do you have an IBP constitution?
17.03.2022
Integrated Business Planning (IBP) is the core process to realize the purpose of the organisation whilst strengthening the financial health. à Most IBP teams know âððð ð°ð ððš ððð!â Product Management Review, Demand Review, Supply Review, Reconciliation Review, Management Business Review⊠à Most IBP teams know âðððð ð°ð ððš ð¢ð§ ððð!â Many organisations […] more

In IBP you don’t need pressure, you need suction
16.02.2022
«In life you don’t need pressure, you need suction. If you want to fly, you need thermals. Airplanes fly because suction is built up.» ð®Ã¶ðð ðŸððððð* Same applies for organisations and for running Integrated Business Planning (IBP) âšIf the IBP process is designed in a way that ð©ð«ðð¬ð¬ð®ð«ð is created, people will sooner or later […] more

Is IBP the solution for EVERYTHING?
01.02.2022
A German speaking customer told me last week: âManche Leute denken, IBP ist die eierlegende Wollmilchsau!â (ððªðµðŠð³ð¢ðððº âðð°ð®ðŠ ð±ðŠð°ð±ððŠ ðµð©ðªð¯ð¬, ððð ðªðŽ ðµð©ðŠ ðŠðšðš-ðð¢ðºðªð¯ðš ð¢ð¯ð¥ ð®ðªðð¬-ðšðªð·ðªð¯ðš ðžð°ð°ð-ð±ðªðš!â) Maybe those people are right⊠A well functioning ðð§ððð ð«ðððð ðð®ð¬ð¢ð§ðð¬ð¬ ðð¥ðð§ð§ð¢ð§ð (ððð) process includes âš a solid Sales & Operation Execution (ð&ðð) Process to manage short term exceptions […] more

Competition versus Value Creation
28.01.2022
Our competitor is producing similar products as we are. Our competitor is providing similar services to customers as we are. Our competitor is enriching the life of consumers as we are. Nobody resembles us more than our competitor. Why is it that we want to beat our competitor? Less focus on competition, more focus on […] more

How to improve trust in S&OP?
19.01.2022
In 2000, Charles H. Green has described the insightful Trust-formula: âðð«ð®ð¬ðâ = (âðð«ððð¢ðð¢ð¥ð¢ðð²â + âððð¥ð¢ððð¢ð¥ð¢ðð²â + âðð§ðð¢ðŠððð²â) / âððð¥ð ðð«ð¢ðð§ðððð¢ðšð§â There are three variables in the numerator that determine âTrustâ: âšÂ âðð«ððð¢ðð¢ð¥ð¢ðð²â â ðºð°ð¶ ð¬ð¯ð°ðž ðºð°ð¶ð³ ðŽðµð¶ð§ð§ âšÂ âððð¥ð¢ððð¢ð¥ð¢ðð²â â ðºð°ð¶ ð¢ððžð¢ðºðŽ ð¥ðŠððªð·ðŠð³ ðžð©ð¢ðµ ðºð°ð¶ ð±ð³ð°ð®ðªðŽðŠ âšÂ âðð§ðð¢ðŠððð²â â ð°ðµð©ðŠð³ðŽ ð§ðŠðŠð ðŽð¢ð§ðŠ ðžðªðµð© ðºð°ð¶ The variable in the denominator is […] more

The Tyrannosaurus Rex amongst all S&OP Biases
10.01.2022
S&OP without bias seems impossible. Much can be gained by creating awareness of different manifestations of bias during the implementation and execution of S&OP. Here are a few examples of bias in an S&OP context: âš âðð¯ðð«-ð¬ðð¥ð¥ð¢ð§ð â is a smart paraphrase for âUnder-forecasting Biasâ â who can be blamed for selling âtoo muchâ? There may be […] more

The iBsing journey will continue in 2022
21.12.2021
A big thank you to all S&OP/IBP practitioners who have been contributing to fantastic learnings this year. Here some facts: 19 meetings in 2021 average 12 participants per meeting 16 fantastic guest speakers ~200 S&OP/IBP practitioners and SC leads are registered to the network representing 150 companies from 15 industries In 2022 we will continue […] more

An innovation in 1964 and outdated today!?!
14.12.2021
In 1964, ððððð«ð¢ðð¥ð¬ ðððªð®ð¢ð«ððŠðð§ð ðð¥ðð§ð§ð¢ð§ð (ððð) was invented by Joseph Orlicky. In the same year the ððšðŠð©ððð ððð¬ð¬ðððð has been introduced. Compact cassettes are ðšð®ð-ððððð! To hear a song you do not need to rewind a tape, just stream it. ððšð° ðððšð®ð ððð? Does the original âpredict and controlâ approach still make sense in the current […] more

The 3rd Law of IBP
06.12.2021
The energy cost of doing good things must be lower than the energy cost of doing bad things! In Alpine folkloristic tradition, St. Nicholas and his devilish companion Krampus are visiting children: ð St. Nicholas praises the children for their good deeds and rewards them with mandarins, figs, dates, and nuts. ð¹ Krampus punishes misbehaving children […] more

How to get buy-in for S&OP? Fail your way to success!
30.11.2021
In yesterdayâs iBsing pioneers call we discussed âð¯ðð ðð ððð ððð ðððððððððð ðððððððððð ððð ðð ðº&ð¶ð· (IBP) ðððððððððððððð?â In many organisations, top managers are hesitant to invest resources into an S&OP implementation and improvement, because they do not see an immediate financial benefit. ð»ðð ð»ðð: Analyse the top 5 business failures in the recent past […] more

Are you monitoring lead-times?
24.11.2021
The importance of responsiveness has changed over the last couple of years due to more and more Supply Chain disruptions. In the past, responsiveness could be defined as the ability of the supply chain to respond purposefully and with appropriate timeframe ððš ðð®ð¬ððšðŠðð« ð«ððªð®ðð¬ðð¬. Mature Supply Chains monitor those lead-times versus standard lead-times and follow […] more

In S&OP it’s never wise to praise firefighters to the skies
16.11.2021
We are prone to ðð¥ððŠð ðððð¢ð¬ð¢ðšð§ ðŠðð€ðð«ð¬ ððšð« ð ðšðšð ðððð¢ð¬ð¢ðšð§ð¬ ðð¡ðð ð°ðšð«ð€ðð ðšð®ð ðððð¥ð² and to give them ððšðš ð¥ð¢ððð¥ð ðð«ððð¢ð ððšð« ð¬ð®ðððð¬ð¬ðð®ð¥ ðŠðšð¯ðð¬ ðð¡ðð ðð©ð©ððð« ðšðð¯ð¢ðšð®ð¬ ðšð§ð¥ð² ððððð« ðð¡ð ðððð.â (Kahneman, Daniel – âThinking, Fast and Slowâ) On the other hand, we are prone to ð©ð«ðð¢ð¬ð ðð¢ð«ððð¢ð ð¡ððð«ð¬ ððš ðð¡ð ð¬ð€ð¢ðð¬. How to overcome that […] more

You need to start small with S&OP, before running a world-class IBP!
09.11.2021
S&OP is like football â a ððšðŠð©ð¥ðð± game! To become world-class, ððšð§ðð¢ð§ð®ðšð®ð¬ ð¢ðŠð©ð«ðšð¯ððŠðð§ð is required. Yesterday we had a fantastic iBsing pioneers call with ~20 IBP practitioners. The key question was around âð¡ðšð° ððš ð¢ðŠð©ð¥ððŠðð§ð ðð§ð ðŠðð¢ð§ððð¢ð§ ð ð°ðšð«ð¥ð-ðð¥ðð¬ð¬ ðððâ. Please find enclosed a few slides with findings from the breakout session. IBP and Football […] more

S&OP is all about conflict resolution
02.11.2021
Resolving conflicts in ð&ðð can be ð©ðð¢ð§ðð®ð¥ when participants react to a business dilemma by⊠being ððððð§ð¬ð¢ð¯ð and avoiding conflicts ðð¢ð§ð ðð«-ð©ðšð¢ð§ðð¢ð§ð towards other departments blowing their own horn with ððšðš ðŠð®ðð¡ ððð excessively prioritising the own short-term ðð¢ð§ðð§ðð¢ðð¥ ð¢ð§ððð§ðð¢ð¯ðð¬ Resolving conflicts in ð&ðð can be ðð®ð§ when participants respond to a business dilemma by ⊠[…] more

How to implement S&OP/IBP and S&OE? How to boost existing processes?
26.10.2021
Here is my question to you: Many S&OP implementations are not meeting the expectations. Where do you see typically the most critical ðð¡ðð¥ð¥ðð§ð ð ð°ð¢ðð¡ ð&ðð ð¢ðŠð©ð¥ððŠðð§ðððð¢ðšð§ð¬? (1),(2),(3) or (4)? Implementing and Running an S&OP (1) â The cross-functional teams do not share the same ð¯ð¢ð¬ð¢ðšð§? (2) â The ðð®ð«ð«ðð§ð ððð©ððð¢ð¥ð¢ðð¢ðð¬ around process, system, organisation and […] more

Financial Reconciliation in S&OP
19.10.2021
âWhen we give ourselves permission to failâŠwe at the same time, give ourselves permission to excel.â (Eloise Ristad) In yesterdayâs iBsing pioneers call we discussed the ðð¢ð§ðð§ðð¢ðð¥ ð«ðððšð§ðð¢ð¥ð¢ððð¢ðšð§ ð¢ð§ ð&ðð between commercial and operations. Here some highlights from our discussion. ðððð¡ð§ð¢ððð¥ ðð¡ðð¥ð¥ðð§ð ðð¬: ð«ððð: must be comparable, units of measure need to be clear, average selling […] more

It’s a magical moment in S&OP…
12.10.2021
…when the right person is taking the right decision at the right time! In 97% of the cases, employees are not satisfied with organisational decision-making. That is the surprising result after 40 interviews with Supply Chain professionals at different levels in the organisation from 10 different companies. A strong S&OP / S&OE can be the […] more

Evolutionary decision-making is driving engagement and performance!
05.10.2021
97% of business tensions are related to suboptimal decision-making[1]  This is due to many organisations relying solely on an analytical decision-making approach, which may work well in orderly and highly predictable environments, but not so well in a more complex business landscape. iBsing leverages existing business processes and business transformation initiatives to embed evolutionary decision-making into the organisation A direct way to short and […] more

Human skills – learning by doing!?
29.09.2021
In yesterdayâs iBsing pioneers call we focused on decision-making in S&OP. The decision-making process can be described in 5 steps: 1. ðð§ð¢ðð¢ððð ðð¡ðð§ð ð â typically the change is triggered by a âtensionâ, when the current perception of the business situation is not aligned with the expectation. We talk about the âHuman Sensor Networkâ, because each […] more

The human sensor network is the most under-utilized business asset
21.09.2021
Humans have the gift to feel ððð§ð¬ð¢ðšð§ð¬ between the personal perception of a current business situation and the personal expectation of the same situation. Employees in an organisation can be regarded as âð¡ð®ðŠðð§ ð¬ðð§ð¬ðšð« ð§ððð°ðšð«ð€ (ððð)â responding to business triggers. The HSN is an underutilized web with huge potential to drive in your organisation ðð ð¢ð¥ð […] more

Don’t develop other people – develop the organisation!
14.09.2021
Where to start with behavioural ððððððððððð? â Personal Development? â Organisational Development? In my view, the catch is the ðððððððððððððð. Whilst the organisational leadership team is accountable for organisational development, each ððð ðððð ððð ðððððððð is accountable for the own personal development. As an organisational leader, you can work on organisational development, you can work on your […] more

What happened with your S&OP?
07.09.2021
Sometimes the initial ðº&ð¶ð· ðœððððð and the ðº&ð¶ð· ððððððð look quite different! In the 21st iBsing pioneers discussion S&OP/IBP practitioners from different industries investigated the key reasons for the ð ðððð ðð ðº&ð¶ð·. The list is long! Three Top tips to make your process sustainable arising from the session: 1. Secure top ðððð ðððððð ððððððððððð 2. Clear […] more

About bicycles and supply chain planning solutions…
30.08.2021
Why walk a long distance, when you can ride a bicycle? Why run S&OP in Excel, when we can use better tools? The ðð¢ðð²ðð¥ð is a brilliant human invention, of which we can make the most if we⊠âšunderstand the requirements âšselect the appropriate one âšlearn how to ride it âškeep on improving our fitness […] more

Supply Chain – the most exciting function in the business!
18.08.2021
âŠand not to forget: Supply Chain professionals know a lot about ðððððð, because they are⊠– connecting departments, – communicating at all levels of the organisation, – resolving issues in a fact based manner. Do your S&OP-, S&OE-, and IBP-processes already drive maximum ððððŠ ðð§ð ðð ððŠðð§ð and ðšð«ð ðð§ð¢ð¬ððð¢ðšð§ðð¥ ð©ðð«ððšð«ðŠðð§ðð? LinkedIn Post more

Remaining proactive towards year-end
10.08.2021
What can we do to avoid a shift from a ð©ð«ðšðððð¢ð¯ð S&OP to ð«ððððð¢ð¯ð S&OP towards the second half of the year? I am curious about your experience and suggestions! The ððšð© 5 ð¢ðð¬ð¢ð§ð ð¬ð®ð ð ðð¬ðð¢ðšð§ð¬ to achieve the financial targets 2021 whilst remaining proactive and focused on the organisational purpose: ð± ðð®ð¬ððšðŠðð« ð¬ðð«ð¯ð¢ðð issues […] more

It’s hard to control the soft side of business!
03.08.2021
ðððšð©ð¥ð ð©ðšððð§ðð¢ðð¥ âððŠð°ð±ððŠ ð¢ð³ðŠ ð£ð°ð³ð¯ ðžðªðµð© ðªð¯ðµð³ðªð¯ðŽðªð€ ð®ð°ðµðªð·ð¢ðµðªð°ð¯, ðŽðŠðð§-ðŠðŽðµðŠðŠð®, ð¥ðªðšð¯ðªðµðº, ð€ð¶ð³ðªð°ðŽðªðµðº ðµð° ððŠð¢ð³ð¯, ð«ð°ðº ðªð¯ ððŠð¢ð³ð¯ðªð¯ðš.â (W. Edwards Deming, American Engineer, Statistician, Professor) ðððð¥ð¢ðð² âð’ð·ðŠ ðŽðŠðŠð¯ ðµð©ð¢ðµ ðµð©ðŠðŽðŠ ð°ð³ðšð¢ð¯ðªð»ð¢ðµðªð°ð¯ð¢ð ð¥ðªðŽðŠð¢ðŽðŠðŽ ð¢ð³ðŠ ð¢ðŽ ð§ð°ððð°ðžðŽ: ð “ðžð©ð¢ðµ’ðŽ ðªð¯ ðªðµ ð§ð°ð³ ð®ðŠ?” ððªð¯ðŠ ð°ð§ ðµð©ðªð¯ð¬ðªð¯ðš, ð£ðð¢ð®ðŠ-ðšð¢ð®ðŠ ð±ð°ðŽðµð¶ð³ðªð¯ðš, ð®ðªð€ð³ð°ð®ð¢ð¯ð¢ðšðŠð®ðŠð¯ðµâ (Mark Samuel, CEO, Author)How can organisations fully leverage the people […] more

A story about “entrepreneurship”…
28.07.2021
âŠand about an Austrian Olympic ð¥ winner, who⊠– ððððððððððð her academic career over her athletic career – is resolving ð ððððððððððð ððððððððð as a researcher and lecturer at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology of Lausanne and practises ððððððð ðð ð âðððððâ – nevertheless ððððððððð as a 30 year old Olympic debutant – leverages her […] more

Supply Chain has the Facts!
20.07.2021
âYou are entitled to your opinion. But you are not entitled to your own facts.â Daniel Patrick Moynihan Once I conducted an S&OP audit at a country organisation that was ðððŠðšð®ð¬ ððšð« ð¢ðð¬ ðð±ððð¥ð¥ðð§ð ðð®ð¬ð¢ð§ðð¬ð¬ ð«ðð¬ð®ð¥ðð¬ ðð§ð ððððŠ ðð®ð¥ðð®ð«ð. I was wondering what it was that they were doing differently than the other S&OP teams. At the Executive S&OP board meeting,... more

Before focusing on the Customer, focus on your Sales Rep!
29.06.2021
In yesterdayâs iBsing pioneers call we discussed the collaboration between ðºððððð ðªðððð ððððððððððððð and the ðºðððð ð¹ðð during a ðð®ð©ð©ð¥ð² ðð«ð¢ð¬ð¢ð¬ ð¥. â°The Sales Rep is the ðððð to the customer and wants to build a relationship of ððððð with the customer. â°The Sales Rep is directly confronted with the customer’s ðððððððð and is highly […] more

Too many heroes – business is in trouble!
24.06.2021
Your leaders behave like heroes? Your business may be in trouble! The Cynefin framework distinguishes five contexts which are defined by the nature of the cause-and-effect relationship between business challenges and appropriate solutions. From my perspective each context requires a different leadership style. Typical organisations seem to have too many HEROES, and too few GARDENERS […] more

20th iBsing pioneers meeting
22.06.2021
iBsing pioneers call Customer Focus Next week we will have our 20ðð ðð©ðððð ðððððððð ðððð! I would like to thank the S&OP/IBP practitioners for the ð¹ðªð»ðœð²ð¬ð²ð¹ðªðœð²ðžð·, support in ð¹ð»ð®ð¹ðªð»ðªðœð²ðžð· of content, ð®ð·ð°ðªð°ð®ð¶ð®ð·ðœ during break-out sessions and ðµð®ðªð»ð·ð²ð·ð°ðŒ and ð²ð·ðŒð¹ð²ð»ðªðœð²ðžð·! Looking forward to the next session with an excellent guest speaker: ðð¥ð¢ð¯ð¢ðð« ððšð¥ððð«, ðð¢ð¯ð¢ðšðªð¯ðš ððªð³ðŠð€ðµð°ð³ ð¢ðµ […] more

Put yourself into the shoes of a sales rep!
16.06.2021
The best way to drive Supply Chain improvement is to put your self into the shoes of a sales rep. The 20th iBsing pioneers call will be special: we invite our ð¬ðžð¶ð¶ð®ð»ð¬ð²ðªðµ colleagues to celebrate & learn with us! I am delighted that Olivier Wolber, Managing Director at Smith & Nephew, will kick off our next […] more

How to get out of chaos back into order?
14.06.2021
I am grateful that I had the opportunity to share the framework of âðð§ððð ð«ðððð ðð®ð¬ð¢ð§ðð¬ð¬ ððð§ð¬ð¢ð§ð (ð¢ðð¬ð¢ð§ð )â at the 17th ðððððð ððððð S&OP conference and the 5th ðªðºðªðŽð· Europe conference last week. Many companies have been challenged recently with complex external business issues such as ð°ðµðžð«ðªðµ ð»ðªð ð¶ðªðœð®ð»ð²ðªðµ ðžð» ð¬ðžð¶ð¹ðžð·ð®ð·ðœ ðŒð±ðžð»ðœðªð°ð®ðŒ. Remaining too long in […] more

Diversity is driving performance
08.06.2021
Strength lies in differences, not in similarities. (Stephen R. Covey) ðð²ð¿ð®ð»ðŒð²ðœð ð²ðŒ ðð»ð²ð¿ð²ð·ð° ðžð»ð°ðªð·ð²ðŒðªðœð²ðžð·ðªðµ ð¹ð®ð»ð¯ðžð»ð¶ðªð·ð¬ð®! âš Traditional organisations with a âpredict and controlâ approach recognize (and sometimes overestimate) the importance of âðð§ððšð«ðŠððð¢ðšð§ ðððð¡ð§ðšð¥ðšð ð²â, more

S&OE in turbulent times
01.06.2021
The Sales & Operations Execution (S&OE) process has been especially critical to manage the pandemic crisis and for some companies the focus shifted excessively to short term firefighting. One interesting insight: The ð¥ðð¬ð¬ ð¢ð§ð¯ðšð¥ð¯ðð the ð-ððð¯ðð¥ board is in the operational execution, the better. A solid S&OE process is run ððšðððšðŠ ð®ð© â escalation to […] more

S&OE – The “ugly duckling”
27.05.2021
S&OE – the “ugly duckling” is becoming “the most beautiful bird”. ð&ðð and ððð are core business processes in many organisations and we love to be ðððð¶ðð®ð°ðŸðž and ð ððžð¶ðžððŸðð®. What about ð&ðð, where it seems to be all about ðð®ð¶ðžððŸðð° on current challenges? Many companies focus mainly on day to day operational activities in their […] more

Business Organisations and Natural Ecosystems
25.05.2021
The extermination of Yellowstoneâs gray wolf provides an example of the consequences of a “ð±ð³ðŠð¥ðªð€ðµ ð¢ð¯ð¥ ð€ð°ð¯ðµð³ð°ð” approach, where a change is imposed onto a complex system from outside. ð©ððððððð ððððððððððððð and ððððððð ðððððððððð have a few things in common: âš Complex systems are in a ððšð§ðð¢ð§ð®ðšð®ð¬ state of ðð¥ð®ð±. âš Cause and effect relationships […] more

The Magic Formula for Customer Centricity
19.05.2021
In our IBSing pioneers call we discussed âCustomer Centricity” with nearly 20 S&OP experts from different industries. Pierre Mille provided a great introduction speech with storytelling around 3 simple steps to drive customer centricity: ð #1 – Address the right number: manage the metrics and KPIs which matters to your Customer ð #2 – Address the […] more

Measure the metrics and KPIs in the way your Customer does!
14.05.2021
ð #2 – Address the number right: measure the metrics and KPIs in the way your Customer does That is one of three steps proposed by Pierre Mille in his recent LinkedIn Article https://lnkd.in/dXtQyQu Looking forward to the IBSing pioneers call today on Monday, 17th May from 16:00 to 17:00 CET with Pierre Mille as guest! Please let […] more

Star Performance vs. Team Performance
06.05.2021
Traditional ðð Performance Management is about ð¢ð§ðð¢ð¯ð¢ðð®ðð¥ð¬, ð&ðð Performance Management is about ððððŠð°ðšð«ð€. A whole new ball game⊠Collaboration in S&OP is often hampered by contradicting financial ð«ðð°ðð«ðð¬. The ððšð«ððð ranking of high, medium & low performers can be a painful exercise, that also undermines S&OP teamwork. Personal performance targets, that are based on ð©ðð¬ð […] more

Performance Management Challenges
05.05.2021
âPERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT CHALLENGESâ was the topic of Mondayâs IBSing Pioneers call. PERFORMANCE refers to how well an activity or job is done. On discussing the topic âHIGH-PERFORMERSâ and what we admired most, we came to the conclusion that âINTRINSIC MOTIVATIONâ is the key to excellent performance. The traditional âcarrot and stickâ approach that is still being used […] more

A conscious decision how to take decisions
29.04.2021
ððšð§ð¬ðð§ð¬ð®ð¬ ðððð¢ð¬ð¢ðšð§-ðŠðð€ð¢ð§ð has traditionally been the most popular way to resolve business challenges in large corporations. Especially in functional areas like NPD, Operations and Business Planning . While consensus decision making has its merits in allowing all stakeholders a voice and it fosters a climate of engagement, there is sometimes a cost associated with this […] more

Action is the foundational key to success! (P. Picasso) …
26.04.2021
but….No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it. (A. Einstein) Reflecting on the evolution of SC Management, it was initially focused on storage of products and its ðŠðððð«ð¢ðð¥ flow. Planning systems then shifted its focus towards mastering the E2E ð¢ð§ððšð«ðŠððð¢ðšð§ flow. With the implementation of S&OP and IBP, SC […] more

Artificial Intelligence will not replace S&OP Teamwork
20.04.2021
In yesterday’s IBSing pioneers call, S&OP leaders from different industries talked about âArtificial Intelligence (AI) in S&OPâ. It took us about 2 minutes to come up with > 20 examples of AI in private life. However we struggled to come up with really exciting AI examples as part of our S&OP. Do you have examples? […] more

What I dream of is an art of balance (H. Matisse)
14.04.2021
Running a big corporate business is an ðð¡ð£! The ðð¡ð£ðð¢ð£ð¢ are the S&OP and IBP leads who balance âStandard Workâ, âS&OEâ and âIBPâ. Thanks to participants of last weekâs IBSing pioneers group meeting for sharing practical insights on that topic! On Monday at 16:00-17:00 CET we will talk about how to bring ðð¡ð£ðððððð Intelligence into […] more

“7 Habits of Highly Effective People”
12.04.2021
ððððð to Nathalie Tu ð for that awesome visualization of the book â7 ðððð¢ðð¬ ðšð ðð¢ð ð¡ð¥ð² ððððððð¢ð¯ð ðððšð©ð¥ðâ from ðºðððððð ð¹. ðªðððð. That book had a profound impact on my ð©ðð«ð¬ðšð§ðð¥ life & new ð©ð«ðšððð¬ð¬ð¢ðšð§ðð¥ venture ( www.IBSing.com ). Many other insightful books fit nicely into the frame of the â7 HABITSâ: â° 1) BE PROACTIVE âš Full Catastrophe […] more

30% success rate is no longer good enough!
07.04.2021
â70% ðšð ðð¡ðð§ð ð ð©ð«ðšð ð«ððŠð¬ ððð¢ð¥ to achieve their goals, largely due to employee resistance and lack of management support.â (ð. ððžðŠð¯ðŽðµðŠðªð¯, ðð€ððªð¯ðŽðŠðº, 2015) McKinsey article The journey towards success in change programs is never a direct one. We always encounter ðð¢ððð¢ðð®ð¥ðð¢ðð¬, ððð«ð«ð¢ðð«ð¬, and ððšð§ðð¥ð¢ðð. When a teamâs potential is fully exploited in overcoming a challenge […] more

I am so ð¥-cited!
31.03.2021
ð¥-cellent Easter! Run ð¥-strashifts in the hen house Build ð¥-cess inventory to cover the ð¥-ceptional seasonal demand Prevent inventory ð¥-spiry issues Secure ð¥-sternal supplier capacity Strengthen ð¥-schange of information Ask your IBSIng ð¥-sperts for ð¥-samples and always ð¥-spect the un-ð¥-spected You are an ð&ðð/ððð ð©ð«ðððð¢ðð¢ðšð§ðð« in a corporate company? You are passionate about the ð©ððšð©ð¥ð […] more

“Machine Learning” and “Consciousness in Business”
29.03.2021
âðððð¡ð¢ð§ð ðððð«ð§ð¢ð§ð â and âððžð·ðŒð¬ð²ðžðŸðŒð·ð®ðŒðŒ ð²ð· ððŸðŒð²ð·ð®ðŒðŒâ in combination have the potential to make our workplace ̳a̳w̳e̳s̳o̳m̳e̳! ðððð¡ð¢ð§ð ðððð«ð§ð¢ð§ð is an important trend to master the ððšðŠð©ð¥ð¢ððððð activities in organisations. That insightful article more

“People say, you are a wimp!”
25.03.2021
“All the things which you don’t like about yourself are your greatest assets. They are simply overamplified.” Debbie Ford. Dark Side of the Light Chasers (Hodder & Stoughton) More than 20 years ago, in the early stage of my career, I was leading a production team. One day, the most senior leader on the site provided […] more

Is your S&OP fit for a global raw material shortage?
23.03.2021
Yesterday 12 S&OP experts from different industries discussed how to address a global RM shortage. Instead of jumping directly onto solutions, we first identified underlying changes in fixed, governing and enabling constraints. The excellent EU field guide âmanaging complexity (and chaos) in times of crisisâ (Dave Snowden and Alessandro Rancati) more

My Customer is out of stock!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
18.03.2021
âALLOCATION BY DECIBELâ is a chaotic way of reacting to sudden product shortage. âALLOCATION BY DECIBEL” may damage relationships and overall business results. Without robust processes, that’s a natural way of behaving. Commercial teams are doing everything possible to protect supply for key customers, and supply chain professionals want the same and feel overwhelmed by […] more

From Chaos to Order – IBSing Sensemaking
16.03.2021
Even the best OPERATING SYSTEM and the best S&OP PROCESS will not bring ORDER out of sudden CHAOS! Imagine your organisation is confronted with a sudden global raw material shortage affecting a critical ingredient of your product: The âoperating systemâ does not provide a standard solution. Balancing demand and supply in S&OP does not resolve […] more

Looking forward to shaking hands and exchanging business cards!
11.03.2021
What you get is the "HELIBLICK"? consciousness about what's going on with yourself in an emotional moment consciousness about what's going on with your team during a conflict situation consciousness about what's going on with your team during conflicting organisational priorities, more

David Essenopee and Laura Ibsing
09.03.2021
On the âINTERNATIONAL WOMENâS DAYâ a group of IBSing pioneers came together to discuss competencies of the future S&OP leader. We looked at the profile of DAVID: An excellent traditional S&OP leader, but not fully prepared for an increasingly complex business environment. LAURA Ibsing was born: A MINDFUL and RELAXED leader, with a BENEVOLENT collaboration […] more

Departmental Silos? – Activating “Human Sensor Networks”!
02.03.2021
Why do matrix organisations experience departmental silos especially in moments of crisis? Dave Snowden and Alessandro Rancati have published a valuable field guide*, that proposes a four-stage approach to improve decision-making in crisis situations. Two actions that I find personally especially powerful more

Focus on Team Well-Being and Collaboration!
23.02.2021
How can you HELP YOUR TEAM during the pandemic crisis and strengthen well-being & collaboration & performance in your organisation? The Why of you Powered by PRINT® is a breakthrough model of human motivation and behaviour that was developed by The Paul Hertz Group. This motivational model is the ideal starting point for your IBSing […] more

IBSing Sense-Making – You will be surprised!
16.02.2021
Are you a leader of a big department or cross-functional team and would you like to help YOUR TEAM TO THRIVE in the context of a SPECIFIC CHALLENGE? I will offer an IBSing SENSEMAKING diagnosis, that will reveal the potential for transformational improvement of your organisation. I will offer that to three companies â AT […] more

Leadership Trainings and Kids’ Birthday Parties
11.02.2021
Fifteen years ago we organised our sonâs birthday party. Everything under control, I thought. I had already done a lot of corporate leadership trainings and prepared accordingly! A project plan with milestones, learning objectives, a competition game between yellow, green and black belts, and incentives linked to targets. The picture says more than 1000 words! […] more

Influencing Stakeholders II
09.02.2021
Difficult question in yesterday’s IBSing pioneers call. However one thing seems clear: The MAPE of our Forecast will not be good – impossible to predict such a complex issue with high accuracy. In our discussion about âinfluencing stakeholdersâ I captured the following insights from the breakout sessions: -CONTEXT is important: A change that may seem […] more

Which book has broadened your horizon?
03.02.2021
The power of diversity: At first glance the following books and authors seem quite different. However all of them have been a source of inspiration and valuable perspectives in the development of the www.IBSing.com framework to increase âconsciousness in businessâ. The 7 Habits of highly effective people â Stephen R. Covey Full Catastrophe Living â Jon Kabat-Zinn […] more

âINFLUENCINGâ versus âMANIPULATINGâ
26.01.2021
The choice to see another as either a person or an object is a choice between whether we will see and experience ourselves and others truthfully or erroneously. The Arbinger Institute: Leadership and Self-Deception In cross-functional processes like S&OP and IBP, we often talk about the importance of âINFLUENCING STAKEHOLDERSâ. I felt some resistance when […] more

Conscious Leadership “A leader is best when people barely know he exists”
19.01.2021
Which leader comes to mind, when you read the following phrase? âA leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves.â Laozi I was lucky to get to know several awesome leaders during my career. One of them is Bill […] more

9 Learnings from the IBSing Pioneers Group
12.01.2021
Yesterdayâs 8th IBSing pioneers network group meeting was about âLearning – from top down strategy to self-correctionâ. Thanks to my colleagues from the IBSing pioneers group for a lot of fun, inspiration and learnings! 1 – Sense-Making: Forget about capability assessments in complex environments! 2 – Identity: Storytelling is a powerful way to sense the […] more

Most important business priority in 2021?
04.01.2021
HAPPY NEW YEAR 2021! What is the most important business priority in 2021? Physical Health? Environment? Social Peace? Mindfulness? Education? A bit of everything? Any answer is right, if we take action. 2020 was a challenging year, teaching us a lot about what is important in life. 2021 is an ideal opportunity to make some […] more

“Santa Claus” or “Christkind?” – Who is bringing theses gifts?
23.12.2020
That question will not be answered on our new website! Merry Christmas! The IBSing website is live, what an awesome Christmas gift for me after so much work! WHO is bringing us such wonderful gifts? ST. NICHOLAS became the patron saint of children and the poor, giving small presents since the 4th century. Promulgated by […] more

Coaching myself through a conflict….
14.12.2020
ð€ Calm down and take a breath 𥎠Avoid personal judgements and wild interpretations ð³ Connect to your feelings and personal needs ð Listen empathetically and be curious about the other personâs needs ð€ Start a dialogue to define a strategy based on needs ð€© Welcome the emerging solution openly ð€ Capture the learning ð […] more

Real Entrepreneurship = No Fingerpointing
07.12.2020
Key highlights from IBSing pioneer call on 7th Dec 2020 (Topic: Organisational Alignment) ACCOUNTABILITY: Organisations with a high level of self-organisation and entrepreneurship are disciplined and structured in defining accountabilities of functions and roles at a granular level GOVERNANCE: Organisational alignment is more

Firefighting
23.11.2020
Thanks to the IBSing pioneers for the inspiring session! Here are key take away’s: ð¥ UNDERSTAND THE CONTEXT -simple â sense, categorize, respond to fire -complicated â sense, analyse with expertise, respond to fire -complex â probe with experiments, sense if you see improvements, and respond accordingly -chaotic â act, sense if you see improvements, […] more