It is amaizing to observe that, in many organizations, strategic and operational gains in Supply Chain Planning often vanish like snow in the sun as soon as a new manager arrives. This is typically valid in supply chain management. I’ve never seen this in quality management for example . Suddenly, this manager seems afflicted by the goldfish syndrome, with a memory regrettably confined to the walls of their own bowl.

Some leaders, obsessed with “making their mark,” rush to reinvent the wheel, overlooking that true managerial power most often lies in the ability to build on what already works—both within and outside the organization.

Modesty is not a weakness; it is the lever of strategic continuity that transforms accumulated experience into tangible competitive advantage.

In the battlefield that is the supply chain, modesty becomes a strategic weapon: it allows organizations to capitalize on historical experience, strengthen critical flows, and deploy resources where they generate maximum impact.

Relearning what has already been mastered is equivalent to launching unnecessary assaults on positions already secured, wasting time and resources that enlightened leaders would instead invest in innovation and the pursuit of new opportunities.

In short, in the relentless game of Supply Chain Planning, only clear-eyed observation, combined with disciplined and humble execution, can turn organizational heritage into lasting competitive advantage and elevate the company into a true logistical powerhouse.

In the war of flows and inventory, reinventing the wheel is not a sign of courage—it is an act of weakness. True conquerors leverage knowledge already gained to move faster, farther, and higher.

Emmanuel de Ryckel