You don't have to navigate supply chain risk alone.
Question Four - What can I do?
"So…what can I do about supply chain risk?"
After decades of helping Fortune 100 companies build resilience, I hear this question constantly.
The good news? You have more control than you think.
The challenge? Most organizations are looking in the wrong places.
Here's the framework that works:
Supply chain resilience isn't built through a single initiative or tool.
It's built through a systematic approach across three critical dimensions.
- Build Strategic Awareness
You can't manage what you don't understand.
- Map your end-to-end supply chain (yes, beyond Tier 1)
- Identify single points of failure
- Understand your exposure across all four spheres of risk
- Conduct regular scenario planning exercises
This isn't a one-time project. It's an ongoing discipline.
- Strengthen Operational Foundations
Resilience lives in the details.
- Diversify suppliers and geographic footprint
- Balance efficiency with redundancy
- Invest in visibility tools and technology
- Align cross-functional objectives (procurement, operations, finance)
- Create rapid response protocols before crisis hits
The organizations that survive disruptions are the ones that prepared when things were calm.
- Develop Risk Intelligence
Static risk registers don't work in dynamic environments.
- Monitor geopolitical and economic indicators actively
- Use predictive analytics to detect early warning signs
- Assess supplier financial health regularly
- Stay connected to industry networks and intelligence sources
- Test your crisis response capabilities
The reality?
Building supply chain resilience requires investment.
Investment in people, processes, technology, and yes, sometimes redundancy that looks "inefficient" on spreadsheets.
But here's what I've learned from watching companies face major disruptions:
The cost of not investing in resilience is always higher than the cost of preparation.
Start with one action this week:
Pick your most critical supplier or customer relationship.
Ask yourself: "If they disappeared tomorrow, what would happen?"
If the answer makes you uncomfortable, you know where to start.
Question for supply chain leaders:
What's the biggest barrier preventing your organization from investing in resilience?
Is it budget? Leadership buy-in? Not knowing where to start?
