Rick’s supply chain origin and early roles

Supply chain leadership is being tested like never before, and the expectations keep rising.

In this episode of Supply Chain Now, Scott Luton is joined by special guest host Wiley Jones to kick off another episode of Enterprise Unleashed, powered by the DOSS team. Together, they sit down with Rick McDonald, CEO at Rick McDonald Supply Chain Advisory, LLC, and retired SVP, Chief Supply Chain Officer at Clorox, to talk about the evolving role of leaders in today's fast-changing environment. Rick discusses the importance of digital fluency for leaders, particularly in integrating AI, and emphasizes that AI should be viewed as decision support, not a replacement.

He highlights key strategies for leaders navigating disruptive technologies, such as investing in reskilling and upskilling, and underscores the critical role of change management. With extensive experience in managing crises like the COVID-19 pandemic and a five-month-long cyberattack, Rick shares insights into leadership during times of transformation and how companies can leverage technology for better decision-making.

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Intro

(02:59) Meet supply chain expert Rick McDonald

(05:53) Rick's supply chain career origin story

(07:30) Clorox’s global supply chain scale

(09:31) Rick's proudest Clorox leadership moments

(11:35) How supply chains evolved in five years

(14:02) Navigating talent and technology intersection

(16:16) Sorting through AI hype and ROI

(19:52) The human edge over AI in leadership

(23:05) AI adoption and overcoming fear

(26:27) Cohorts and adoption strategies for success

(27:23) Leaders must walk the digital talk

(29:33) The strategic commitment to transformation

(30:16) Next-gen skills for supply chain leaders

(31:44) Stall versus scale in digital projects

(34:33) Avoiding the shiny tool temptation

(36:58) CSCO’s role in owning digital strategy

Additional Links & Resources:

• Connect with Rick McDonald: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rickmcdonald82/
• Connect with Rick through email: rickmcdonald@att.net
• Learn more about Clorox: http://www.TheCloroxComRick McDonald - AutoScheduler.AI | LinkedInpany.com
• Connect with Wiley Jones: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wileycwjones/
• Learn more about DOSS: https://www.doss.com/
• Learn more about our hosts: https://supplychainnow.com/about
• Learn more about Supply Chain Now: https://supplychainnow.com
• Watch and listen to more Supply Chain Now episodes here: https://supplychainnow.com/program/supply-chain-now
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• Supply Chain Now en Espanol WEBINAR- Visibilidad estrategica en Pharma: control, cumplimiento y resiliencia en entornos de alto riesgo: https://bit.ly/4rku7lC
• WEBINAR- Talent Management Playbook for Supply Chain Leaders: https://bit.ly/4uc2OfB
• WEBINAR- From Workforce Planning to Hourly Performance Management: How GEODIS Americas Turned Labor Productivity into a Growth Engine: https://bit.ly/4blRfKp
• WEBINAR- Ahead of Disruption: How AI-First Design Builds Supply Chain Resilience — and Transforms the Teams Behind It: https://bit.ly/4ldRn3b

This episode was hosted by Scott Luton and Wiley Jones, and produced by Trisha Cordes, Joshua Miranda, and Amanda Luton. For additional information, please visit our dedicated show page at: https://supplychainnow.com/enterprise-unleashed-rick-mcdonald-whats-now-whats-next-1565