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Women in Logistics: Is industry exploiting us (enough)?

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Earlier this week, I spent the better part of an afternoon addressing a roomful of women (and a few hardy men) who attended the Jacksonville (FL) CSCMP Roundtable on “Women in Logistics”. As one of four female executives on the panel, it was an opportunity to share some real world experiences. Having spent 90% of my career buying, selling or strategizing supply chain services, I had a sheaf of comments.  The insights flowed as we discussed how we got hooked on an industry that most people are only vaguely aware of, how we’ve overcome the obstacles of this traditional male bastion, and what good advice we could offer.

Steel-Toed Heels Help

It was clear that this particular set of women had run the career gauntlet with relatively few bruises and many rewarding experiences.  Our secret?  Work smart, love it or leave it, know your value.  Be sensitive to how others deal with women in authority—but don’t shy away from dealing straight on contentious issues. As Maureen Cunningham, Crowley Liner Services’ VP operations, put it, “If you have to go toe-to-toe with someone, then you go toe-to-to with them”.  
  

Using both sides of your brain helps, too.

Then, an article in this week’s EyeForTransport e-alert grabbed my attention.  “Let’s hear it for the Women” reported that a new study examining the South African logistics industry found a link between companies’ profitability and how they process information—specifically, leaders’ abilities to read the signs of a changing market and make changes anticipating consequences. EFT drew a parallel between this “intuitive” capacity and women’s agility with complexity and reputation for communications and collaboration.  Are they really saying that women’s intuition makes better business?

Engineering News’ summary of the same study didn’t spin the findings quite so dramatically.  But it did cite conclusions that complex global value chains put exceedingly tough demands on companies.  What’s lacking, the study reported, is leadership ability to rationally strategize and take control while placing emphasis on conducting business in an efficient and objective manner.  Evidently these traits are not abundant in many companies—but they do mirror attributes of cooperation and collaboration often associated with women’s working style.  

Are women more competent or comfortable with managing complexity? 

Or are we just more adept at working both sides of our brains (creative/sensing and analytic/judging) simultaneously?  When I asked Maureen Cunningham to comment, she was unequivocal.  “I absolutely believe that we are able to predict and overcome challenges…we use logic to arrive at our decisions…but I do feel that our 'senses' work to our benefit.”

Okay, so if a senior female executive with an operations background is comfortable with the women’s intuition premise, what’s the view from the lower rungs of the industry?

Just last week, I had connected with a female over-the-road driver who had shared her perspectives on the industry from her Freightliner cab.  TruckerDesiree is her nom de Twitter. (@TruckerDesiree) 

Trucking is a thinking job.

As Desiree pointed out, operating the vehicle is only a part of the truck driver’s job. Trucking, she said, is “a service industry that takes patience and professional courtesy” not unlike the hospitality and hotel group of Disney World where she’d previously worked for several years.  She says that women are an underappreciated resource—yet often have the critical skills needed.  Patience, diligence, and discipline.  Comfort with multi-tasking, attention to detail, legible writing and willingness to ask for directions.  “Trucking is a thinking job, not brute strength”, according to Desiree.  “The weak link is aggressively recruiting [student drivers and others] who have no skills to think in critical situations or communicate effectively. Being here on the front line, I can see things that a person accustomed to these cracks can’t, because they see it as the way it is."  She also said that carriers, shippers and consignees may have been able to ignore the cost and service gaps in the good times, but not now, not with the severely weakened economy. And, she predicted, “smart companies will recognize this”. 

Maybe.  Or perhaps it’s time to just let the women handle more of the load. 

If you're interested....

The Jacksonville Business Journal reported on this CSCMP event (link to it here). 

While looking for stats for this article, my Google search turned up some interesting things about women in the global workplace:

• March is Women’s Heritage Month, sponsored by the National Women’s History Project—who knew?  This year’s theme “Women Taking the Lead to Save our Planet” celebrates women’s contribution to the ongoing “green movement”.   
• The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported in early February 2009 that women now outnumber men at the office—which reflects both long term trends and impact of the current economy.  More women are working and more are doing so part time.  Sadly, some of the gain for women is due to jobs lost by men in this recession’s business contractions.  
• Over the last two decades, women entering the non-farm economy workforce have contributed more to GDP growth than either new technology or the growth of China and India.