Training the Next Generation of Supply Chain Leaders

If you’re a supply chain professional in the healthcare industry, you hardly need another concern to keep you up at night. But there’s one issue that’s looming over the entire function that can get lost in the day-to-day challenges of addressing disruptions or getting the right products into clinician’s hands.

Leaders are feeling the pressure of the “talent gap”—a growing concern that it’s difficult to attract, hire and develop the next generation of supply chain leaders to healthcare. In fact, in Deloitte’s 2025 Global Health Care Outlook survey, which talked with more than 100 c-suite executives in healthcare, 81% of leaders say they are facing both external workforce challenges (hiring talent shortage) and internal workforce challenges (upskilling and retention). And the same number are concerned about the mental and physical well-being of employees.1

These concerns are not new to Brian Washa, senior vice president of supply chain management at Endeavor Health in Illinois. In our interview below, Washa highlights the various challenges of training up the next generation of supply chain leaders, and the approach he and his team are taking to tackle the issue and support their employees.

How do you retain talent in such a competitive landscape?

I firmly believe in the importance of nurturing close relationships with both leaders and team members. My primary approach is to empower them to lead their respective areas of operation, fostering a sense of ownership. While I avoid excessive micro-management, I am prepared to step in and provide what I call micro-leadership when necessary. This involves building deep connections on strategic matters, offering support during operational challenges, and simply being there to listen when someone needs someone to talk to. Even timely responding to emails can make a difference. I also take employee engagement very seriously and actively seek ways to drive positive results, including conducting surveys and fostering vertical communication.

What specific leadership skills do you see as being necessary for the next generation of healthcare supply chain leaders?

Let’s begin with the definition of leadership that I believe has remained consistent: That is the ability to build and maintain high-performing teams while driving results. Early in your career, you may lack confidence. And the belief that you must know or understand everything changes over time. However, as you observe the value and potential of your team and the importance of teamwork, you realize that surrounding yourself with talented individuals, perhaps even those with greater expertise in specific subjects, is crucial. Along the way, you learn that self-awareness evolves as you understand yourself and others’ operations, motivations, limitations, and barriers. This ongoing process of self-discovery and understanding presents both opportunities and challenges in leadership, and it is also one of the joys of life.

What soft skills do you see disappearing, that you think still bring a lot of value to your role?

As we transition into a new era of automation, AI, or even remote work from home, the industry is witnessing unprecedented potential and transformation. However, I’ve noticed a concerning decline in the reliance and utilization of soft skills, particularly the invaluable human connection we share with one another. This connection manifests in various forms, such as kindness, creativity, storytelling, humor, and even basic support during our collaborative work lives. Those who can effectively balance technology with preserving this human element will undoubtedly gain a significant advantage in leadership positions in the future.

Is there a core competency that you think the next generation may need to develop quickly?

The ideal supply chain leader should have extensive exposure to various areas, including procurement, sourcing, analysis, systems, operations, and logistics. As leaders, we must identify opportunities to cross-pollinate and develop broad experiences within our teams, as this is a crucial aspect of talent development.

How are you working with future leaders to develop their skills and understanding of technologies like artificial intelligence?

One of the initial actions we took this past year, once Workday ERP stabilized, was to establish our own systems team with a functional and technical analyst under the direction of a single leader. This team is responsible for driving our next-generation efficiencies and enhancing our overall supply chain. The key to this area lies in developing a comprehensive digital roadmap for the next three to five years. Additionally, we need to gain a deeper understanding of AI and our strategic partners, such as Medline or Workday, and their respective plans for leveraging AI. By combining this roadmap with our knowledge of opportunities, we can position ourselves for innovation or risk being left behind. This concept, which I’ve heard from other supply chain leaders, has truly resonated with me.

“It’s important to emphasize [data analytics] to junior members and explain how analytics can make the job enjoyable, just like bowling without scoring would be less fun.”

Brian Washa

senior vice president of supply chain management at Endeavor Health

How important is data analytics and comfort with data? How do you help junior members of your team develop those skills?

I believe it’s crucial to grasp and apply the significance of data and analytics early in one’s career. As the saying goes, “You can’t manage what you don’t monitor or measure.” Early in my career, I realized the value of analytics and decision support. Honestly, I don’t think I would have progressed without developing discipline in this area. It’s important to emphasize these concepts to junior members and explain how analytics can make the job enjoyable, just like bowling without scoring would be less fun.

How do you help supply chain leaders keep a focus on patient outcomes while trying to handle supply chain challenges?

We are beginning to collaborate with clinical leadership and physicians in the domain of supply utilization and variance. I perceive this as the next and potentially more intricate frontier where we aim to achieve efficiencies and maintain our commitment to quality. In this effort, establishing new connections with clinical leadership is crucial. We are moving beyond a transactional relationship and fostering a strategic partnership through data analysis and collaboration. By working together with operations and quality, we can identify and capitalize on utilization opportunities.

What lessons did you learn from past emergencies (natural disasters, the pandemic, etc.) that you think the next generation needs to learn as well?

A pandemic, a cyberattack, or a major destruction and supply chain disruption will likely present a leader’s greatest challenge in their career. What truly matters is how you prepare for these emergencies in advance. Resilience preparation planning, coupled with your own efforts and the measures you’ve taken to prepare for such situations, can make all the difference.

When working with future leaders, what emphasis do you place on reducing environmental impact?

The statistics on the impact of healthcare supply chains on global carbon emissions are quite staggering. I believe this is an important aspect of the ongoing conversation that we should continue to monitor and act upon. Green initiatives are crucial in procuring environmentally friendly products. Additionally, I feel that the greatest opportunity may lie in utilizing waste reduction and control methods. I believe we are just beginning to explore this potential, and I am excited to see how the industry evolves in this regard.

Do you have any other insights you would like to share?

Embrace change. Our jobs can be challenging, and there may be reasons to feel down, but don’t. Maintain optimism. What truly matters is not what keeps us awake at night but what motivates us to get out of bed in the morning—that’s our purpose in the healthcare supply chain. Enjoy the journey.

This is the first in a series of interviews and articles looking at how healthcare leaders are addressing challenges in hiring and retention.