| Could there be an industry more fiercely independent, with more rugged individualists than trucking? |
 And yet what trade is more of a team effort?
Leadership guru Steven Covey describes our progress through the
stages of independence. Dependent, we are at the mercy of others. So we strive
to become independent, not needing anybody. And most of us stop there.
But there is a higher paradigm, interdependence. It is the place of
synergy, where by joining with others we can do things none of us can do alone. As
Covey puts it, interdependence makes 1+1=3.
On your left, next to my picture, is the back of a 1940 Mercury
dime. The symbol in the center is a bundle of sticks forming the handle of an axe.
To the ancient Romans it stood for the strength that comes from
unity. We could easily break any of these sticks individually, but together they are
indestructible.
In this Real Answers, logistics experts Dr. Ray Munday and Dr.
John Langley explain the basics of "partnering" and strategic
alliances, today's most popular ways for fleets and customers to benefit from
interdependence. Then we take a real world look at interdependence with Ruan
Transportation Management Systems.
And we visit with Mike Ryan, winner in the Class 8 truck category of this
year's Pike's Peak hill climb, who achieved that win by working with a dedicated team of
experts.
We'll also see how much the fuel economy equation depends on drivers and
explore the interdependence of ply ratings, inflation pressures and maximum loads.
This is the biggest issue of Real Answers yet. And since Real
Answers depends on your real questions, that means we're working well together.
Thanks, partner! |
