Leading Through The 5 Stages of Grief in Supply Chain Management

Why It Matters

Because supply‑chain performance now determines both cost efficiency and top‑line growth, leaders who treat logistics as a strategic asset and overcome denial will secure competitive advantage in an increasingly volatile market.

Key Takeaways

• Apply grief stages to navigate supply chain volatility and uncertainty
• Executives often deny issues, risking both balance sheet and operations
• Iceberg model shows senior leaders see only 4‑10% of problems
• Treating supply chain as strategic asset drives competitive advantage
• Breaking silos and gaining frontline visibility accelerates acceptance and resilience

Summary

In the latest Talking Logistics episode, co‑founder Mike Grian frames today’s supply‑chain turbulence through the five‑stage Kubler‑Ross grief model—denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance—arguing that the industry’s “old normal” will not return as 2025 ends and 2026 looms.

Grian highlights relentless cost pressures, shifting tariffs, and geopolitical uncertainty as the “waves” that keep executives guessing about the game, the rules, and the definition of success. He cites the “iceberg of ignorance” study, noting senior leaders perceive only 4‑10 % of operational problems, while frontline staff see nearly 100 %. The denial stage, he warns, puts companies at risk on both the balance sheet and the P&L, especially when 12‑20 % of sales are already tied up in supply‑chain activities.

Memorable moments include the analogy, “If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will take you there,” and the Amazon anecdote where Jeff Wilke placed the company at a 4.5 on a five‑point supply‑chain maturity scale, treating logistics as a competitive asset rather than a cost center. Grian also recounts his audience experiment—90 % of CEOs sat down when asked to rank their supply chains—illustrating widespread denial.

The takeaway for decision‑makers is clear: move quickly from denial to acceptance by breaking silos, elevating frontline insights, and re‑positioning the supply chain as a strategic asset. Companies that achieve this shift can convert volatility into differentiated growth, protect margins, and meet customer expectations in an era of perpetual disruption.

Original Description

All through 2025, companies have been dealing with numerous challenges: cost pressures, regulatory changes, new tariffs, geopolitical uncertainty — and the outlook for 2026 is more of the same. The simple truth is that the ‘way things were’ isn’t coming back.

In this episode, Mike Regan, Co-Founder and Chief of Relationship Development at TranzAct Technologies, looks at current industry trends through a unique but relevant lens: the Five Stages of Grief — Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, and Acceptance.