From the Loading Dock to the Corner Office: Why Field Experience Belongs at the Top
The most consequential decisions in logistics and operations are rarely made in conference rooms — they are made on warehouse floors, at loading docks, and along the last mile. A growing body of evidence suggests that companies led by executives who earned their stripes in the field consistently outperform those run by leaders whose expertise was built in classrooms and boardrooms. It is time to stop treating ground-level experience as a footnote and start recognizing it as a prerequisite.