The Lightning Round: Mike Griswold on Careers, Buzzwords, Planning & More

In this episode of Supply Chain Now, Scott Luton welcomes Mike Griswold, Vice President Analyst at Gartner, for a conversation on leadership, innovation, and the future of supply chains. Mike shares how leading organizations are expanding beyond logistics to connect planning, customer experience, and innovation. Drawing on lessons from the Ryder Cup, he highlights the power of preparation, teamwork, and resilience; qualities that define both top athletes and successful supply chain leaders.

Mike also explores how AI can strengthen decision-making without replacing human expertise. He shares insights from Gartner’s Top 25 and previews the upcoming Planning Summits in London and Denver. From aligning people and processes to driving performance in uncertain times, this episode offers practical lessons for building smarter, more connected supply chains.

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Intro

(01:28) Introducing the lightning round

(02:59) Ryder Cup and supply chain analogies

(09:36) Late-night snacks and drinks

(11:33) Alternative career paths

(13:18) Supply chain planning as a board game

(15:43) Buzzwords in supply chain

(19:58) Exploring VUCA and its impact

(21:04) Overhyped and underrated supply chain tech trends

(23:00) The evolution of shopping technology

(25:50) Gartner supply chain top 25 insights

(34:15) Supply chain leadership superpowers

(38:47) Gartner planning summits overview

Additional Links & Resources:

• Connect with Mike Griswold: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-griswold-6a68922/
• Learn more about Gartner: https://www.gartner.com/en
• Connect with Scott Luton: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottwindonluton/
• Learn more about Supply Chain Now: https://supplychainnow.com
• Watch and listen to more Supply Chain Now episodes here: https://supplychainnow.com/program/supply-chain-now
• Subscribe to Supply Chain Now on your favorite platform: https://supplychainnow.com/join
• Work with us! Download Supply Chain Now’s NEW Media Kit: https://bit.ly/3XH6OVk
• WEBINAR- Optimizing End-to-End Logistics: Efficiency, Collaboration, and Innovation- https://bit.ly/4ml2TZh
• WEBINAR- Empowering Decision-Making in 2026 with Supply Chain Orchestration: https://bit.ly/3W7swlL
• WEBINAR- Inside Outdoor Cap’s Warehouse: How Voice Picking Elevated Daily Operations: https://bit.ly/49m4D1z
• WEBINAR- Supply Chain Strength: Strategies that Deliver in any Economy: https://bit.ly/4hqTnTH

This episode was hosted by Scott Luton and produced by Trisha Cordes, Joshua Miranda, and Amanda Luton. For additional information, please visit our dedicated show page...