Resilience—the ability to bounce back through what life throws at us—is an invaluable life skill. And like any skill, you can develop and strengthen it with practice.
Joann Kong, ANZ Demand Planning Manager at Nufarm, a global leader in agriculture, has relied on resilience throughout her career. Reflecting on her journey, she shares:
“I think my younger self would be proud of where I’ve landed today. If there’s one thing I could tell her, it would be to focus on what you can control and let go of what you can’t.”
We dive into the experiences that have shaped Joann’s resilience, from navigating life abroad to managing personal challenges.
Resilience through: Moving to a new part of the world
Born and raised in the USA, Joann graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Supply Chain and Information Systems. The practicalities of supply chain management tied in well with her natural affinity for planning:
“My first job was with one of the largest food and beverage manufacturing companies in the U.S. I got hooked on the people, beloved brands, and sophisticated supply chain working in rural and metro locations across the country.”
Eventually, she was ready for a change and decided to pursue her dream of working overseas. Understandably, it was an experience that tested her.
“I landed a role as Supply Chain Manager for one of Australia’s biggest supermarket retailers; I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to live Down Under. Being in a foreign country on my own, managing a team for the first time, and working in a new industry was the biggest learning curve of my life.”
Joann stayed the course, working long hours, including weekends, and successfully planned and executed six major holiday cycles:
“By this time, I was ready to jump back into manufacturing. That’s when I found Nufarm and gained my current position as ANZ Demand Planning Manager. In my role, I’m responsible for managing and evolving the demand planning function for Australia and New Zealand and supporting our other global regions.”
While her role at Nufarm might sound complex, Joann says her role involves a mixture of technical and non-technical aspects:
“Sure, on one side, demand planning is technical and science-based. (Think: statistical forecasting, systems, etc.). But the other side is art. Human behavior and decision-making weigh heavily in demand planning. So, I often have to consider both. I translate between our commercial and supply chain teams to ensure everyone understands the things driving each side.”
Resilience through: The ups and downs of life
For Joann, there have been many moments when she knew she’d made the right decision to join Nufarm. But one was the most profound. It was after she received a call from her GP informing her she was facing a serious health issue.
“I immediately rang my manager, but she was in an APAC leadership team meeting and missed my call. She messaged me to ask if she needed to leave, and I said yes. Without knowing anything about the situation, she stepped out of the meeting to call me back..”
Joann was scheduled to host her monthly demand management meeting an hour before but knew she wasn’t in the right state to do so. Thankfully, she was surrounded by a supportive, understanding team, ready to step up:
“My manager was so supportive and reassured me that we’d figure it out. Afterward, I told my colleague I had a personal emergency, asking him to host and facilitate the meeting in my absence. Without question, he replied: of course. They are two of the many colleagues who were and continue to be, incredibly supportive of me in every possible way. It’s because of my amazing colleagues that I’m able to continue working while receiving treatment for my health issue. In moments like these, you realize kindness goes such a long way.”
Excitingly, Joann has also become a parent. While these new responsibilities have developed her resilience, Nufarm has assisted her with parental leave, flexibility, and support in returning to work.
“It can be tough to manage early morning and late night global calls with a fussy child. Once, I was in an 11 pm meeting with my global colleagues when my 12-month-old started crying (and my husband was traveling for work). I excused myself, thinking I’d return in a few minutes. But, nope! It took me two hours, by which time the call had ended.”
She recognizes that it’s part of being a working parent and that working in a supportive organization like Nufarm makes a difference:
“Provided you’re doing your best to have a positive impact, the majority of people are understanding. The moments I think I can have the biggest impact are when I can create clarity for others in the business, so they can offer a better customer experience and focus more on high-value tasks. When my colleagues are clear on a process (and no longer frustrated or confused by it!), they have time to sell more and produce more efficiently. That makes me happy.”
Find a role with a company that supports you, no matter what life brings, with intentional policies and benefits.
Resilience through: Unpredictable weather
Bad weather doesn’t typically equal a bad work day for many of us. But in the agricultural world, it can:
“I joined the business during the 2019 droughts, as we were swimming in stock. Every function had a different forecast or version of the truth. No one understood the value of demand planning – especially since BOM (the Bureau of Meteorology) couldn’t even predict when it would rain.”
The three years of drought, followed by an onslaught of rain, followed by COVID supply chain challenges, was chaos. But Joann didn’t back down. She knew her role could have an impact by creating alignment and providing clarity on a plan:
“Customer feedback suggested our supply was unreliable. Feedback from our Supply Chain team was unfavorable due to constant changes in demand. People didn’t trust the system and were skeptical about demand planning. Like BOM, we can’t predict with 100% certainty how the season will go or how much and when we’ll sell something. But we can focus on a model-supported plan, not a gut feel. Eventually, people began understanding how my team and I drove value within the business.”
Once Joann and her team established a demand plan that would act as a single source of truth along with other improvements, the business’s supply became more reliable:
“This drastically improved Nufarm’s service for customer service from then to now, and I’m proud we didn’t give up. I’m thrilled to say customers now say Nufarm beats the rest in being the most reliable.”
Throughout these experiences, the company has also provided her with learning and development opportunities to enhance her technical skills and leadership style:
“Nufarm sponsored my growth and development as a technical and people leader, where I received various certifications and certificates over the last few years. I completed multiple exams to become a CSCP (Certified Supply Chain Professional). I also completed leadership training programs through the Australian Agribusiness Leadership Program, BTS coaching, and the JUNO Institute. I’ve been able to apply these learnings both inside and outside of work. It’s made me a more resilient leader.”
She is particularly proud of her team, appreciating moments when they are recognized.
“One of my direct reports was celebrated as being ‘Highly Valuable’ by our sales team. It was an incredible moment seeing her proactiveness and capabilities recognized. I’m always proud when people recognize my team members for their focus and efforts.”
Resilience into the future
In today’s fast-paced world, resilience is more vital than ever.
While it’s ultimately up to us to cultivate this inner strength, having an employer who supports you through life’s challenges—both in and outside of work—can make all the difference. A supportive workplace can empower you to bounce back and thrive, no matter what comes your way.
Joann leaves us with a wonderful final piece of advice:
“When things get tough, take a step back. Take the time to reflect on what’s important to you and others. By understanding what motivates and drives people, you’ll be one step closer to finding a solution and a new way forward.”
