Books
I've written two books on different aspects of warehouse management. Both are available at Amazon.com. Both are compact (6"x9"), about 100 pages, and use pictures and examples to bring the concepts to real-world applications.
They don't weigh as much as textbooks and they're not as dense as academic operations research, but they are written to deliver results.
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Practical Floor Supervision is a guide for the warehouse supervisor. It contains basics of day-to-day operations, leadership, and teamwork. Topics include safety, productivity, quality, effectively relating to team members, and "mechanical" tips for continued success. It is used in Auburn University's Harbert College of Business Supply Chain curriculum.
It is most useful for a new supervisor, either straight out of school or from an Associate position assuming the position of Supervisor. But Operations managers who want good development material for their subordinates will find it useful too.
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Category best-seller at Amazon.com in Distribution & Warehouse Management
What readers have to say:
"I've purchased 2 copies, 1 for myself and 1 as a gift. Excellent hands on guide for new supervisors as well as a self-check review for the more experienced leader."
"Paul Lukehart dished out many pro tips and advice for people entering the work force as a supervisor. Knowledge like how to promote safety, get people to follow and respect you, and how to maintain a standard of quality would have taken years for a novice to learn if they learned it at all. "
"If I had to choose one point that will continue to stick with me is that safety in logistics management always goes first."
"I know to be aware of safety issues because that is the number 1 mistake in a warehouse "
"I also really appreciate that we had to read Paul Lukehart's warehouse leadership manual. Obviously, much of the guidance was specific to working with people on a warehouse floor, but Lukehart makes some great comments about how to work though problems with people (instead of how to deal with problematic people) that I think are applicable in most workplace situations."
"It taught me all the ins and outs of warehouse managing and I want to be a manager one day so I found this super helpful. It taught me how to talk to staff and create a plan. "
" Reading the book by Paul Lukehart was really valuable. I feel that those things, management of people, how to handle tough situations, time management, etc.., aren't typically taught in class, yet they are extremely valuable as a supply chain or business person in general."
"Reading the book that was assigned really had great tips for whatever career path I take. From leading a team, to running shifts, to being a leader, this book had great advice from a credible source."
"I'm glad that reading the book was an assignment in this class because I feel that I will definitely use the information and come back to it in the future. "
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Practical Performance Management is helpful to operations managers in distribution and fulfillment centers. You can improve your warehouse's cost-of-poor-quality and productivity greatly by having a performance standard management system in place. Many times operations have only parts of the system. This leads to errors and gaps which cost a lot of money and cause a lot of heartache. This book is focused on developing an effective management system for driving quality and performance with an hourly employee base in a warehouse. It discusses how to identify and set standards, what data and systems support is required, and how to administer the system effectively.
PPM is most useful for General Managers or Directors of Operations who see gaps in their site's or company's processes and need a reliable roadmap for all aspects of the system, from hourly associate engagement to measurement and feedback, to the higher level management processes that are necessary to sustain it.
Preview some draft chapters below. The published version is updated and better!
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