Many chief supply chain officers (CSCOs) overestimate their effectiveness compared to C-suite perceptions, according to a survey by Gartner, Inc.

Gartner surveyed 201 executives, including CSCOs and C-suite executives, in March 2025, and found that three-quarters of CSCOs gave themselves a score of at least 75 out of 100 when asked how effective they were in their position. However, only a little more than half of C-suite peers did the same when scoring their CSCOs.

“Collaboration is prioritised by both CSCOs and their C-suite peers, but our data shows a disconnect between how effective CSCOs truly are in this critical measure of effectiveness,” said Claudia Clemens, senior director analyst in Gartner’s Supply Chain practice.

“More than 60% of CSCOs state that they make proactive investments in peer relationship building, but less than half of their C-suite partners actually recognise these efforts.”

The survey identified that driving value with the C-suite through effectively collaborating across departments contributed to a disproportionate impact among five key traits that C-suite executives identified as contributing to CSCO effectiveness.

Gartner’s analysis of this disconnect revealed that the barrier to performance is not the time spent, but the quality of the time. This finding can be viewed as an opportunity for CSCOs to elevate conversations with their C-suite peers beyond everyday challenges, and shift to the value-creating opportunities for collaborating across the C-suite.

Both CSCOs and their C-site peers agree that the ideal CSCO is an innovative, ‘maverick’ leader willing to push the boundaries of what a supply chain could be. CSCOs who embody the maverick profile are more likely to claim a seat in the boardroom.

To maximise their impact, Gartner suggests that CSCOs devote time to areas that C-suite values most, such as collaboration, agility, growth, digital innovation, and risk management.

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Collaboration is also key to enhancing the value of their contributions and in clarifying the role of the supply chain in supporting the enterprise.

Showcasing the value of the supply chain can also be useful, as nearly 40% of the C-suite executives surveyed by Gartner believe CSCOs fall short in helping the executive team understand the importance of the supply chain to the organisation.