There is no end to the list of problems procurement is asked to solve. Supplier rationalization, supply chain diversification, risk management, aggressive ESG targets, regulatory compliance, and sustained revenue growth are just a few.
Even as procurement develops skills in these areas, new challenges are always emerging. Procurement has to be creative, flexible, and tireless – attacking each new obstacle the way an entrepreneur approaches a gap in the market.
This style of problem solving requires procurement to understand a problem correctly and completely before developing a plan or executing a strategy. As a result, they need to have partners that share their outlook and approach. Exploring the problem first will set the team up for success as they define it rather than assuming the solution that has worked for others will work for them as well.
Joe Payne and Jennifer Ulrich from Corcentric joined us for an AOP Live session focused on strengthening procurement’s problem solving super powers:
- How to adapt and thrive, placing an emphasis on staying calm while leveraging each team member’s strengths and experiences
- Recognizing the details required for data-driven execution without losing sight of overarching business requirements and objectives
- Diagnosis before prescription, identifying and understanding problems before defining and executing a solution that may not be the right one
- Best practices based on real-world challenges that procurement teams have mastered by taking an entrepreneurial approach to problem solving
Dig Deeper:
- Jennifer Ulrich on LinkedIn
- Joe Payne on LinkedIn
- Corcentric
