Influencing and Leading in Procurement and Supply (2, 1)

Question 1

What are the 5 roles of a procurement leader?

Answer 1

Strategic - aligning goals with organisational aims
Process - developing effective processes
Operational - ensuring best value, optimum quality / cost
Service Management - managing an effective team
Supply Chain Management - building relationships in the supply chain

Question 2

What is meant by a leader being required to have vision?

Answer 2

Ensuring the team and internal and external stakeholders understand what procurement’s goals are and what action needs to be taken to achieve them.

Question 3

What different communication techniques can a procurement leader to motivate and involve others to achieve there vision?

Answer 3

Promotion - selling the vision
Influencing - communicating to get people to act in the way you desire
Supporting and challenging - in order to inspire action
Negotiation - understanding the variables involved and reaching agreement
Inspiration - motivating the ‘hearts and minds’ of others, getting them to emulate you
Persuasion - getting people to change their attitudes

Question 4

What interpersonal and interpersonal skills help with influencing, negotiation, promotion or persuasion?

Answer 4

Adopting appropriate values
Demonstrating emotional intelligence
Positive attitude towards others
Facilitating change
Effective listerning
Establishing rapport
Providing direction
Good observation and interpretation
Managing conflict
Effective questioning
Communicating assertively
Giving and receiving feedback

Question 5

What are the different categories of people a procurement leader would need to influence?

Answer 5

Influencing upwards
Influencing across
Influencing the team
Influencing the staff

Question 6

What are the benefits for a procurement leader managing upwards?

Answer 6

\+You can gain information
\+Gain sponsorship
\+Influence decisions made and direction taken
\+Manage and align expectations
\+Promote achievements
\+Reduce potential for disagreements
\+Reduce management interference

Question 7

What techniques can be used to manage upwards?

Answer 7

1. Create communication links: so you have access to senior managers
2. Get the procedure right: so your roles, responsibilities and levels of control over resource are appropriate and agreed
3. Plan the reporting mechanism: face to face meetings, concise report etc.

Question 8

What agendas should a well balanced team cover?

Answer 8

Content agenda - day to day activities
Process agenda - managing how work will be done
Control agenda - seeing broader picture and understanding progression / ensuring completion)

Question 9

What things can be given to staff to ‘manage the staff’, influencing designed to bring team members along with the general direction?

Answer 9

• Input into decisions
• Choice of how things are done
• Knowledge of the benefits
• Accurate and timely information

Question 10

What is Professor Peter Druckers Management by Objectives?

Answer 10

An approach which links personal and organisational goals and objectives. Seeking the individuals input into agreeing their objectives and reviewing performance increases their willingness to accept and deliver them. The objectives should be set like KPI’s.

Question 11

What is the meaning of SMART objectives?

Answer 11

S - Specific
M - Measurable
A - Achievable
R - Relant
T - Timely