{"id":3103,"date":"2011-07-13T16:44:00","date_gmt":"2011-07-13T16:44:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.certitrek.com\/nlpa\/2011\/07\/13\/procurement-parable-you-already-know-that-yeah-right\/"},"modified":"2021-08-10T11:15:07","modified_gmt":"2021-08-10T15:15:07","slug":"procurement-parable-you-already-know-that-yeah-right","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.certitrek.com\/nlpa\/blog\/procurement-parable-you-already-know-that-yeah-right\/","title":{"rendered":"Procurement Parable – You Already Know That? Yeah, Right!"},"content":{"rendered":"

At the end of another hectic day in the life of a procurement manager, Bob was about to shut down his computer and head home. As he usually does before logging off, he checked to see if any new email had arrived.<\/p>\n

Sure enough, there was a new message waiting for him. It was from Rick, a procurement specialist from a company across town in Western Pennsylvania.<\/p>\n

Bob had known Rick for about three years. The two had met \u2013 and frequently saw each other \u2013 at the monthly meetings of the local procurement association.<\/p>\n

As Bob read Rick\u2019s message, he couldn\u2019t help but feel disappointed. Bob was really excited to share what he felt was a helpful article he got from Next Level Purchasing, entitled \u201cA 21-Point Negotiation Checklist.\u201d So, he sent a link to the article to Rick earlier in the day.<\/p>\n

Rick\u2019s disappointing response?<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks, Bob, but I already knew all those things. See you Tuesday.\u201d<\/p>\n

It reminded Bob of a feeling he had the last time he had seen Rick. It was at the previous month\u2019s procurement association meeting. Bob had brought a copy of a book he loved \u2013 Supplier Evaluation and Performance Excellence by Sherry Gordon \u2013 <\/i>so he could show and recommend it to Rick.<\/p>\n

After taking a quick look at the table of contents and leafing through a few pages, Rick handed the book back to Bob, saying \u201cLooks like a good book, Bob, but I already know that stuff.\u201d Despite being surprised by Rick\u2019s somewhat rude response, Bob just shrugged it off and kind of forgot about it.<\/p>\n

But hearing this same type of response in today\u2019s email? It rubbed Bob the wrong way.<\/p>\n

The weekend passed and, once again, it was the third Tuesday of the month. Time for the local procurement association meeting.<\/p>\n

As was customary for the past three years, Bob and Rick met at a table near the back. This time, it was Rick who brought a resource to share \u2013 handouts from a presentation that Rick did for his company\u2019s senior management. According to Rick, this presentation was what \u201csealed the deal\u201d and got Rick\u2019s department the authorization and funding to implement an eProcurement system<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Sure, implementing eProcurement in 2011 wasn\u2019t exactly cutting edge \u2013 it was becoming common practice a decade earlier \u2013 but Bob was glad to hear that his friend\u2019s procurement department was making progress. Bob had heard many a story throughout the years about the failure of projects that were intended to modernize procurement at Rick\u2019s company. Rick\u2019s company seemed to be firmly stuck in the 1980s when it came to things like supply chain technology, sourcing strategy<\/a>, and best practices<\/a>.<\/p>\n

At the end of the meeting, the association\u2019s president announced the workshop that would be held at the next month\u2019s meeting. The workshop would be covering purchasing project management<\/a>, including an overview of all the project management best practices that are being adopted by the most advanced procurement departments. Bob was certainly excited about this topic!<\/p>\n

\u201cCan I count on seeing ya here next month, Buddy?\u201d Bob asked Rick. \u201cIt sure sounds like an amazing workshop.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNah,\u201d Rick replied. \u201cI already know that stuff.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bob let out a disgusted sigh and looked away. His irritation was palpable to Rick.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s the matter, Bob?\u201d Rick asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cNothing,\u201d Bob replied.<\/p>\n

\u201cC\u2019mon, Bob, you can\u2019t fool me,\u201d Rick retorted. \u201cI read suppliers\u2019 body language all day in negotiations and your body language is telling me that you are ticked about something.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, Rick, it\u2019s just\u2026it\u2019s just that I\u2019m a person that believes that you can never learn too much and you\u2026you act like you know everything sometimes,\u201d Bob said, almost sheepishly.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou gotta understand, my friend,\u201d Rick spit defensively, \u201cWhen I first started my job 10 years ago, they put me through some intense purchasing training \u2013 I probably had 30 hours of training that first year. So, I kinda know a lot of stuff.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDude!\u201d Bob said at a near shouting level. \u201cThings change. You\u2019re excited about implementing eProcurement in 2011! Modern companies are doing things way beyond that. What you do in your company is behind the times and let you know everything?\u201d<\/p>\n

Rick had heard enough. He violently turned and left the meeting facility without uttering another word to Bob or anyone else.<\/p>\n

That was the last time Bob saw Rick although he kept tabs on Rick\u2019s whereabouts through a mutual acquaintance. Rick had spent another two years at his company. The eProcurement implementation went relatively successfully. And the company brought in a consultant to help establish a strategic sourcing plan. But, even then, the company had no green procurement program, no supply risk mitigation plan, and no other best-of-breed procurement technology.<\/p>\n

Rick then moved to his home state of Wisconsin to be closer to his parents after his elderly mother fell ill. Unfortunately, Rick had no luck when applying for purchasing jobs there. Even when he got interviews, Rick couldn\u2019t sufficiently articulate any significant level of expertise in the areas valued by employers, which ironically included negotiation, supplier evaluation, and purchasing project management.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Bob continued to build his educational credentials and got promoted to Director of Procurement. Bob never regretted having an open mind and learning.<\/p>\n

Moral of the Story: If you think you already know everything, challenge yourself to prove that thought wrong. You can learn every day.<\/p>\n

For additional procurement parables, see:<\/p>\n

Execute, Da**it, Execute!<\/a><\/p>\n

Hiring Buyers With Potential<\/a><\/p>\n

The Procurement Promotion That You Lost (But Didn\u2019t Even Know That You Were Considered For)<\/a><\/p>\n

Recommended Reading<\/b><\/p>\n