Are You Experienced?

Have you ever been experienced? Well, I have…. Actually I haven’t. Wait, now I’m not sure, what are we talking about again?

Like most other days at CPO Rising, today we’re talking about supply (or spend) management. I have some experience, but I’m always looking for more. For example, I had a great call yesterday with a friend and CPO who is experienced, really experienced. He spent the last 40 minutes of our call updating me on all of the “basic blocking and tackling” initiatives that his team has underway. Strong stuff that I’ll discuss in more detail after the write-up and proper vetting/approvals (Teaser: Once we progress through events season and the launch of my new firm, you will see many more first-hand accounts of CPO strategies in action). In many respects, what he described was just “common sense” or “good business,” but in many other respects, they are initiatives beyond the reach of the average procurement department. But that is what we’re trying to accomplish at CPO Rising: sharing experiences, opinions, and best practices so the collective profession can advance and build strong foundations for the next generation of supply management. Every organization needs a solid foundation because ‘castles made of sand, fall in the sea eventually.’

As I mentioned on Monday, May is spring events season and with it comes an opportunity to connect, network, and build upon your personal and professional experiences by attending one or more of the myriad events.

The Zycus Experience Tour 2010 that kicked off earlier this year hits the States next week and I’ll be sitting in with the band in both Atlanta on May 5^th and Los Angeles on May 13^th.

My presentation is entitled The BIG Trends That Will Shape Spend Management in the 2010’s (I will share a few highlights as a teaser over the next few weeks) and I will also be sitting in on a panel or two. There will also be a series of presentations from procurement pros, distinguished professors, analysts and other media-types. It should be a real experience. The events are sponsored by Zycus.

Here are the highlights from the Tour’s Brochure

What is Zycus Experience? Zycus Experience has been conceived as an “experiential” platform for thinkers and practitioners in the field of Spend Management. A place where procurement professionals can breathe in fresh perspectives on the subject and contribute to the development of a new future for Spend Management. A place where the teachers learn and the learners, well, teach. The Zycus Experience thought leadership platform believes that if you are a practitioner of Spend Management – you can contribute to the wider body of knowledge and experience, that is forming the future of Spend Management.

Why a tour and what cities are covered? In one word – Convenience. The Zycus Experience Tour 2010 brings this unique thought leadership platform to a convenient location near you in the form of day long events! Covering 9 cities, the tour began in Mumbai, India in February, before making its way across Europe and then commencing the extensive US-leg of the tour where 5 cities, from coast-to-coast, will be covered. The following cities are covered in the tour so far. (This list is subject to change as more cities are added based on demand.)

• 24th February – Mumbai
• 9th March – Amsterdam
• 11th March – Oslo
• 28th April – London
• 3rd May – New York
• 5th May – Atlanta
• 7th May – Chicago
• 13th May – Los Angeles
• 18th May – Houston
• May (date TBD) – Paris

The Agenda – What does one of these events look like? All of these are day events, which start just before noon, to allow out of town participants to come in by their preferred means of transport. The events will end by 6 PM, after which there will be a Networking party. Staying true to the name, each event is designed around the Spend Management Experience. The agenda will consist of keynote sessions, best practice sharing sessions, interactive audience discussions and expert panels….

Click here to register for an event most convenient to you.

Let me know if you are able to attend and we can try to connect during or around the tour. If you’re on the fence, remember, there’s no substitute for experience.

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