On the last “Monday morning” of the NFL season, we appropriately end our first season of the Monday Morning Query series where on many Mondays during the NFL season, we posed a question like When Will Spend Analysis Start Working More Like Google? or Should Procurement Own AP? to our readership. It was usually a question that had been gnawing at us or was something that we felt was worthy of reflection.
Today’s MMQ: What Kind of Chief Procurement Officer Are You (or Will You Be)?
The Context:
In the NFL (and most professional sports leagues), different teams and players have different coaching needs and respond differently to different coaching styles and approaches. The same applies to procurement departments where size, industry, and location can all play a major role in determining what the best coach should bring to the table.
Many of the recruiters that I work with (all pro-bono) tend to focus on industry background as a primary screen when interviewing candidates to fill a new CPO position. Industry is important; but I’m not sure that it is always so important since I can identify dozens of Chief Procurement Officers who started their careers in one industry before becoming successful as the CPO in another.
What are the skill sets needed to lead your procurement organization today and do you have them? Do you need to change to fit your department or are you able to take your management style and apply it in your current position? What kind of CPO are you?
Are you a Marine CPO? – One of the first guys on the ground, ready to do all the early, dirty work and slowly build a team that is worthy of a CPO?
Are you a Turnaround CPO? – Someone who can come into a crisis situation, stop the hemorrhaging and get the group back on track?
Are you a CEO-type of CPO? – someone who can lead a 1,000+ person department
Are you a Player-Coach CPO? – someone who is ready to roll up your sleeves and get in the game as needed. Tom Linton, who says he was the commodity manager for every commodity during his first year at LG Electronics, comes to mind.
Are you a Mentor CPO – someone who is willing to Bring a Lieutenant or someone like Dave Nelson who’s “coaching tree” of former employees who are now CPOs is legendary.
Are you a Specialist CPO? – someone with an expertise/background in one area (like sourcing) but who must enhance the team’s knowledge (and self knowledge) in other areas with outside assistance.
Are you a Project or Process-focused CPO? – someone brought in to get the processes right and then build from there?
Do you call your own plays or do you delegate?
There are many other types of Coaches and CPOs – which kind would you add to the list?
Can you be more than one type of CPO?
Are you able to recognize when the needs of the organization have changed and can you evolve with those needs? Are you thinking about this?
How do you describe yourself (or your CPO)?
