Publisher’s Note: In 2019, Ardent Partners is celebrating 10 years of delivering “Research with Results” to Chief Procurement Officers (CPOs) and other readers of this site, including published reports, eBooks, presentations, insights, articles and events. To commemorate the occasion, we are going to reflect on the firm’s first decade by presenting this weekly “throwback” series that will include a blend of top articles from our earlier days on this site. Despite procurement’s recent advances, we believe these articles are as topical and relevant as the day they were published. Enjoy!
I have a confession to make: I attended the New England Patriots Super Bowl Victory Parade in Downtown Boston a couple of days ago, where I along with an estimated 1.5 million loyal citizens of “Patriots Nation” gathered to celebrate our sixth (sixth!) Super Bowl victory. Love ’em or hate ’em, the New England Patriots owe their perennial success to not only Quarterback Tom Brady’s arm and ambition, but Coach Bill Belichick’s wisdom and demand for professionalism. And it got me thinking…about an old post I had written a year into founding Ardent Partners and publishing on CPO Rising…that seemed perfect for this historic occasion in procurement as in football:
What Kind of Chief Procurement Officer (Coach) 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)?
This article originally published on CPO Rising on February 7, 2011.
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