Confessions of a Corporate Shopaholic

Every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday I have my routine workout at the gym, for the past 7 or 8 years.  My friends are always astonished to see me working out with a personal trainer and they all think that it’s an utter waste of money.  Well, I won’t exactly say it is affordable and all but it adds discipline to an otherwise lazy soul.  Besides, I am leaving it for the pros so I can concentrate on pulling, pushing, lifting and breathing without counting the laps or remembering what weights I lifted the last time.  Is it worth the extra hourly rate I pay?  For me yes, but for many others, it seems not.

Fine, but I believe in professionals.  Of course they have to be true professionals to earn my respect.  A personal trainer better knows all there is about the physical body, nutrition, sports injuries, and human biology.  I expect the sweet lady who sells me fruits at the local hawker stand to know all there is about seasonal fruits and how to pick them.  I expect the butcher to recommend me cuts of meat which I like, and the seafood vendor to teach me how to cook the fresh shrimps that I am about to buy.  I trust my tailor to give me advice on what fabric to pick that does not wrinkle as easily, and I always leave it to the sommelier to recommend me the best wine to pair with my entrée selection.

Yes when it comes to topics that I am not as knowledgeable of, I trust the professionals.  Or I should say I expect them to behave and treat themselves like professionals in their field.  The same goes for all service people at all levels.  I will never look down upon other people’s professions because I swear I will never be able to do their jobs at their proficiency or efficiency levels. 

There is so much knowledge around us that no matter how smart we think we are, we should always be humble enough to consult the professionals simply because we don’t know it all.  I do not feel insecure asking for help.  Time and time again it proves that if I respect people around me as professionals, they feel respected and dignified and will become extra accountable in whatever they do.

On the other hand, if I see below-par service performance bad enough for me as a novice to voice out, I protest but I will not do so in a condescending way.  Instead, I question their professionalism.  If you are not committed or passionate to what you do, no one deserve to be ill-treated by you.

That is exactly the same level of standards I am holding on to myself.  I do not think that procurement is trivial, as some customers or executives choose to believe.  I don’t think anyone can do my job in sleep, although sometimes I echo we are not rocket scientists.   I hold on to high moral and ethical standards to help the company gain efficiencies, cut down on wasteful spending, and improve profitability.  Well not everyone may see that right away, but my results will become proof soon enough.  You may not agree with my priorities, objectives or sometimes even the tactics I play, but I am asking you to at least respect me and let me work together with you.  Of course, I need to earn that trust and make sure I will not mess up any of your valuable relationships with internal partners, management and outside vendors.

Whenever I see fellow strategic procurement colleagues struggling to get a seat at the decision table, I usually advise them not to see themselves as only support people.  Speak up, build a case with evidence, have an opinion, and be humble but strong.  Even if your suggestions are going to be turned down anyway, make it a point to speak out and have yourself heard.  Give your stakeholders some credit.  They may not always agree with you, but at least they should respect you.  The pre-requisite of course is that every point and suggestion should be fact-based and consistent.  People are going to remember what you said earlier.  If you have been yelling compliance on the top of your lungs all along and this time you are proposing flexibility, you may lose your credibility as a professional, unless you have a really good case for it.

Whenever I make hiring decisions I always ask myself whether I can see the candidate going solo with the President or CEO of the company.  If I can see him or her having the passion and stamina without easily intimidated by seniority or ranks, our procurement organization will be in good hands.