Lourdes Coss

Leadership, Procurement, Relationships, Technology, Transformation

Procurement and Pandemic: Adjust, Learn, Grow

By Lourdes Coss, MPA, CPPO

Many of us entered the public procurement profession by accident. Perhaps the variety was enough to keep you interested or you may have stayed because you were too busy to think about anything else. Either way, it must have brought enough satisfaction that maybe five years into it you saw possibilities for growth or to positively impact the community.

After so many years “making an impact” behind the scenes, it is was your turn to shine in one of the most difficult times in history. At a time where the coronavirus has plagued the world, you have been present supporting those frontline workers in an effort to minimize the devastating effects that this pandemic has had in many nations.

You’ve left no stone unturned. My compliments to you for jumping on social media, private networking sites, and getting in touch with colleagues and friends in the old fashion way in order to respond to the needs of your organization and your community. It’s good to see that front lines workers have taken notice of the role of procurement. I was talking with my daughter, who for most of her childhood didn’t quite understand what I did for a living and was pleasantly surprised when she told me about the preparedness of her institution because of the timely actions taken by procurement. I am sure that many colleagues can relate to this. So, walk proudly, procurement professional, you’ve done an amazing job.

As the world cautiously opens up and we move to what we may consider a new normal, remember to build on this public recognition to keep the coveted seat at the table past this crisis. There is value in what you do and now others recognize it. Here is an opportunity to create a new normal with you at the table. Operating under the shadow of a different role in the organization should not be a path forward. We’ve clearly seen that extreme penny pinching resulted in the lack of preparedness. Sure, I don’t believe that anyone could have anticipated the magnitude of this crisis, but organizations that had the foresight to keep up with technology were clearly better able to pivot and respond to the situation almost seamlessly. Seize the opportunity to remove the procurement function from the shadows. You’ve shown your value and now you can build up from there.

While you think and, most importantly, act on the opportunities that lie ahead, take time to reflect on the path forward. Here are some thoughts that can help you show your leadership and growth as an organization.

Reflect on this Experience: The experience is only valuable if you learn from it. Take time to reflect on the lessons learned. Reflect on the problems that you faced and how you were able to overcome obstacles under the circumstances to find a solution. Write down the situation and the strategy used to solve the problem. Determine why it worked so that you are able to apply the strategy to other situations in the future. Document and involve your team in putting together a crisis action plan. Include checklists, scenarios, draft procedures, and needed changes to current policy or regulations. Also, make this a growth opportunity for your team.

Action: Take the action necessary to prepare for the next time there is a crisis. What are the things that you wished you had in place during this pandemic that could have made it easier for you to handle the situation and solve the problems with which you were presented? If appropriate, implement any policies or strategies that will make your organization more flexible, stronger and better prepared for the next crisis.

Technology – Systems & Equipment: Perhaps one of the action items for certain entities is related to innovation, technology and computer equipment.
- Technology: Many organizations were not prepared from the technology perspective to conduct business online. This made it difficult to maintain the operation remotely, which increased the level of difficulty during the crisis. If your current work environment is not prepared to operate virtually in an emergency, consider what steps and resources are necessary to begin making progress towards that goal. When investing in new technology, it is prudent to consider the mobility aspect so that business can continue without the need to be in a specific location. A word of caution here is to void the shiny object syndrome, stay focused on the functionality that is needed.Computer Equipment: Some agencies had antiquated computer equipment that did not offer the flexibility for mobility. This made it very difficult to maintain the connectivity amongst teams and/or the rest of the organization. In some cases, employees had to use their own computer equipment, which presents other problems such as greater risk of cybersecurity attacks.
- Systems: Systems for capturing the costs associated with the emergency is another area that some agencies will need to address. Depending on the situation, the organization may choose to rely on a series of spreadsheets, minor tweaks to existing technology, or the exploration of adequate technology that will enable agencies to capture costs real time. Having a protocol for expenditures related to a crisis is important especially when it’s time to seek reimbursement. Developing a strategy after the crisis or perfecting the one that worked during the crisis may proof advantageous for all involved. When developing the system take into consideration risk management, but don’t overcompensate by doubling up on approvals. Think strategically and keep it simple.

Relationships: Evaluate how your interaction with certain individuals helped you during the crisis. Think about the things that you can do to strengthen those relationships without jeopardizing your position. Perhaps it is as simple as having their contact information handy or creating a directory of key individuals that were helpful during the crisis. It wouldn’t hurt to check in once in a while. It may be also advantageous to evaluate the networks that proved most fruitful and form a task force to evaluate how it can be improved.

This crisis situation has opened the door to opportunities for the procurement professional. The need for technology, systems and mobility is now very obvious to all. If in the past you couldn’t sell the advantages of technology capabilities, this is a chance to initiate that conversation. The need is very obvious and failure to upgrade may put the organization at a huge disadvantage. Everyone has been faced with the technology challenges at a personal and professional level. Individuals and organizations that were able to pivot to a virtual environment quickly fared better than those that were not equipped to do so.

To conclude, procurement professionals managed to stand out in what has been one of the worst crisis situations of our time. The actions taken to prepare for the new normal and for future crisis situations is up to each procurement professional and entity. Remember that this is not the last emergency or crisis situation. Sometime in the future, you will find yourself in another, hopefully not as major as this one. The lessons that you learned during this time will help you increase your efficiency later. The extent to which action is taken to prepare and to mitigate the effect of a future crisis to the organization and the community that it serves, will depend on each person’s ability to take this experience and grow from it.

Leadership, Procurement, Transformation

Transformation: 3 Things You Shouldn’t Miss

By Lourdes Coss, MPA, CPPO

True transformation is not an event, it is a journey. It may be triggered by an event or a life-changing experience that may cause a disruption to our comfortable auto pilot routine. Such a circumstance may inspire us to reflect on the road traveled thus far and consider whether we are moving in the direction of our goals and the live that we see ourselves living.

Similarly, organizational transformation is generally triggered by an event or series of events that lead to the desire of a total overhaul of systems, processes and approach. In government, procurement is generally on the list of functions for which transformation is sought. A quick search of the number of cases where contract fraud and abuse of power have threatened public trust can help explain why procurement is often a candidate for transformation.

There are many dimensions to transformation. Many refer to transformation from the tangible perspective, equating it process improvement and systems implementation. People and culture that are at the root of any lasting change. A culture of continuous improvement is developed with intention and the recognition that people are at the center of every process, system, and decision in the organization.

In my experience, there are three aspects that contribute to the overall value of transformation. There is no denying that the visible progress is what is celebrated, but the visible progress is not feasible if these three aspects are not taken into consideration. These three things are: leadership, the reason for change at the micro level, and a culture of teamwork.

A good leader: The positional leader must be equipped to lead. Poor organizational performance signals a deficiency in leadership. If employees are simply barely meeting the demands of the job, there’s not much creativity, and performance is at the autopilot level, then the leadership aspect needs to be addressed.

The limitations on performance are generally related to the limitations of the leader. Some organizations elect to bring in a new leader before initiating transformational changes. Another option is to coach the positional leader acquire key leadership skills. With the right attitude, some professional development, and coaching the positional leader can develop the skills necessary to lead the group through the transformation process. This strategy is not a quick fix. A true leader, however, invests in his/her own growth regardless of the organization’s desire to provide the resources to facilitate training.

A reason for change. The leader must be aware of the team members’ “why”. Communicating the vision, the goals and even the strategy to effect changes is a good idea in helping people see the path forward. More importantly, it is essential for everyone to identify their own “why” for change. One of the reasons for this is that the values and priorities differ from person to person.

When individuals can filter the organization’s vision and goals through their own value system and align their goals accordingly, the effort by each individual will produce a compounding effect. Happy people are self-motivated to do and achieve their goals and/or their life’s purpose. Happy people are more productive. That productivity provides significant benefits to the organization particularly during a transformation process. This means that with goal alignment, the effort by each individual not only benefits the individual him or herself, but also the organization.

The leader should understand what moves each person in the group, and through that understanding, unlock the key to productivity. The leader can also strategically  create opportunities to contribute to the success of each person. Zig Ziglar’s statement “You can have everything you want if you help other people get what they want” is very fitting and so true.

The leader must know the people that he/she leads and help them believe that they have the capacity to achieve more. A true leader empowers, believes and helps people achieve new heights. As a result of the behavior that the leader models to the team, the leader gains their trust. It’s important for the leader to gain the trust of the people they lead.  Without trust the relationship with the leader will not develop.

A team. Team is another word that people use loosely to refer to a group of people working in the same organization. Just because people work together doesn’t mean that they are a team. In his book, “The Five Dysfunctions of a Team” Patrick Lencioni indicates that trust is the foundation of a good team. Trust is at the center of every relationship. When team members can trust each other and the leader, they can tackle the toughest assignments knowing that others have their back. A good team, according to Lencioni, can work through conflicting ideas, commit to a decision, hold each other accountable, and focus on results

Trust and leadership are enabling factors for transforming the culture of an organization. Trust is at the center of any relationship and it’s nothing different in a team. A leader without followers is not a leader, and in order for people to follow a leader there has to be trust. The first order of business in a transformation is then a leader that can inspire trust, can help people grow, and can create a collaborative environment built on mutual respect.

Before setting off on a transformational journey, the organization needs effective leadership, the individual goals of its members should complement those of the team, and everyone should work collaboratively towards a common vision. Only then it is possible to change the culture of an organization. Obviously, people are happier when they are in a positive and progressive culture working with individuals that they like and respect.

To conclude, the leader has a significant role in the success of an organization’s transformation initiative. It is the leader’s responsibility to build relationships and create a culture rooted on a solid foundation of trust and respect. A transformed culture where people feel that their contribution is valued is going to continue to evolve and reach new heights. A team that feels empowered to achieve a higher level of performance while working towards their individual goals is almost unstoppable. This is the place where the leader should take the team in order to transform the culture. Add to this the necessary enabling resources and you’ll have a successful transformation.