The Sourcing Hero

Ep 228: Procurement Skills That Save Money feat. Philip Ideson

There was a time when the only objective procurement had to satisfy was saving the company money, and the only way to do that was to negotiate tough with suppliers. Today, however, the business’s expectations are much greater - a shift that is raising the bar for procurement professionals in all industries and across categories of spend.
In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes back Philip Ideson, Founder and Managing Director at Art of Procurement. They take the opportunity to discuss one of the broader themes we are hearing about in procurement today, and that is procurement skill sets and their connection to business outcomes.
Phil speaks from his own experience as a procurement professional and as someone covering the space through this major shift:
The most important skill procurement can employ while trying to save money and also support the overall business
How changes in the procurement operating model and tech stack are affecting the skills needed on the team
Differences in category strategy and stakeholder groups and how those (should) impact procurement’s approach
Links:
Philip Ideson on LinkedIn

Ep 227: The Power and Sophistication of Payments feat. Brian Goudie

While the options available to consumers may make payments seem simple, the underlying complexity is enough to make small to mid-sized business owners’ heads spin. Selecting the right payments provider can set a small business up for success - by allowing them to do what they do best.
In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Brian Goudie. Brian is the Executive Chairman at Aurora Payments. By providing secure payments solutions, Aurora has built a portfolio of more than 29,000 small and medium-sized merchants that process $12 billion annually. Brian is also a small business owner himself, so he understands the business challenges his clients are facing first hand.
Brian pulls back the curtain on payments and shares expertise build up over 30 years in the payments space:
How the payment platform has changed, from increased investment and sophistication to the lasting impact of COVID
What small to mid-sized businesses should look for in a payments provider
What makes payments so complex for businesses to manage
Links:
Brian Goudie on LinkedIn

Ep 226: Understanding and Celebrating Inclusive Teams feat. Andrés Tapia

How we think about inclusivity in today’s workforce has a lot to do with how we view diversity. The strongest, most resilient teams take the best characteristics, experiences, and approaches that each individual member has to offer, shine a light on those qualities, and then weave them together into an unbreakable fabric.
In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Andrés Tapia. 
Andrés is one of the authors of the book The 5 Disciplines of Inclusive Teams: Unlocking Collective Power to Achieve Breakthrough. Andrés was a Senior Client Partner at Korn Ferry for 12 years and now leads the Andrés Tapia strategy group.
Andrés speaks about the power of inclusivity and the benefits of teams that continue to grow individually and collectively:
Big picture ways to think about being inclusive in the modern workplace
What it takes to go from a collection of talented people to a truly inclusive team
How every team can become more inclusive than they already are
Links:
Andrés Tapia on LinkedIn

Ep 225: Building a Dynamic Board of Directors feat. James Drury III

A Board of Directors plays a critical role in the success of the company they advise. Ensuring that the right members are on that Board, and that each Board has the right mix of personalities, experiences, and functional knowledge is a significant and ongoing challenge - but one that is worth the effort to get right. 
In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes James Drury III, the Founder, Chairman, and CEO of JamesDruryPartners. Jim has over 30 years of experience advising Fortune 100 CEOs and senior executives, and has placed hundreds of leaders on the boards of influential companies. 
Jim shares his detailed experience with - and insights on:
What role a Board of Directors should fill in a company and what their relationship with the C-suite should look like
How much a Board should know about the company’s supply chain
The information a Chief Procurement Officer or Chief Supply Chain Officer might need to prepare in advance of meeting with the Board
Links:
James Drury Partners on LinkedIn

Ep 224: A Middle Eastern Perspective on Global Supply Chains feat. Samah Mahdi Abdulla

Supply chains must be a product of the geography they support, leading to specific requirements around transport modes, temperature control, and even warehousing capacity. This also means that supply chain experts must be as well versed in the infrastructure and logistics of their local area as they are that of their suppliers.
In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Samah Mahdi Abdulla. Samah is a supply chain professional with over 15 years of experience and a master's degree in Logistics, Procurement, and Supply Chain Management. She is based in Bahrain and has worked in industries as diverse as retail and food production. 
Shares her unique perspective on procurement and supply chain:
The benefits of specialized - and continuing - education in procurement and supply chain
How working from an island nation has shaped her work
The speed of business in Bahrain that supply chains must be prepared to support
Links:
Samah Mahdi Abdulla on LinkedIn

Ep 223: Success at the Intersection of Leadership, Culture, and Technology feat. Dr. Shanda Gore

Most professionals have had the opportunity to work for both wonderful and less-than-wonderful leaders at one time or another. But while we are likely to notice the difference, being able to explain what makes one individual more successful than another may be challenging.
In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Dr. Shanda Gore. Dr. Gore is the Founder and CEO of Mays Associates, and the author of a new book titled The PinLeader Path: Identify, Engage, and Develop Effective Human and AI Leadership for Your Organizational Culture. Dr. Gore has been studying and coaching leaders to find out what characteristics make the greatest difference to their company and team.
Dr. Gore talks about the idea of being a “PinLeader” in today’s corporations:
Three major attributes that are present in all successful leaders
How leadership intersects (or clashes) with company culture
The role that AI is playing in companies, on teams, and on behalf of leaders
Ways we should think about business etiquette today
Links:
Dr. Shanda Gore on LinkedIn

Ep 222: Communication as Persuasion in Procurement & Beyond feat. Liz Milan

Communication is a complex craft. It involves speaking clearly and with a consistent message, actively listening to see how the message is received, and - the ultimate test - if we are communicating to persuade, watching to see if that message has the desired motivating effect.
In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Liz Milan. Liz is a former procurement executive and adjunct at the University of Portland Pamplin Business School where she teaches a course on Negotiation and Persuasion. She is currently doing board work for Open Adoption and Family Services.
Liz speaks about why persuasive communication is so critical for procurement:
Never forgetting the bigger picture dynamics that may be at play when making recommendations about supplier contracts
Creating opportunities to learn as much as possible from the sales side of the business
The sacrifice that may be required of anyone who aspires to hero status
Links:
Liz Milan on LinkedIn

Ep 220: Hitchhiker’s Guide to Procurement & Sales feat. Mike Lander

Procurement thinks sales is always trying to sell them something that isn’t what they want, is over priced, or won’t live up to the hype. Sales thinks procurement is deliberately trying to throw a wrench in a long proposal process, only cares about price, and has no feelings at all.
What if they are both wrong?
In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Mike Lander. Mike is the CEO of Piscari, a coaching firm that helps sell-side teams improve their negotiating skills, better understand procurement buyers, and - ultimately - arrive at better commercial deals.
Mike speaks from his experience in both sales and procurement about:
How the two sides perceive each other and why those perceptions are dangerous for everyone
The importance of understanding where you fit in the other side’s worldview, and how they see your company in return
The conditions that have to be in place for sales and procurement to create value for both companies at the same time
Links:
Mike Lander on LinkedIn