The Sourcing Hero

Ep 39: Rethinking the Supply Chain Talent Model feat. Jeffrey Ostrander

Working in procurement and supply chain - regardless of industry - continues to be more and more challenging. In most cases, it is our relationships that make the difference, whether we are looking at our supply partners or other functions in the company. If we can combine the power of quiet, impactful leadership with the right combination of coaching and opportunities for professionals early in their career, not only will everyone be more successful in the short term, but the future will be very bright as well.
In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner is joined by Jeffrey Ostrander. Jeff is currently the head of Supply Chain Transactions in the Western Hemisphere for Schlumberger. Prior to that, he led North American Strategy for diesel and lubricant supply chain operations at Con-way, now part of XPO Logistics, and was the Director of Fuel Procurement for Consolidated Freightways. 
In this conversation, Jeff provides us with a window into how he approaches C-level interactions and talent development within his organization:
The source of the disconnect between supply chain and the current occupants of the C-suite, and how we can go about fixing it
Why offering young professionals and opportunity to experience the view from ‘the front seat’ can take their careers from ordinary to extraordinary
His four ‘mantras’ for learning to succeed through the upturns and downturns of an always unpredictable fuel supply chain

Ep 38: Conditioning and Positioning for Difficult Negotiations feat. Peter Bolle

Procurement teams that are willing to push the envelope on behalf of their company have to be effective negotiators. But getting the desired result out of a tough conversation requires preparation and self-knowledge, meaning that the most important work happens a long time before the negotiation starts.
In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner is joined by Peter Bolle. Peter is a career procurement professional with experience in the commercial airline industry and a no-nonsense approach to getting things done. Talking to Peter about his work in procurement provides plenty of reminders about why we all need to keep our heads up even while our eyes are focused on the details. Add to that his penchant for colorful stories, and he is an ideal podcast guest.
In this conversation, Peter shares his advice on how to be successful - individually or as part of a team - when engaged in a difficult negotiation:
Whether access to technology and automation has weakened procurement’s ‘traditional’ negotiating skills.
The interplay between personality traits and negotiating style, and how they can be combined in a team setting.
The additional preparation required when procurement knows they are going into a tough negotiation - including assigning roles on their own team

EP 37: Consciously Building Robust Sourcing Capabilities feat. David Hearn

Talent management and skills development are never far from the top of a CPO’s list of priorities. As procurement’s focus and scope change, however, so will the skills required to make the team - and each individual on that team - successful in the short and long term. 
In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner is joined by David Hearn. David has led multiple world-wide sourcing, procurement, and supplier management organizations, both in direct materials and indirect categories. He is dedicated to helping indirect procurement groups transform to reach the strategic internal business partner status they have always wanted, as well as working with the individuals that make up those teams reach their full potential.
In this conversation, Dave provides his unique take on leadership and team development:
Whether category expertise or soft skills are more important to him, and how his preference affects his approach to recruiting and talent development
How leaders can use open ended questions to guide their team through complex projects and relationships
The types of validation - or evidence - he looks for to confirm that procurement is meeting the the needs of the business

EP 36: On a Mission to Build B2B Influencer Status feat. Tom Augenthaler

The notion of being an influencer - or having ‘influencer status’ - is very appealing in a world where many people feel that they are fighting to be heard or to make a difference. But that status, conferred by others beyond our control, can be elusive. Sometimes, the harder we pursue it, the further away it feels.
In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner is joined by Tom Augenthaler. Tom is on a mission - a mission to apply the influencer marketing model that we’ve all become familiar with on the B2C side to B2B companies. He helps B2B SaaS companies build brand affinity and nurture demand by engaging influencers who can impact the decision-making of their buyers. This requires him to understand the marketing needs of companies, identify influencers suited to their target customer, and bring everyone together in one consolidated program.
In this conversation, Tom shares his expert opinion on a number of questions related to B2B influence:
What makes the most influential influencers effective?
What are the most common roadblocks or distractions that prevent someone actively pursuing influencer status from achieving their goal?
How can we extend the idea of external social media-based influence into dynamics and best practices that apply inside of companies?

EP 35: Listening to the Voice of the Supplier feat. Sam Singer and Jay Anderson

Procurement may talk about wanting to be a ‘customer of choice,’ or talk about creating an improved supplier experience, but do our actions back up those words? We’ll never know if we don’t ask representatives of our most trusted supply partners what they think about our processes - AND listen carefully to their answers.
In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner is joined by two members of the Rapid Packaging team. Rapid Packaging is a supply-side member of the Una community and one of the premier providers of end-of-line packaging systems, supplies, technical services, and automated solutions. Sam Singer is their SVP Sales and Marketing and Jay Anderson is the Vice President of Sales.
In this conversation, Sam and Jay provide a supply-side perspective on questions such as:
How often - and how well - their procurement points of contact make use of their extensive category and product knowledge
What types of sustainability opportunities exist in the end-of-line packaging category
What types of talent and skills development sales teams are making that may or may not align with the soft skills investments being made by procurement

EP 34: Resisting Assimilation - Practicing Authentic Leadership feat. Jan Griffiths

There are many things about corporate life that everyone just accepts. Meetings, pre-meetings, and constant, subtle incentives to follow the status quo even when transformation is being celebrated. But should we continue to tolerate leadership practices that don’t deliver the desired results… especially if they don’t help anyone enjoy their work? Our guest in this episode says, “No!”
In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner is joined by Jan Griffiths. Jan is a former automotive industry Chief Procurement Officer and Vice President of Supply Chain that is now combining her passion and philosophy to transform work experiences across companies and industries. As a keynote speaker, she is known for getting the audience - and other speakers - to dance… on stage… as the first step on their journey away from traditional corporate leadership.
In this conversation, Jan gives us a primer on authentic leadership:
What is authentic leadership and how does it differ from traditional corporate leadership?
How does a different type of leadership unlock the true potential of a team?
Why vulnerability and banishing the fear of failure are so critical to lasting success

Ep 33: Direct Materials Sourcing from Emerging Markets feat. Janette Lais

Direct materials are those that will eventually end up in the hands of a company’s customers, making the choice of supplier in these categories that much more critical. When those suppliers are based in emerging markets, the process of finding and qualifying them requires specialized expertise and third party support to ensure that quality standards are maintained and products meet technical requirements.
In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner is joined by Janette Lais. Janette is the Director of Sourcing at Rapid Packaging. She has over 25 years of purchasing, inventory management, operations, and logistics experience. Of particular interest is her knowledge about sourcing internationally, including purchasing products from emerging markets in China, Turkey, and India.
In this conversation, Janette shares her perspective on:
How sourcing processes and supplier communication practices are affected when suppliers are based in emerging markets
How she approaches sourcing projects knowing that the product or material she buys will ultimately end up in the hands of Rapid Packaging’s customers
Advice for companies and procurement/sourcing professionals that are considering sourcing from emerging markets for the first time

Ep 32: Mitigating Price Increase Requests feat. Philip Ideson

The top news stories each day are like a potpourri of procurement challenges: labor shortages, supply chain disruptions, and material cost increases abound. Each one of them means one thing - the next time a supplier emails or calls, they may be reaching out to say that they are going to have to increase their prices as a result. But what is procurement to do?
In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner is joined by Philip Ideson. Phil is the Founder and Managing Director of Art of Procurement, a procurement consulting, membership, and content company that provides CPOs and their teams the resources they need to enable company growth. He has also worked at both Procurian & Accenture and has experience across the entire Indirect and Direct procurement value chain.
In this conversation, Phil shares his perspective on:
How procurement should respond to a supplier that reached out with a request for a price increase
What options procurement has for mitigating the increase once it has been determined to be a valid request from the supplier
If procurement needs to worry about getting TOO GOOD at protecting the bottom line in challenging times