Influencing your Senior Manager

A Practical View

John MallochHead of ProcurementUniversity of Exeter

Scope

• Practical – personal view• Lessons and observations• No direct theory• Influencing senior managers and others

Why do we have to influence people?Co-operate and align our aims to …• Plan and manage categories• Source collaboratively• Manage contracts and categories• Use prices and deals• Improve service• Minimise maverick activity• Etc

… to improve service, value, efficiency and innovation

So what’s the problem?• Time to engage (“too busy”)• Not interested• Not important enough• They know best; it’s been tried before; that won’t work …• Habit – it’s easy, comfortable and ingrained• Culture – departmental habits• Leaders that block• Dispersed organisation – doing different things in different places• Not enough procurement people• Top leadership interested but it’s not a priority• Etc …

Case Studies

• Finance Director• Director of Estates• Facilities Manager• College Finance Manager• College Manager

Finance Director

Analysis• Limited time• My battles must not interfere with his strategic objectives

Approach• Prioritised my aims• Identified his important aims and problems• Supported those aspects but wove in my objectives• Fed my aims into the appraisal process

Result• 4 extra procurement specialists• Removed the construction risk• Gained Energy and Sustainability (unintended consequence)• Improved savings

Director of EstatesAnalysis

• Estates did its own thing: ‘compliance’ was window-dressing• Biggest spend and biggest risk• Big construction programme

Approach• Recruited a specialist to handle construction – senior grade• Streamlined ITTs to ease workload and gain trust and access• Advertised Estates’ successes in procurement• Key meetings• Regular meetings to chart progress• Frequent informal engagement of director – few, strategic topics• ‘Tapped’ the capital process and instituted PO approval

Result• Engagement• Efficiency, savings and compliance• No longer my highest procurement risk

Facilities Manager

Analysis• Large spend, no compliance• Few contracts, cosy deals, favoured suppliers, hidden data, unusual arrangements• Senior manager was the blocker• People OK!

Approach• 1st PO identified the expenditure• FD split the service• 2nd PO ran further competitions and a basic savings programme• Another PO attempted to normalise the purchasing process• 3rd PO identified key people and gained trust and allies

Result• Frameworks used for many services• Value, service and efficiency improved• Our purchasing officer is a trusted partner• Still much more to do …

College Finance Manager

Analysis• Forward-thinking ambitious college with good ideas about efficiency• Poor strategic procurement

Approach• Built professional relationship with Finance Manager• Procurement Officer worked with high-spending stakeholders• Provided help, but inserted process, value and compliance• But stood our ground with £800k of marketing spend (pa)

• Sacred cow / long-standing incumbent • “it’ll never work” / “you don’t understand marketing”• Careful, collaborative work, but we remained firm

Result• 25% better value; innovative solutions; delighted customer!• General spin-off = first point of call

College ManagerAnalysis

• Most senior and experienced• Biggest-spending college• Most outward-looking college manager

Approach• Work more closely• Solve problems, and be flexible

Result• Useful discussions, including development of college supply chains• Developed concept of Procurement Partner• Procurement sponsored the college purchasing team• ‘Leaned’ purchasing processes and reorganised team

What factors help or hinder?

• Luck• Opportunity

• Major changes – piggyback them!• Receptive people• Shared values or goals• Timing

• Culture (including the effect of leadership)• Soft skills• Trust – takes time to build• Context – period of investment / change / directive • Time• Resources – time, people & money• Authority – what can you do without significant challenge

What can we do?• Focus carefully on fewer key aims

• We are limited (time, effort and money) - accept we can’t do everything• Select (e.g.) 3 top aims and appoint ‘owners’

• Play the long game – slow burn relationships for the future• Exploit opportunities (but only if you can sustain them)• Find mutual objectives (or align them) – we need shared success• Demonstrate clear SUCCESS (even if small)

• Let the departments claim the success• Ensure others refer to it• Publish case studies• Others will want the same!

• Maintain effort – don’t lose months of work• Habit = Cue – Routine – Reward• Hardwire new processes to reinforce the habit

• Hire people with interpersonal skills• Be flexible

Summary

• Follow opportunities (if they fit your plan and resources):• People / categories / contracts / requests for help / suppliers

• Client-pull not procurement-push• Develop relationships• Find allies (and bypass blockers if necessary)• Create benefit for the clients (their value not yours)• Invest your time and effort where there’s demand, support and opportunity

• Don’t fight big battles unless worth it. • but stand your ground when important

• Focus on key areas – don’t spread your resources• Offer help, but say ‘no’ more often