high demand . Procurement needs to know how to ask the right “ why ” questions , detect patterns in data , find cause-and-effect relationships and challenge the status quo . 2 . Technological savvy – Procurement professionals do not need to become data scientists , but we need to be , at least , familiar with new technologies . With that , we can have intelligent conversations with IT personnel and quickly adopt new tools that do not require IT intervention . 3 . Business acumen – As a business
function , procurement needs to have a thorough understanding of the company ’ s operations , value drivers and competitive environment . 4 . Storytelling skills – Data is the mechanism that makes digital business possible , but the delivery mechanism is a story . Even the best digital technology might not be able to change the mind of the CEO unless the outcome can be expressed in the form of a story , business problem or solution .
If you have yet to embark on your digital journey , do not worry . Like most disruptive technologies , benefits do not necessarily go to the early adopters . Success goes to companies who know how to absorb , adapt and manage change . At the end of the day , digitalisation alone cannot transform any business . We need both human skills and digitalisation to transform our jobs . Digitalisation is not the target , but an enabler . We need to focus on how it drives values and results .
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