Search out the future of the profession and business

This sits firmly under the relationship banner , but strong soft skills are an essential part of the negotiating process , whether you are an influencer with your CEO , board or even your team . Being a CPO means being a leader , so having a range of skills rather than pure procurement talent will become ever more important to gain the confidence of partners , colleagues and suppliers .

It doesn ’ t take the skills of a futurologist to know that supply chain management is likely to experience disruptive events over the next decade . Probably every profession will be affected by volatile trading environments , increasing complexity and the influence of digital technology . Product life cycles are getting shorter and skillsets are changing beyond recognition . Automation is reshaping the workforce and eliminating lower level roles . Buyers need to look to developing new skills or risk being left behind .

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