10 behavioral skills to successfully lead the purchasing department

Be a good purchasing leader goes far beyond the technical knowledge that the area requires. The behavioral skills are increasingly being requested for this position.

For that reason, the who leads purchases You need to know yourself and be an example for the group. In this scenario, one of the most important skills for the professional is self-knowledge.

Being aware of yourself contributes to a more assertive management, a more motivated team and, consequently, better results.

However, being able to have this understanding of oneself It's not easy. In addition to strengths, leaders also need to be aware of their weaknesses.

Below, we have selected 10 behavioral skills to be a good purchasing leader, including a reading indication for each of them:

1. Don't be afraid to ask for help

A good purchasing leader is not afraid to ask for help when needed. No matter how much experience you have, you are aware that not knowing something does not mean ignorance or lack of sufficient knowledge to occupy a position. leadership position.

One of the most effective ways to evolve professionally is ask people of your team or coworkers what they think about you. This shows that you are willing to try to see your points of improvement in order to improve them.

Of course, asking for help is also a way of demonstrate confidence at work of your team and have more chances of winning the people engagement.

reading tip

Don't be afraid to be the boss – Bruce Tulgan (Sextant Publisher)

In this book, you will learn, based on real cases, the main myths and difficulties faced by managers in leading their teams to success.

One of the world's leading experts on the subject, Bruce Tulgan, will help you get into the habit of managing people every day and solving small performance issues before they become serious.

Read an excerpt from the book here.

2. Invest in knowledge

A search for learning constant in the purchasing area is essential for facilitate innovation, mainly because innovation is one of the main sources of competitive advantages.

In addition to keeping up with the market trends and know purchasing methodologies, such as strategic sourcing, the purchasing leader must also be a learning facilitator collaborative.

This means not only creating an environment conducive to sharing your learnings, but also recognizing the importance of contribution of knowledge of people for the whole team.

reading tip

Lifelong learners – the power of continuous learning (Publisher People)

In this book, writer Conrado S. proposes that we regain control of our learning process. According to the author, this is the only way to deal with the complexity of the world today.

As you read, you will discover how to structure learning processes, identify learning sources, include studies in your routine and share what you have already learned.

Read more about this book here.

3. Give feedback

To offer activity feedback performed by the team you lead contributes to the development of each professional, including yours. This is one of the best strategies to ensure that work remains aligned with the production pace.

With the migration of activities to the hybrid work model and the need for lead teams remotely, the purchasing leader needs to ensure that the feedback culture stay in remote meetings.

Everyone wins with this: company, leader and employee. One assertive feedback and empathy is essential to bring people closer to their goals and drive their development.

reading tip

The art of giving feedback – Harvard Business Review (Sextant Publisher)

To help people achieve their goals and reach their potential, you need to provide regular feedback. But the stress of talking about sensitive issues can be overwhelming.

The Art of Giving Feedback provides practical advice for turning any performance conversation—from weekly updates to annual reviews—into an opportunity for growth and development.

Read an excerpt from the book here.

4. Recognize the professional merits of your team

The main management tool of a purchasing leader is know how to recognize both your own potential and that of the people on your team. This increases the chances of professional satisfaction and, consequently, employee motivation to generate more results.

“People should be seen as partners of organizations. They are providers of knowledge, skills, competencies and, above all, the most important contribution to organizations: intelligence.”

It quote by Idalberto Chiavenato, a famous Brazilian author of books on administration, reinforces the importance of companies and leaders in valuing their employees.

reading tip

Brilliant Teams – Daniel Coyle (Sextant Publisher)

Drawing on recent scientific research, Daniel Coyle identifies three key skills that generate cohesion and cooperation, and explains how heterogeneous groups learn to function as a single mind.

No matter the size of your group, this book will teach you the principles of cultural chemistry that transform individuals into teams capable of incredible achievement.

Read an excerpt from the book here.

5. Engage your team

Having engaged employees means having a positive experience in the company's day-to-day activities. To achieve this, having a pleasant working environment It is essential, as it generates less resistance from people, who tend to produce better.

For this, the purchasing leader You need to be clear about the paths needed for the team's success and how each employee can contribute to this. When employees know that their performance is essential to achieving goals, they tend to feel motivated.

Furthermore, engaged people on the team generate more accurate resultsif they increase a company's capacity for innovation and creativity.

reading tip

Motivation 3.0 – Daniel H. Pink (Sextant Publisher)

Drawing on decades of scientific research, Pink exposes in this book the disconnect between the science of motivation and corporate practices, and explains how this affects every aspect of our lives.

Examining the three elements of true motivation—autonomy, excellence, and purpose—the book presents smart and surprising techniques for putting these principles into action.

Read an excerpt here.

6. Don't be afraid of technology

A tech is the key to the success of many businesses, combined with other aspects, of course, such as sustainability process. For this reason, the purchasing leader must understand the digital solutions as an opportunity – not as a threat.

The use of technological resources has become fundamental to optimize teamwork of purchases, even more so in the context of uncertain scenarios. Many companies take advantage of moments of great change to break down barriers and transform their businesses.

In an increasingly competitive landscape, buyers need to be released from the operational routine to act with strategy and intelligence.

reading tip

2041: How artificial intelligence will change your life in the coming decades (Globo Books)

2041 demonstrates what the world could be like in two decades in a work dedicated not only to readers interested in technology, but also to all those who want to have a glimpse of what the coming years will be like.

Topics range from driverless cars and robots that will do all the work we consider boring to new forms of education and care for those who are about to pass away.

Find out more details about the book here.

7. Know the generations

A generational diversity It is extremely rich for the corporate environment, because it provides an exchange of experiences and access to different points of view.

To reach better results, the approach of different generations must take into account not only age, but also consider different knowledge, identities and lifestyles.

Let's remember each one of them? Baby Boomers were born after World War II, between 1946 and 1964. Generation X is that of those born between 1960 and 1980.

Already Y generation is from the period between 1980 and 1993 – the time when technological developments began. Those born between 1990 and 1995 belong to the Generation Z – are the digital natives. The last one, Alpha Generation, starts from 2010 – these are children who are unfamiliar with the analogue world.

reading tip

How Generation Z Will Change the Future of Business – Zconomy (Agir Publishing House)

The ways leaders typically recruit, manage, and advertise don’t work for a generation that was born digital and is growing up amid the uncertainty of today’s economic instability.

The book shows how Generation Z approaches work, sees brands and deals with other generations.

Read an excerpt from this book here.

8. Know how to make decisions

Today, decisions in companies have become more complex. Making a decision can represent both success and failure. In purchasing, this task carries a lot of weight, since choices are linked to the costs and economy of companies.

O self knowledge brings confidence, a quality necessary to lead and seek answers. With this, the purchasing leader also begins to realize whether he is ready to achieve results and, often, brings proposals on how to improve them.

In this sense, it is important to consider ideas, suggestions and participation of team members in decision-making, especially when there are direct impacts on the activities carried out by them.

reading tip

Fast and Slow – Daniel Kahneman (Objective Publisher)

In “Thinking, Fast and Slow”, Daniel Kahneman takes us on a journey through the human mind and explains the two ways of thinking: one is fast, intuitive and emotional; the other, slower, deliberative and logical.

Kahneman reveals when we can and cannot trust our intuition and offers practical insights into how to make decisions in business and in our personal lives.

See details here.

9. Use your creativity

Creativity has been gaining more and more importance in organizations, and successful leaders are considered creative people and disruptive. A leader's creative potential is fundamental for positive transformations, as it is linked to the capacity for innovation.

But most of the time, the leader is not alone. The creativity of a purchasing leader and a company is enhanced in the collective. Therefore, having diverse people on the team, with different expertise, is very beneficial for innovation and competitiveness.

reading tip

This is not a book – Keri Smith (Intrinsic Publisher)

In “This is not a book”, the author surprises readers with numerous unusual situations that will make them question what a book really is.

Planting ideas, transforming pages, traveling through time, challenging yourself – the invitations to interact and interfere in the content are the most diverse and improbable, in a creative adventure that piques curiosity and disrupts the paradigms of what the books we read are and what they are for.

See details here.

10. Listen to what people have to say

A active listening is one of the most important skills for a purchasing leader. Knowing how to listen is essential for the learning process and professional growth.

The concept of active listening is concerned with listen carefully to what a person says, try to understand as much as possible what is being said, consider body language during a conversation and be able to create empathy.

A leader who listens is more willing to update his way of thinking and acting, innovate, get to know people better and, of course, improve your relationships.

reading tip

The clown and the psychoanalyst – Christian Dunker and Cláudio Thebas (Paidós Publishing House)

In this book, Christian Dunker and Cláudio Thebas address, with good humor and depth, a common theme for both professions: how to listen to others? How to listen to yourself? And how can listening transform people?

Mixing experiences, testimonies, cases and philosophical reflections, the authors share what they have learned about the art of listening, such an urgent topic in today's world.

See details here.

Above, we saw some skills for leadership in purchasing, which go far beyond technical knowledge.

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