What to do when the decision power changes hands mid-project.
Today’s post is from our extensive blog archives at SafeSourcing:
As a procurement professional operating under other managers or engaging vendor executives, Having the decision making power change hands in the middle of a procurement project can be disruptive, but you can still keep things on track if you can keep a few key points in mind:
- Keep a running history of how the project got to its current stage, so that you can get the new manager up to speed quickly. If you can show your reasoning through the process to make sense, they will be more likely to get on board.
- Gauge his/her buy-in and be ready to head off objections before they’re even brought up. Show authoritatively that you know the project intimately to instill confidence in its handling, but give the manager the sense that they are in charge, and that they will get the big win out of the project.
- Avoid discussing legacy decisions. If the new manager’s predecessor made poor decisions the new manager could use that as an excuse to scrap a legitimate project, or worse, they could be looking for a scapegoat to blame past failures on.
- Find out the new manager’s goals (and potential hidden agendas). Let the new manager drop clues about his knowledge of the projects history. You may find out about some of what lead to the previous managers departure that can help you avoid future pitfalls.
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