- 09
- NOV
- 2009
Attitude – a little goes a long way
Author: Amy Huntley - Categories: Talent
It was the American author W.Clement Stone who once famously said: "There is little difference in people, but that little difference makes a big difference. The little difference is attitude. The big difference is whether it is positive or negative."
The same principle could reasonably be applied to the world of procurement too, particularly when it comes to benchmarking. We've all heard enough motivational speakers to appreciate the benefits that banishing the negative can bring both individually and collectively – and we've all seen it in practice too.
But when it comes to benchmarking, are those viewing the practice as little more than a target-setting tool, dwelling too much on the negative and doing too little to accentuate the positive?
As outlined in a previous post, at the current time benchmarking is far more about outcomes then the fundamental need to ensure that processes and strategy are robust enough to stand the test of time. As a colleague recently commented wistfully: "It's less about learning and more about target setting."
Companies, however, appear to be missing a trick. Benchmarking could, in reality, provide the spark, the 'X Factor', when it comes to motivating procurement operations to up their game and improve their long-term performance.
It is, in many ways, a circular and self-fulfilling route to success. A highly motivated procurement organisation working to an achievable and, most crucially, measurable set of metrics leads to a more efficient, happier and effective procurement organisation. Conversely, set an unrealistic set of targets using ad hoc benchmarking techniques and watch how quickly the rot sets in.
Of course, some companies are getting benchmarking right and reaping the rewards. I heard anecdotally of a major company that's now making huge strides over its competitors, even during the toughest economic conditions in a generation, thanks to benchmarking. And although it's only recording modest profits at the current time, any profit in this climate is to be cheered from the rafters.
Others, though, are still playing catch-up and look set to do so for the foreseeable future.
Maybe they should heed Stone's words of advice – before it's too late.
