We are all familiar with the old saying that once you learn how to ride a bike, you never forget it. And that’s good because there is basically one way to ride a bike, right? Well not necessarily – what if you were challenged to ride a bike that was geared so that the steering […]
Blog
Watching the Bee-Watcher
Vested Rule #5 tells us that our contract or business framework should embrace an Insight vs Oversight Governance Structure. Unfortunately, many organization believe that to be in control, they need to be controlling. The result? Micromanagement of your employees and suppliers! Micromanagement stems from a lack of trust and poor governance structures. If you trust […]
Working For vs. Working With
Does it bug you when you hear people say, “I work for xxxx…” or “xxxx works for me.” It does me! Shouldn’t it always be “I work with xxxx!” Here’s my take on “for” vs. “with”: We work for an idea or a principle – such as to achieve a cure for arthritis or cancer, for example, or a […]
The Rise of the Dinobots
For now, the human element is an essential part of negotiating collaborative and shared-value contract relationships.
Are You Dealing with Godzilla?
I wanted to share a few thoughts – or afterthoughts – after my previous blog that revisited the Gorilla and the Elephant. As I noted, many organizations can relate to and “see” gorillas and elephants in the midst of their own deals. Someone responded on this idea of gorillas and elephants, saying it was a […]
The Gorilla vs The Elephant (revisited)
Vested is all about avoiding the toxic conditions created by the 800-pound gorilla. A Vested approach thinks beyond the short-term bottom line, beyond immediate gratification at the expense of those you’re working with.
The Red Queen and Coevolution
“Now here, you see, it takes all the running you can do to keep in the same place.”
What Do You Have to Hide?
The thought might be a bit uncomfortable around tax time, or if you’re Donald Trump – but it’s also true on a very basic level. If you have nothing to hide, why do you do it? Image: Hiding by Dave Bowen via Flickr CC
Get in Gear for your Everests
April marks the beginning of the season for climbers to tackle the biggest of all climbs – a Mt. Everest expedition. The Himalayan Times reported the first batch of climbers for the 2017 climb starting on March 27th. It is predicted that more than 500 foreign climbers are expected to attempt to scale the world’s highest peak […]
Procurement Think Tanks Join Forces to Introduce Palambridge
Palambridge is the brainchild of Philip Ideson, who runs the Art of Procurement website that has produced a series of podcasts over the last year or so that feature interviews with procurement leaders (including one in which I talked about Sourcing Business Models.) His partner in this venture is Kelly Barner, the owner/director of Buyers Meeting Point, also a well-known […]
