Ep 250: Building Procurement's Reputation by Listening First feat. Scott Levens
Procurement has long carried an inherited brand problem inside many organizations. Stakeholders expect to hear ‘no,’ to be pushed toward the lowest price, or to be slowed down by process and governance. One of the most effective ways to change that perception is also one of the simplest: listen first. When procurement takes the time to understand what stakeholders and suppliers are trying to achieve, they earn a seat in the conversations that matter most, from supply risk to growth planning. Success brings its own challenge, too, because a trusted procurement team may quickly find themselves with more requests than they can handle. In this episode of The Sourcing Hero podcast, Host Kelly Barner welcomes Scott Levens to the show. Scott is an experienced procurement leader whose career spans nearly four decades, from negotiating contracts for hundreds of hotels across Australia and New Zealand to leading indirect procurement for Gallagher, a fast-growing, family-owned global manufacturer. Scott shares his perspective on the human side of procurement and how listening shapes relationships inside and outside the business: Why listening and offering options, rather than ready-made answers, changes how stakeholders see procurement How a trusted reputation gives procurement a voice in risk, quality, and stock availability decisions What it means to be a customer of choice, and why the hidden costs we create for suppliers matter Practical advice for procurement leaders starting in a new organization, including why culture should shape their approach Links: Scott Levens on LinkedIn
