In the world of procurement, you cross paths every day with a variety people who possess a variety of personalities. In order to succeed, you need to pull the right strings, punch the right buttons, and defend yourself from (often unfair) attacks.

Fortunately, the instincts you bring to your procurement job will put you on the right track. But you’re also bound to collide with those tough-nuts-to-crack — and you don’t want to handle that collision on their terms.

First of all, everyone — including yourself — has bad days. If someone who usually is fair tempered comes in one day as a growling grizzly, this most likely is the case. Best advice? Steer clear, say as little as possible, and wait for the storm to pass.

What about when you call one of your vendors with a question about quality — and the vendor pulls an Ozzy Osbourne and bites your head off? Again, your strategy is to keep your cool — don’t play their game. Instead, ask, “Is there a better time for me to call? It sounds like you’re wrapped up with another matter. Is there someone else I could speak to?” Offer an alternate way of handling the matter, and try to build in a small cushion of time.

Finally, there’s the situation where someone else in Procurement took a call from a vendor — and rubbed them the wrong way. You know what happens next: Your phone rings, with a vendor who’s had a few minutes to build up a head of steam. Your best plan? Apologize, and play the good guy. “What can I do to help you?” Don’t worry too much about changing the vendor’s mood. Instead, focus on handling the original problem.

Tags: procurement, strategy, vendors