How cultivating a growth mindset in your Procurement career can help you to break through the brick wall

In all the conversations about adding value in Procurement: cost savings, risk mitigation, compliance, there’s one powerful lever that rarely gets the spotlight: mindset. The way you think, learn, and lead might just be your biggest strategic advantage as a Procurement professional.

Specifically, a growth mindset: the belief that skills can be developed, mistakes are part of the process, and potential doesn’t have a ceiling.

Sound soft?

Not really.

In fact, it might be the most strategic tool you can bring to the table.

What exactly is a growth mindset?

Coined by psychologist Carol Dweck, a growth mindset is the opposite of a fixed mindset. Instead of thinking “I’m not a numbers person” or “I’m just not good at influencing stakeholders,” you say, “I can get better with effort, feedback, and learning.”

In a profession that is evolving at a rapid pace, being able to adapt, learn, and grow is everything when it comes to having an impact as a Procurement professional.

Why it matters in Procurement

Procurement is evolving from cost-cutter to value creator, from reactive firefighter to strategic partner. But let’s not pretend it's happening at the same speed everywhere. In some organisations, the shift is bold and loud; in others, it can feel more like watching paint dry. Still, no matter how fast (or slow) your environment moves, your mindset doesn’t have to wait for permission. Whatever environment you’re operating in as a Procurement professional, if you’re still thinking small, you’ll keep playing small. And that’s a waste of your potential.

A growth mindset helps you:

• Embrace challenges (like that tricky stakeholder who refuses to engage with Procurement at the right time)
• See feedback as fuel, not a threat
• Experiment with new tools, models, and ways of doing things
• Lead change with curiosity instead of fear

How to cultivate a growth mindset

Here are five practical (and very human) ways that you can start putting into practice now:

1. Catch Your Inner Critic. That voice that says “You’re not strategic enough”? That’s your fixed mindset talking. Catch it. Challenge it. Replace it with, “I’m learning what strategic looks like for me.”

2. Ask more curious questions of yourself. Shift from “can I do this?” to “how can I learn this?” or “who can help me?” Your brain loves solving puzzles, but sometimes it needs a more helpful hint to find the next piece.

3. Make learning a habit. Build micro-learning into your week at a time when you can stack it on top of something you already do. For example, if you commute to the office, listen to a podcast (shameless plug here, my new collaboration and podcast, Procurement Pivots, launches next week!)

4. Surround yourself with growth-minded people. Find colleagues, mentors and thought leaders who stretch your thinking. It’s hard to grow in an echo chamber. If you feel that there is nobody in your immediate environment, find inspiration from thought leaders elsewhere. Again, podcasts have really worked for me in the past as well as personal development books. Message me if you'd like to know my favourites!

5. Celebrate progress, not perfection Did you present to some very senior stakeholders for the first time? Amazing. If you came away from it focusing on the parts that weren’t flawless, apply the steps above. Growth is like building muscle; it happens in the reps, not in perfection. You could dwell on the awkward moments, or you could celebrate the fact that you did something you hadn’t done before. You stretched, you showed up, and now you’re stronger for it. That’s real progress. That’s a growth mindset in action.

Turning a growth mindset into a practice

And like any practice, it takes time, intention, and patience. But it will pay you back in spades. Because when you believe you can grow, you unlock more than your capability, you unlock the courage to try something new and take yourself further.

So here’s my challenge to you this week: what’s one thing you could try this week that your “fixed mindset” might normally talk you out of?

Be brave enough to try. Be curious enough to learn. Be kind enough to yourself to keep going.

I'm rooting for you, as always!

How Coaching For Procurement Ltd can help

Coaching For Procurement Ltd offers a full suite of coaching solutions designed to empower and support Procurement leaders and their teams; from Procurement team coaching through to ILM qualifications using the unique P.R.O.C.U.R.E® coaching methodology and frameworks, as well as 1:1 coaching.

Two important announcements:

• After 3 years of coaching in the Procurement space, I’m evolving my services to better reflect the depth, impact, and transformation this work brings. From September, my packages and pricing will be changing. If you've been thinking about working together, now’s a great time to get in touch before the updates come into effect. Let’s talk about what growth could look like for you: https://www.coachingforprocurement.co.uk/contact-me
• Procurement team coaching: if you are looking for some in-person support for your Procurement team, I only have one date remaining for 2025, please get in touch to secure this for your team.