Imposter Syndrome in Procurement: the annoying companion from buyer to CPO

I had a great chat with a Procurement Leader last week at the Procurex conference about feelings of imposter syndrome.

Despite their qualifications, experience and good reputation, they’re still worried that they’re going to get found out.

That they’re going to slip up.

And then...career over.

I reminded them that we’re all just winging it to some degree.

That notion applies to all roles, from buyer to consultant or CPO.

These feelings can come and go at any stage of your career.

Even a CEO isn’t immune to these feelings.

Imposter syndrome doesn’t discriminate.

It will likely walk alongside you from your first role all the way up to CPO level.

It’s a sign of growth.

A step outside of the comfort zone.

And we should talk about it so much more than we do.

The voice might whisper that Procurement needs to show its worthiness of that seat at the table.

Or that we’d better not tell anyone that it’s an uncomfortable seat when we’re finally in it…what if they took it away again?

“Nope, sorry Procurement, you’re not ready” we might imagine the C suite saying.

And so, in this week’s article, I want to shine a light on how imposter syndrome can show up at every stage of your Procurement career.

At entry level

At this stage, these inner thoughts might sound like:

• “I don’t know as much as the team/stakeholders/suppliers (insert anyone and everyone here!) do.”
• “Everyone else seems to understand these processes"
• “What if I mess up this negotiation and cost the company thousands?”
• “What are all these acronyms?!”

You’re new(ish), you're learning fast, and the expectations feel heavy.

Procurement can feel demanding on all fronts: jargon, pressure, stakeholders…all of which make that little voice sound very loud.

And while you might be the newest member of the team, you need to remind yourself that everyone is learning, even the people you look up to.

Especially them.

They might not be at the same stage as you, but they’re trying to find firm footing in their new challenge.

Maybe your predecessor is now your line manager. Sure, they know the role inside out, but they’re facing fresh doubts in their new role.

A couple of helpful reframes if you are at this stage:

• You’ve earned that role where you are now. They’ve hired you for who you are and what you know right now, not for what you’re going to learn as time moves on. They don’t expect you to have all the answers yet.
• Your experience prior to this role counts. Look back at when you were learning in a previous role and where you eventually got to. You’ve been there before, you can do it again.

At new manager/leader level:

You’ve proved yourself at an operational level and now you're responsible for a team. Suddenly the tone of that inner voice shifts.

• “What if my team realises I don’t have all the answers?”
• “Am I really strategic enough to be leading this team?”
• “People think I’m confident, but I still second-guess every decision.”

Here, imposter syndrome might hide behind perfectionism, a need to be the "go-to" expert.

You’re leading with the legitimate title, but internally, you might still feel like you’re faking it.

A risk here is that the inner voice might tell you that it’s safer to stay within the operational detail. After all, that’s where you feel most comfortable after learning a category inside out.

So what might help here?:

• You’re on a journey to leadership and there are no shortcuts to being a great leader. You’ve made it on to the first rung of the ladder. Remember to have some self-compassion. The greatest leaders have navigated rocky terrain and it’s part of the story that they tell now. The wisdom they have gained has been through the climb, not upon gaining the title.
• Recognise that voice from when it showed up for you earlier in your career and how you overcame it. It’s the same fear but a different scenario. The same rule applies as above: you made it through last time, you can do it again.

At the top of the Procurement tree (whether that’s Head of, Director or CPO):

By now you’re probably used to the devil that sits on your shoulder. But you’ve managed to rise through the ranks and have worked under the assumption that the next promotion will cancel the imposter voice out.

If only.

The inner voice is alive and kicking and now the stakes might feel even higher.

• “Everyone expects me to be visionary and bold. What if I’m not?”
• “Am I actually influencing the business, or just reacting really well?”
• “What if I’m too risk-averse to lead this function where it needs to go?”

At this level you’re leading the way, often with no precedent to follow.

CPOs (or another title, but ultimately the head of the function) carry the weight of visibility and responsibility.

You might be in rooms where people nod at everything you say, but that doesn’t always silence the doubt.

Leadership is lonely.

And imposter syndrome at this level often comes with isolation.

You’re now starting to realise that no additional title or achievement will cancel out that annoying voice.

The solution is to give yourself the space to find a way to handle it, keep it at bay, or just tell it to do one while you deliver your strategy.

Tips for this stage:

• Decide on a way to combat the leadership loneliness – either with a trusted peer or an external sounding board.
• Same tip as in previous stages: same fear, new stage: trust your gut and fuel your courage by building upon the skills that got you here in the first place.

Overall tips:

Here are some tips that may help, regardless of the stage of your Procurement career: 

1. Break the fear down: identify which part of your role is causing the discomfort (I put the challenge to you that it’s not your entire role, it’s one particular part) and decide on one action to combat the imposter.
2. Build upon past successes: your previous wins are still relevant. Use them to fuel your courage and confidence to take the next step.
3. Make friends with the imposter: It’s not going away, it just shows up when we’re pushing forward. Give it a name if you like. When it raises its voice, thank it for its worries and keep on moving forward.

An important reminder

Imposter syndrome most likely exists in every level of your Procurement team, it just takes up different identities.

You are not alone. You are not a fraud. You are a work in progress…just like everyone else.

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. We work together on your inner game at these pivotal moments of your Procurement journey.

If you would like to explore a coaching approach to building Procurement's impact through coaching, please reach out to find out more: [email protected]