Supply chain professionals urged to develop negotiation skills
The Chairman of the Africa Strategic Advisory Board of the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS), Professor Douglas Boateng, has urged supply chain professionals to develop their negotiation skills for the benefit of their organisations.
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According to him, negotiation skills were the core strength of any supply chain professional instead of the bargaining skills that most professionals tended to rely on.
“Negotiation is a core strength of every supply chain professional. They need to harness it and develop this skill to help with the development of their organisation,” Prof. Boateng said.
He was speaking at the CIPS Pan African supply chain lecture series in Accra on the theme, “Were we ever on the same page?” Negotiate, agree on specificities and then contract.”
The lecture brought together supply chain management students from selected tertiary institutions as well as professionals to share ideas on the subject.
Negotiation, he said, was an important step in the supply chain management process which involved engaging for the mutual benefit of both parties unlike bargaining which just looked at selling what was available for short- term gains.
He said the supply chain professional was in a weaker position for focusing on just bargaining and not developing his or her negotiation skills.
“Negotiating involves engaging for mutual benefit after which there is the agreement. The agreement is the outcome of the negotiation, but it is important to agree on specificities before signing a contract,” he explained.
The signing of the contract, he said, was a means of solidifying the agreement that had already been entered into.
Advising supply chain professionals, Prof. Boateng said it was important for them to clearly identify and understand what they wished so they did not end up selling to the wrong people.
“You need to have the right team to do the negotiations. You appoint a lead negotiator because bargainers often focus on the short-term. You need to think long-term,” he said.
CIPS Ghana
The Chairperson of CIPS local branch in Ghana, Mrs Stella Addo, said the ultimate aim of the executive body was to build a formidable institute to champion the cause of supply chain managers in the country.
CIPS is the world’s largest procurement and supply professional organisation and is recognised throughout the world as the voice of the procurement and supply management profession.