Procurement’s Real Problem Isn’t the Seat at the Table. It’s the Language Being Spoken.
Industry leaders say the function must stop reporting savings percentages and start translating wins into the only dialects executives understand: cash, risk, and growth.
When Finance presents to leadership, they talk about growth. When Sales presents, they talk about wins. When Operations presents, they talk about performance.
When Procurement presents, they talk about savings percentages and compliance adherence.
That disconnect, according to a growing chorus of supply chain executives, explains why procurement struggles for strategic recognition despite managing billions in corporate spend.
“We’re selling aspirin to people who don’t think they have a headache,” observed Juan F. P., founder of Success Procurement Consulting, in a post that sparked vigorous debate among procurement professionals worldwide.
The diagnosis resonated. But the proposed cure, a fundamental shift in how procurement communicates value, generated even more discussion about whether the problem runs deeper than language alone.
The Translation Problem
Marcel Van Wonderen, a procurement and supply chain transformation advisor and former IBM executive, framed the challenge bluntly. “Leadership doesn’t reject procurement. They reject irrelevance.”
He added a memorable observation: “No one remembers a percentage saved. But they do remember the product launch that happened with important third party content.”
Muhammad Arham Khan, a procurement professional specializing in renewable energy, captured the shift required. “Procurement doesn’t need louder voices. It needs better translators. When we convert savings into shareholder value, risk into resilience, and sourcing into strategy, the room listens.”
The original post proposed concrete changes: Replace “€4.8M category renegotiation” with “the reason Product Launch X stayed on budget.” Kill the 40-slide quarterly deck and replace it with three stories the CFO can repeat to the board without procurement in the room.
Tomasz Tyras, a senior supply chain and operations expert, expanded on this framework. “Procurement often reports in ‘internal metrics’ while leadership listens in ‘business outcomes.’ Savings percentage and compliance are fine, but they do not explain what stayed on track, what risk was avoided, or what speed was unlocked.”
He offered a litmus test for effective communication. “The move is to translate every procurement win into one of three board dialects: cash, risk, or growth. If it cannot be repeated by the CFO in one sentence, it is not a message yet.”
Beyond Communication: A Structural Problem
Not everyone agreed that better storytelling solves the underlying issue. David Castro Yáñez, an operations leader focused on productivity and implementation, challenged the premise.
“I agree with the overall point, but I think the issue goes beyond communication or language,” he wrote. “The real challenge is how Procurement KPIs are defined and how performance is measured. If the function is assessed primarily on savings, it will naturally report savings.”
He identified the root cause. “The need to ‘translate’ that into broader business impact signals a structural misalignment, not a communication gap. This starts with rethinking Procurement’s strategic objectives and KPIs, led by the CPO, so that value creation is embedded in how performance is measured, not retrofitted in how it is presented.”
Elvira Tiurina, a procurement leader with experience on LNG and EPC mega-projects, confirmed this misalignment exists widely. “We have 30+ slides deck and it is awkward to tell we do our job well. The main question is the value. If 50% of procurement KPIs don’t match business needs, so... You understand what I mean.”
The response acknowledged an uncomfortable truth. “If 50% of Procurement KPIs don’t match what the business actually cares about, the problem isn’t storytelling. It’s alignment. A 30-slide deck is usually a symptom, not the cause. We create more slides when we’re unsure our metrics prove relevance.”
The Data Storyteller Imperative
Fabian Landsinger, a procurement lead specializing in aviation training devices, identified a capability gap. “Turning data into stories is a key future competency. Procurement overall is still struggling to express its true strategic value. It’s on us to develop more ‘Data Storytellers.’”
Stefan Lenhart, who fixes broken supply chains for SMEs, illustrated what effective translation looks like. “Your CFO couldn’t care less about order lot size optimization. They will care if you can trace that to a six-digit working capital reduction.”
He warned of the consequences of failing to adapt. “If procurement pros are unable to translate what we’re doing into numbers and facts that show an impact to the business, the function will always remain sidelined.”
Saleh Aljneibi, a senior procurement and contracts manager in government administration, distilled the maturity journey into one sentence. “Procurement maturity isn’t just capability. It’s narrative alignment with enterprise priorities.”
The Emotional Dimension
Rahul Vashistha, a former board member at Nestrade Procurement with global leadership experience, added nuance that purely rational approaches miss. He identified several challenges procurement must navigate beyond language.
“Managing the emotions of sense of possessiveness of budget owners. Withdrawal symptoms of losing commercial ownership. Perception that procurement is COST and/or SERVICE focus and NOT BUSINESS focus.”
His prescription: “Establish that Procurement understands business as much as business stakeholders and works with business, for business.”
Alfred “Vaughn” Melson, a senior sourcing specialist, suggested borrowing techniques from an unexpected source. “Explore how to apply emotional intelligence. YouTube ‘Chris Voss Hostage Negotiator’ and move to the head of the table where you, procurement, belong.”
His insight: “If someone has to defend their position, they will. If they feel understood, they’ll reconsider it themselves.”
Letting Go of Credit
One of the most counterintuitive recommendations from the original post drew significant support: make procurement’s wins belong to everyone. Let the business take the external credit. Earn the internal trust.
Marina Ayad, a procurement professional based in the UAE, endorsed this approach. “This approach not only builds trust, but also positions you as a true business partner, creating real value for the wider organization rather than focusing on departmental recognition or personal pride.”
Amalia Sepulveda Corzo, a supply chain manager with 18 years of experience across oil and gas, energy, mining, and agribusiness, summarized the required transformation. “The shift isn’t operational. It’s narrative. And that starts by speaking in business outcomes, framing trade-offs in strategic terms, and connecting every initiative to EBITDA, growth, or risk.”
Proactive Presence
The original post recommended a behavioral change: stop waiting for invitations to strategy meetings. Bring one relevant insight per week. Short. Unsolicited. Useful.
Olugbenga Odusanya, a global supply chain and procurement thought leader, framed the opportunity. “Procurement earns strategic influence when it speaks the business language of value, risk, and impact, not just savings metrics and compliance numbers.”
Peter Gyurak, a procurement consultant and trainer, offered a reality check about what leadership actually values. “The ‘Table’ doesn’t care about the process of procurement, only the byproduct of it.”
Maria Del Pilar Cristobal Rico, a procurement manager focused on complex negotiation and risk mitigation, emphasized the listening component. “It is crucial to learn how leaders truly listen and to adapt our message in accordance.”
The Path Forward
The debate revealed a profession wrestling with its identity and influence. Some see the solution in better communication. Others point to structural changes in how procurement is measured. Most agree that the status quo, where procurement presents savings percentages to executives who think in terms of growth, wins, and performance, cannot continue.
None of the proposed solutions require new tools, additional budget, or transformation programs. They require changing how procurement communicates value. Or, as one practitioner put it, unlearning how procurement teams are taught to communicate and learning how leaders truly listen.
The question facing every procurement professional: Are you reporting what you saved, or showing what you made possible?
Continue the discussion with procurement and supply chain professionals on Chain.NET.
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