3 Easy Communication Tactics for Inspiring Those Around You

Have you ever walked away from a conversation, or a leadership program, or perhaps a TED talk, and felt truly inspired and invigorated? Have these interactions left you feeling like you have a new lease on life, and that suddenly you’re motivated to do even more with your career or your life? 

We all love feeling this way, and often we’re in awe of the leaders or presenters who manage to inspire us (we love them on a practical level, too. How much easier would it be to achieve great procurement outcomes if everyone around us was inspired?).  But too often, we think that communicating like this is simply out of our realm. Doesn’t it take an extreme level of confidence, charm and charisma to inspire others in this way? 

Confidence and charisma do help, but often, the reason we leave conversations feeling so invigorated is because the people we’ve just interacted with use some very specific techniques to inspire us. Here’s what they are, and how you can use them in your daily interactions to uplift your communication and make achieving your procurement goals that bit easier: 

Storytelling

One of the most powerful communication techniques available to use is storytelling. Humans are naturally drawn to stories – so much so, in fact, that we are 20 times more likely to remember something we’re told in a story format than if it were just facts. Stories make information more memorable and engaging and help to convey complex ideas in an accessible way. 

In a professional context, storytelling can illustrate key messages, share values, and connect emotionally with the audience.

How to use storytelling in your everyday procurement interactions

Here are some examples of how you can use storytelling to connect and inspire those around you: 

• Share personal experiences: When communicating with your team, share relevant personal experiences that illustrate your point. For example, if you are discussing overcoming challenges with a supplier, recount a time when you faced a similar issue and how you navigated through it. This not only humanises you and shows your team that you’re vulnerable, but also makes the message relatable and impactful.
• Use analogies and metaphors: These can simplify complex ideas and make them easier to understand. For example, if you’re explaining a new RFP process, take your team on the journey that a supplier may go through when working through the process, so they can understand different perspectives. 
• Highlight success stories: Success stories are among the most important stories you should tell, and it’s important to tell not only the big ones, but the small ones as well. For example, imagine you’re introducing a new procurement tool to your team. Instead of just explaining its features, you could tell a story about another procurement team’s success after implementing it, highlighting how it helped them meet deadlines more effectively and improved collaboration.

Active Listening

It may sound counterintuitive, but a big part of inspiring others is, in fact, first listening to them. Active listening fosters a sense of respect and validation, which can significantly boost morale and motivation. When people in your procurement team and those around you feel heard and understood, they are more likely to be engaged and invested in working with you. 

How to actively listen in your everyday procurement interactions

Here are some examples of how you can ensure you’re actively listening to others: 

• Give your full attention: When talking to your procurement colleagues, focus entirely on the person you’re in conversation with. Avoid distractions like checking your phone or multitasking. Make eye contact and show that you are engaged.
• Reflect and clarify: When you’re talking to someone ensure that you repeat back what you’ve heard to ensure understanding and show that you’re listening. For example, if someone is expressing their concern about a particular supplier, repeat what they’ve told you and reinforce that you’ll work together to address any risks. 
• Encourage openness: Create an environment where the people in your procurement team feel comfortable sharing their ideas and concerns. Ask open-ended questions (these can even be simple). For example, instead of ‘how is the RFP going?’, which invites a simple answer, ask ‘so, tell me all about how your RFP is going?’

Positive Reinforcement

If you’re a parent, you’ll know that for children, nothing is more motivating than positive reinforcement. Telling your children they are doing a great job of something works wonders, and encourages them to try again, keep going, and master skills. 

Unsurprisingly, as adults in the workplace, we also find positive reinforcement very motivating. In your procurement team, positive reinforcement builds confidence and motivation, and rewarding good work encourages repeat behaviour and fosters a culture of appreciation and encouragement.

How to use positive reinforcement in your everyday procurement interactions

Here are some examples of how you can ensure you’re actively listening to others: 

• Acknowledge achievements: When is the last time you told your procurement team member that they had done a good job of something? It’s so important to regularly recognise and praise those around you for their accomplishments, both big and small. And it’s particularly important if someone in your team has worked with, for example, a challenging supplier or situation, as positive reinforcement will boost their morale. 
• Celebrate milestones: Nothing is more positive that celebrating key milestones and successes with your procurement team. This could be as simple as saying ‘well done’ or ‘congratulations’ or it could be through taking someone (or the whole procurement team!) to have a coffee or lunch. 

‘Working in procurement is easy,’ said no one ever. But there are a whole host of things, big and small, you can do to inspire and motivate those around you every day. Consciously try to do them as often as possible to inspire procurement greatness. 

What do you do to inspire those around you? Let us know in the comments below.