Are You a Rule-Follower and Is This Impacting Your Procurement Career?

Put your hand up if you LOVE rules, processes, and routines? Some of us do, but many of us don’t. Processes, for example, can be a particularly sore point for procurement professionals. Many of us believe that, at the very least, these procurement processes need an overhaul.

Despite this, there are a lot of stated – and also unstated – rules in procurement teams, and many of them are there for good reason, for example, we all need to work to eliminate modern slavery, and best manage supplier relationships. However, given the constantly changing supply chain environment, it’s important to know when to follow the rules, and when they need to be bent just a little. 

So, are you a rule-follower, or rule-breaker, or something in between? Here are four different tendencies when it comes to following rules (thanks to Gretchen Rubin), what this might mean for you, and what you might need to do to ensure you’re flexible enough to succeed in the ever-transforming world of procurement: 

Tendency 1: The Upholder

We’ve all got an Upholder in our lives. An Upholder is someone who accepts and follows rules, no matter what. They’re the type of person who: 

• Will complete every step of an RFP, even if it isn’t strictly necessary
• Can be relied upon to know the itty-bitty details of all of the rules
• Is great at following schedules, completing to-do lists and meeting deadlines
• Is very reliable and predictable.

But they can also be a little frustrating. Sometimes, you’ll find them completing steps that weren’t needed, just because they found them on some list, and this can detract from their efficiency. Because of their love of rules, they also don’t question processes, and sometimes that’s needed in order to be innovative in procurement. 

If you’re an Upholder, it might help you to take a step back from your current responsibilities, and think through what you’re doing, and why. While it might turn out that most rules you’re following are necessary, it’s important to be able to objectively assess why you’re doing what you’re doing and leave some room for flexibility. 

Tendency 2: The Questioner

If you’re a procurement professional and a parent, you’ll be familiar with the ‘questioning’ phase of young children. This phase begins in the toddler years and can reoccur at any time. It’s a lovely (but extremely irritating) phase when your child starts every interaction with you with a ‘Why?’ 

A Questioner is the adult version of this tendency. Basically, a Questioner is someone who questions rules, and then chooses to follow them (or not) according to their own judgement. 

Questioners have a multitude of great qualities, including:

• Proactively thinking about what procurement rules and processes might be working, and which might not 
• Actively questioning why a procurement rule might exist, and thus establishing its legitimacy 
• Innovating and staying agile
• Prioritising based on what’s most important (to them).

Questioning is great, until it isn’t. The reason it isn’t is because Questioners sometimes cherry-pick rules, and sometimes what is best for you, as a Questioner, may not be best for everyone else. If you feel you fall into the Questioner category, ensure that, when you’re following rules (or not), you’ve thought more broadly about the impact on everyone else.

Tendency 3: The Rebel

Another wonderful stage that all parents experience is when your child – usually at age 2 or 3 – goes from being a sweet baby to a little menace. Suddenly, compliance becomes rage, and they simply won’t follow any rules whatsoever. 

Just like the Questioner, the Rebel is the adult version of this. They don’t like rules, and are likely not to want to follow them.

On the surface, being a rebel might sound like an innately bad thing to be, but it isn’t. Some of the world’s greatest and most successful entrepreneurs were rebels who rarely followed rules.

Rebels typically: 

• Excel at innovation: they’re the first to think about how things can be done better 
• Can be more efficient and effective than others 
• Are good negotiators, as they are able to think on their feet and have a strong desire to win.

Rebels can be frustrating colleagues, though, because a lot of rules and processes in procurement exist for a reason. If you’re a rebel, consider thinking through why you aren’t following certain rules and processes (and if there’s not a good reason, consider adhering to them). Also, consider the impact of your behaviour on your colleagues.

Tendency 4: The Obliger

The last of the rule-following tendencies is the Obliger. People that fall into this category are very likely to follow rules set by others, but don’t meet their own expectations. This can create a frustrating cognitive dissonance where someone might do what is expected of them by everyone else in their procurement team, but make no time for their own initiatives or projects, or the rules and processes that could help them individually succeed. 

Obligers typically: 

• Are reliable and dependable: they are highly valued by their procurement team members 
• Always follow through and complete tasks 
• Often have superior supplier relationships 
• Are high-performers, but don’t brag about their achievements 
• Often feel frustrated with their inability to prioritise themselves and may have imposter syndrome.

If you’re an Obliger, know that it’s important to prioritise your own career, projects, rules and processes, just as much as it is external ones. It’s important to be able to balance both. 

Procurement is an ever-changing beast, and flexibility is key. Whatever your approach to following the rules, ensure that you self-reflect and aspire to do what’s required in the moment, as opposed to taking a one-size-fits-all approach. 

What type of rule-follower are you? Do you think this is helping or hindering your career and work relationships?