The Power of Nice: Why Soft Skills Are the New Secret Weapon in Procurement

At a recent Association for Supply Chain Management (ASCM) conference, a panel discussed the future of supply chain management. While there were many interesting insights on emerging technologies, global trade dynamics, and sustainability initiatives, the most striking aspect was the unanimous agreement among panellists from diverse backgrounds—seasoned leaders, recruiters, and industry experts alike. They all echoed the same sentiment: soft skills are reshaping the very DNA of procurement and supply chain management.

Don’t toss your technical playbook out the window, just yet. 

Mastering logistics and financial forecasting still matters. But your people skills will set you apart in this brave new world of procurement. It’s not about being a pushover – far from it. It’s about wielding empathy and communication like precision tools, forging ironclad partnerships that can weather any storm, and shifting the focus from “winning” negotiations to coming up with solutions that work for everyone.

The Rising Importance of Soft Skills in Procurement

The procurement world has changed dramatically, While technical skills are still important, today’s top procurement professionals need strong interpersonal skills, including emotional intelligence, empathy, and effective communication.

The New Currency: Emotional Intelligence in Action

Think about your last tough negotiation. What made the difference? Chances are, it wasn’t just your pricing strategy or forecasting skills. It was probably how well you read the room, understood the other party’s needs, or explained your position clearly.

Here’s a real example. Have you ever felt like the “the nice guy” in procurement. Sounds odd, right? However, your approach to building strong, fair relationships with suppliers saved them during COVID-19. While supply chains crumbled worldwide, our client secured critical components through the relationships they’d nurtured for years. 

The Human Touch in an AI-Driven World

AI and automation have immense potential in crunching numbers and handling routine tasks but their promise comes with a caveat. They can’t replace human judgement and interaction.  

Consider the “Media Richness Theory,” a fancy term for a simple idea: complex issues need richer communication. Email is fine for simple stuff, but nothing beats a face-to-face conversation when the stakes are high. And it’s here where procurement pros can really shine. As AI handles the grunt work, humans have more time to focus on building relationships, solving complex problems, and creating long-term value.

How Soft Skills Transform Procurement Professionals into Leaders

Training industry professionals in the art of negotiation reveals how soft skills can elevate procurement professionals from tactical buyers to strategic leaders. Securing the best deals is only part of the equation and is, frankly, short-sighted. It’s cultivating relationships that drives the most long-term value.

The Foundation: Building Credibility and Trust

It’s possible for procurement professionals to transform their careers by embracing the “Trust Equation,” a concept emphasising that true trust stems from credibility, genuine connection, and unwavering reliability.

The “power of nice” also comes into play here. Being nice may sound counterintuitive in high-pressure negotiations. It’s a way to negotiate incredibly beneficial deals without burning bridges by focusing on emotional intelligence and relationship-building to avoid costly disruptions and forge partnerships that stand the test of time.

For instance, picture a tense standoff between a manufacturer and its key component supplier over pricing and delivery terms. Instead of doubling down on demands for cost reductions, a procurement leader would take a breath and acknowledge the supplier’s quality concerns and financial pressures. They would then propose an innovative solution—perhaps a volume-based tiered pricing structure coupled with a joint cost-reduction initiative. 

This approach could transform the negotiation’s tone, demonstrating empathy while offering mutual benefits that outweigh any short-term gains from strong-arming.

The Strategic Power of Communication

Communication is the lifeblood of procurement leadership. It’s not about what you say, but how you say it and how well you listen. When professionals hone in on their empathy, active listening, and emotional intelligence skills, they can remake their negotiation outcomes by shifting the mindset from “winning” to “trading value. 

Then, there’s the opposite extreme: the disastrous effects of procurement professionals who negotiate just to win, without any consideration for soft skills or the “power of nice.” In one instance, a larger firm pushed its supplier to the brink and essentially bullied them out of business. While it might look like a win on paper, the long-term disruptions to the supply chain can be catastrophic.

Instead, the most effective leaders use their enhanced communication skills to manoeuvre complex stakeholder relationships, both internally and externally. They can articulate the value of procurement to the C-suite, align with other departments, and build strategic partnerships with suppliers that drive innovation and resilience.

Actionable Steps to Develop Soft Skills in Procurement

It’s easy to get caught up in the numbers game when it comes to procurement- best prices, fastest delivery times, optimal quality. But here’s the truth: your technical skills will only get you so far. countless deals made or broken based on a professional’s ability to connect, communicate, and collaborate. So, to tie this all together, here are five concrete steps you can start implementing today:

• Build Relationships, Not Just Deals: Stop thinking transaction-by-transaction and line-by-line. Get to know your suppliers as people. What keeps them up at night? What are their goals? Trust me, this approach pays off big time in the long run.
• Sharpen Your Emotional Intelligence: Learn to read the room. Is your supplier stressed? Excited? Nervous? Picking up on these cues can give you a serious edge. Plus, it’ll help you handle those tricky conversations we all dread.
• Listen Like You Mean It: Here’s a secret – the best negotiators are often the best listeners. Next time you’re in a meeting, really focus on what the other person is saying. You’d be amazed at what you might learn when you’re not just waiting for your turn to speak and embrace active listening.
• Use Tech Intelligently: Sure, automate the boring stuff. But remember, a computer can’t build relationships or read between the lines. Know when to let the machines do the work and when to bring that human touch.
• Embrace the “Power of Nice”: Again, the “power of nice” isn’t about being a pushover. It’s about approaching negotiations with a win-win mindset. When you focus on creating value for everyone, you’ll build a reputation that opens doors and closes deals.

Nice Guys Finish First: The Human Touch in Modern Procurement

Remember that old saying, “It’s not personal, it’s just business?” Well, it’s time to throw that idea out the window. You are not dealing with faceless corporations but working with real people who have real challenges, aspirations, and, yes, feelings. The “power of nice” isn’t about always saying yes. It’s about recognizing that there are human beings behind every negotiation, contract, and deal. When you can tap into that humanity – really listen, show empathy, and build genuine connections – that’s when the magic happens. 

Of course, your technical chops still matter. But your uniquely human skills will set you apart in a world where AI can crunch numbers faster than any of us. When you can read a room as easily as you read a financial report, you can turn a tense negotiation into a brainstorming session for mutual success. And that’s what makes a true leader. 

About the Author: Andres Lares is the Managing Partner at Shapiro Negotiations Institute and co-author of Persuade: The 4-Step Process to Influence People and Decisions. Lares’ expertise ranges from coaching live negotiations for sports clients, including the Cleveland Browns and Brooklyn Nets, to developing online content for facilitating real estate, advisory, media, banking, and pharmaceutical programs. He is a guest lecturer on negotiation and influencing and teaches a sports negotiation course at Johns Hopkins University.