Blog / Tom Verghese
Blog/
The Importance of Strategic Thinking
“It is not enough to be busy… the question is: what are we busy about?” How do you find the time for valuable strategic thinking? Last month, I ran a one-day workshop for senior leaders at a multinational organisation. One of the common themes that came up when we were establishing the ground rules for the session … Continue reading The Importance of Strategic Thinking
Why Fit In When You Were Born To Stand Out? : The Case for Workplace Diversity and Inclusion
There’s no question that diversity and inclusion is good for business. But, Tom Verghese explains why a new approach is needed. As part of the Bravo campaign, Procurious will be hearing from a number of high profile procurement leaders on the topics of diversity, equality and women in procurement. Diversity in our workplaces is important. It’s widely acknowledged … Continue reading Why Fit In When You Were Born To Stand Out? : The Case for Workplace Diversity and Inclusion
Dealing with Diversity – The Importance of Cultural Intelligence
Do you have the cultural savvy it takes to be considered a global player? The one characteristic that global procurement professionals need is cultural intelligence. When we are procuring domestically, we don’t think about our own culture. It isn’t until we are procuring and dealing with people of different cultures around the world that we … Continue reading Dealing with Diversity – The Importance of Cultural Intelligence
Navigating Rule Based Cultures
When dealing with different or rule based cultures, it’s important to remain mindful of differences, so as to avoid misunderstandings. Last month I had an assignment in Japan. On our first night in town, five colleagues and myself met in the bar of a major hotel where we had planned to have a pre-dinner drink … Continue reading Navigating Rule Based Cultures
Braving the Cross-Cultural Humour Divide
Humour can help to diffuse tension, break the ice or create camaraderie. However, frequently humour can get lost in translation when crossing the cultural divide. After Christmas I enjoyed a short holiday on the Great Ocean Road, Victoria with my family. As we were enjoying a walk along one of the many beaches I couldn’t … Continue reading Braving the Cross-Cultural Humour Divide
How Productive Are Your Teleconferences?
A recent project has prompted me to focus this month on the efficiencies of teleconferences. Lack of agendas, side conversations, inaudible background noises, late attendees, accent and language difficulties, alongside poorly facilitated calls that seem to go in circles, are just some of the everyday teleconference challenges. Although teleconferences are not a new phenomenon, somehow … Continue reading How Productive Are Your Teleconferences?
Correct Pronunciation Matters
How often do you meet a new person and have difficulty remembering their name? What do you do when you can’t pronounce a name? How do you ask a person how to pronounce their name without coming across as rude? These questions came to mind as I was working with a mining organisation last week. … Continue reading Correct Pronunciation Matters
How to secure trust when procuring across borders
Trust is the foundation of all good relationships. When sourcing across borders and cultures, the key variable between a successful and unsuccessful procurement strategy is trust. Trust includes reliability, truth, honesty, credibility, competency and predictability. If it is absent, commitment wanes and frustrations, misunderstandings and missed opportunities ensue. Procuring across borders: Do you have trust … Continue reading How to secure trust when procuring across borders