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Influence is one of the most essential and misunderstood skills in procurement.

In this episode, we unpack what it really means to influence effectively in your procurement career. Not manipulation, not power play, but the kind of influence that builds trust, credibility and long-term results.

We talk about why influence starts with mindset, not methods, and why understanding your own relationship with influence matters more than any quick-win technique.

We cover:

 • What true influence looks like in procurement today
 • How confidence, mindset and perception affect your ability to influence
 • The link between self-awareness and authentic impact
 • Why long-term relationships matter more than short-term wins
 • How to use storytelling, credibility and trust to make your voice heard

We also share real experiences from our own coaching work, from early career professionals finding their voice to senior leaders navigating complex stakeholder environments.

Thanks for joining. We’re so glad you’re here.

👥 Hosted by:
 Donna Bowden | Procurement Career Coach, Narrate Your Career
 Laura Sellers | Executive and Leadership Coach, Coaching for Procurement

📅 New episodes weekly
 🎧 Listen on Apple & Spotify
 📺 Full episodes available on YouTube: Procurement Pivots
 📌 Follow us on LinkedIn: Procurement Pivots
 💬 Got a topic or challenge you'd like us to cover? Let us know on the LinkedIn page.

Send us Fan Mail

What does it really take to create a procurement career that feels right for you, not one that just happens to you?

In this episode, we explore what “planning for success” means, not as a rigid checklist but as an intentional practice that helps you shape your career on your terms. Too often, procurement professionals focus on delivering for everyone else, their teams, stakeholders, and organisations, without pausing to plan what they actually want next.

We cover:

• Why being intentional in your career decisions matters more than having a perfect plan
• How to focus on what you can control rather than what you can’t
• The role of values and emotions in shaping a career that feels fulfilling
• Why small, consistent actions create more momentum than big plans that never start
• How to prioritise yourself without guilt and build a career that genuinely fits
  
  

We also share honest reflections on the challenges procurement professionals face when trying to find the balance between ambition, fulfilment and control, and how you can take practical steps to regain clarity and direction in your career.

Thanks for joining. We’re so glad you’re here.

👥 Hosted by:
 Donna Bowden | Procurement Career Coach, Narrate Your Career
 Laura Sellers | Executive and Leadership Coach, Coaching for Procurement

📅 New episodes weekly
 🎧 Listen on Apple & Spotify
 📺 Full episodes available on YouTube: Procurement Pivots
 📌 Follow us on LinkedIn: Procurement Pivots
 💬 Got a topic or challenge you'd like us to cover? Let us know on the LinkedIn page.

Send us Fan Mail

How well are you storytelling in your procurement career?

In this episode, we explore how storytelling has become one of the most powerful and underrated skills in a procurement professional’s toolkit. Whether you are influencing stakeholders, leading a team or positioning yourself for your next move, your ability to communicate your story can make all the difference.

We cover:

• Why storytelling is a vital leadership and communication skill in procurement
• The difference between describing what you do and communicating who you are
• How to bring context and impact into your stories so they truly resonate
• How to use storytelling to influence stakeholders and shift procurement’s perception
• Practical ways to use social proof and facts to show your impact without feeling like you are bragging
• Why the story you tell yourself matters just as much as the one you share with others

We also talk about how storytelling can boost your confidence, help you connect more authentically and make your message memorable in a competitive market.

Thanks for joining. We’re so glad you’re here.

👥 Hosted by:
 Donna Bowden | Procurement Career Coach, Narrate Your Career
 Laura Sellers | Executive and Leadership Coach, Coaching for Procurement

📅 New episodes weekly
 🎧 Listen on Apple & Spotify
 📺 Full episodes available on YouTube: Procurement Pivots - YouTube
 📌 Follow us on LinkedIn: Procurement Pivots
 💬 Got a topic or challenge you’d like us to cover? Let us know on the LinkedIn page.

Send us Fan Mail

What if the network you need to move forward in your procurement career is already there, and you’re simply not using it?

In this Truth episode, we talk openly about the role of networking in procurement careers. Not the uncomfortable, transactional, awkward version of networking many people imagine, but the real version: building meaningful relationships that support your growth, your visibility and your opportunities.

We cover:

• Why many procurement professionals network brilliantly for their organisation, but not for themselves
• The misconceptions about what networking is (and what it is not)
• Why so many senior professionals feel uncomfortable with networking, even though they already have the skill set
• The reality of how most procurement roles are actually secured today
• How to reframe networking so it feels natural, purposeful and genuinely enjoyable
• Practical ways to start or restart your networking in a way that fits your personality and style

We also share real stories of what happens when networking is avoided until it is urgently needed, and why building relationships before you need them is one of the most important career habits you can develop.

Thanks for joining. We’re so glad you're here.

👥 Hosted by:
 Donna Bowden | Procurement Career Coach, Narrate Your Career
 Laura Sellers | Executive and Leadership Coach, Coaching for Procurement

📅 New episodes weekly
 🎧 Listen on Apple & Spotify
 📺 Full episodes available on YouTube: Procurement Pivots
 📌 Follow us on LinkedIn: Procurement Pivots
 💬 Got a topic or challenge you'd like us to cover? Let us know on the LinkedIn page.

Send us Fan Mail

What happens when everything just feels too much?

In this episode, we tackle a feeling that almost every procurement professional experiences at some point in their career: overwhelm. From the constant demands of stakeholders to ever-growing workloads and shifting expectations, it’s easy to feel like you’re running just to stand still.

We explore:

• Why overwhelm isn’t failure but a signal that something needs to change
• How to decode what’s really driving your feelings of overload
• The importance of focusing on what you can control, not everything at once
• How boundaries and small steps can help rebuild clarity and confidence
• Practical ways to regain focus, perspective and energy

This episode is for you if you’ve ever felt stuck, exhausted or unsure how to move forward. It’s a reminder that progress is possible, even when it feels out of reach.

Thanks for joining us. We’re so glad you’re here.

👥 Hosted by:
 Donna Bowden | Procurement Career Coach, Narrate Your Career
 Laura Sellers | Executive and Leadership Coach, Coaching for Procurement

📅 New episodes weekly
 🎧 Listen on Apple & Spotify
 📺 Full episodes available on YouTube: Procurement Pivots – YouTube
 📌 Follow us on LinkedIn: Procurement Pivots
 💬 Got a topic or challenge you’d like us to cover? Drop it in the comments or message us via the LinkedIn page.

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode, we talk about an underlying theme in our coaching sessions: validation.

Whether it’s feeling unseen by stakeholders, overlooked for promotion, or questioning your own value, validation sits at the heart of confidence, motivation and influence in procurement careers.

We explore:

• The difference between external and internal validation and why both matter
• How over-relying on others’ approval can quietly hold you back
• Ways to recognise and communicate your value with credibility
• How to give validation to others as a route to stronger influence
• Why celebrating your own progress is essential for self-belief

This episode is for you if you’ve ever felt undervalued, invisible or unsure how to get recognised for your impact and you’re ready to turn recognition into real influence.

Thanks for joining us. We’re so glad you’re here.

👥 Hosted by:
 Donna Bowden | Procurement Career Coach, Narrate Your Career
 Laura Sellers | Executive and Leadership Coach, Coaching for Procurement

📅 New episodes weekly
 🎧 Listen on Apple & Spotify
 📺 Full episodes available on YouTube: Procurement Pivots – YouTube
 📌 Follow us on LinkedIn: Procurement Pivots
 💬 Got a topic or challenge you’d like us to cover? Drop it in the comments or message us via the LinkedIn page.

Send us Fan Mail

What does imposter syndrome really mean for procurement professionals, and how can we move past it?

In this episode, we dive into one of the topics our listeners requested: imposter syndrome. While the phrase is widely used, we question whether it actually helps or whether it holds us back by labelling a very normal, very human experience.

We cover:

• Why imposter feelings often arise during transitions and growth moments
• How labels like “imposter syndrome” can both normalise and limit us
• A model that reframes self-doubt as a stage of learning
• The link between comfort zones, confidence, and career progression
• Why alignment with your values is key to reducing imposter feelings
• The role of feedback in building self-belief and resilience

We also share candid reflections from our own journeys, how these feelings have shown up for us, and the coaching tools we use to help clients move from self-doubt to self-belief.

Thanks for joining. We’re so glad you’re here.

👥 Hosted by:
 Donna Bowden | Procurement Career Coach, Narrate Your Career
 Laura Sellers | Executive and Leadership Coach, Coaching for Procurement

📅 New episodes weekly
 🎧 Listen on Apple & Spotify
 📺 Full episodes available on YouTube: Procurement Pivots - YouTube
 📌 Follow us on LinkedIn: Procurement Pivots
 💬 Got a topic or challenge you'd like us to cover? Drop it in the comments or message us via the LinkedIn page.

Send us Fan Mail

Is perfection really the goal – or is it actually holding you back?

In this episode, we explore how striving for perfection can stall progress in procurement careers, and why embracing action (even if it feels messy) is often the real key to growth. From strategic plans to job searches, we look at how waiting for the “perfect moment” can stop you moving forward.

We cover:

• How the pursuit of perfection shows up for procurement professionals
• Why fear is often at the root of “waiting until things are ready”
• Real examples of how striving for perfection can stall career moves and leadership impact
• Why messy action builds resilience, momentum, and confidence
• The power of small steps to unlock bigger opportunities

We also share candid reflections from our own journeys – when perfection has held us back, when progress has paid off, and what we’ve learned along the way.

Thanks for joining. We’re so glad you’re here.

👥 Hosted by:
 Donna Bowden | Procurement Career Coach, Narrate Your Career
 Laura Sellers | Executive and Leadership Coach, Coaching for Procurement

📅 New episodes weekly
 🎧 Listen on Apple & Spotify
 📺 Full episodes available on YouTube: Procurement Pivots - YouTube
 📌 Follow us on LinkedIn: Procurement Pivots
 💬 Got a topic or challenge you'd like us to cover? Drop it in the comments or message us via the LinkedIn page.

Send us Fan Mail

What does self-employment really look like in the procurement world?

In this episode, we open up about the realities of running your own business – the highs, the lows, and everything in between. While many dream of the freedom that self-employment promises, the truth is often more complex.

We cover:

• The different paths into self-employment in procurement
• Why knowing your purpose matters when the journey gets tough
• The freedom and creativity self-employment can offer – and the trade-offs that come with it
• The honest challenges business owners face that don’t show up on LinkedIn
• Practical tips if you’re considering making the leap yourself

We also share candid reflections from our own journeys – what’s worked, what hasn’t, and the lessons we’ve learned along the way.

Thanks for joining. We’re so glad you’re here.

👥 Hosted by:
 Donna Bowden | Procurement Career Coach, Narrate Your Career
 Laura Sellers | Executive and Leadership Coach, Coaching for Procurement

📅 New episodes weekly
🎧 Listen on Apple & Spotify
📺 Full episodes available on YouTube: Procurement Pivots - YouTube
📌 Follow us on LinkedIn: Procurement Pivots
💬 Got a topic or challenge you'd like us to cover? Drop it in the comments or message us via the LinkedIn page.

Send us Fan Mail

What are the hard truths about how procurement is perceived, and what role do we play in shaping that?

In this episode, we tackle one of the most uncomfortable but important topics: the perception of procurement. Too often the focus is on how others see us, but are we, even unintentionally, fueling those same perceptions ourselves?

From the memes we share on LinkedIn to the self-limiting beliefs we hold (“I’m just a buyer”), how we show up has a huge impact on how procurement as a function and we as professionals are seen.

We cover:

• Why perceptions of procurement still create a barrier and why they’re not the full picture
• How “perception is projection” can help us uncover what’s really going on inside
• The difference between fuelling negative narratives and shaping positive ones
• Why procurement isn’t always good at marketing itself (and how to start shifting that)
• The importance of owning your story, your voice, and your influence
  
  

We also share candid reflections on the responsibility we all hold, as professionals and as content creators, to shape the narrative of procurement in a way that adds value to the profession and our careers.

Thanks for joining. We’re so glad you’re here.

👥 Hosted by:
 Donna Bowden | Procurement Career Coach, Narrate Your Career
 Laura Sellers | Executive and Leadership Coach, Coaching for Procurement

📅 New episodes weekly
 🎧 Listen on Apple & Spotify
 📺 Full episodes available on YouTube: Procurement Pivots - YouTube
📌 Follow us on LinkedIn: Procurement Pivots
💬 Got a topic or challenge you'd like us to cover? Drop it in the comments or message us via the LinkedIn page.