From Professional Baseball to Public Procurement: My Unexpected Leadership Path

I’m obsessed with leadership. And I don’t use the word “obsessed” lightly. Just ask my dissertation advisor.

My leadership obsession didn’t happen overnight. It’s been building since I was drafted by the Los Angeles Angels as a center fielder. As I progressed through my professional baseball career, I saw first-hand how leadership can change a team's entire essence. I studied different managers and recognized that there wasn’t a universal way to get players to perform at a high level. What worked for one player didn’t work for another, and so the leaders needed to continually adapt their methods and figure out what worked best for a particular set of players.

Once my professional baseball career ended, I pivoted to working in public procurement almost immediately. I had managers with different leadership capabilities and styles, and I became even more interested in how leaders were (and weren’t) being trained to advance to the next level of management.

My Experience with NIGP and Leadership

When I first started my career in procurement, I was unaware of NIGP and all its great offerings. Once I finally had access to all the resources available from NIGP, I saw how much they offered in the way of resources and events to help me and others become not just managers but effective leaders at any level.

My introduction to NIGP coincided with my academic interest in leadership. I earned my Master’s in Public Administration and am currently working on the final stages of my Doctorate in Public Administration. My dissertation is focused on leadership, specifically how leadership can affect managerial effectiveness.

Managing is Not the Same as Leading

If you work in procurement long enough, you will get promoted through the ranks—that’s a great thing about this profession. However, not every organization prioritizes training managers as leaders, which can result in organizations with managers who don’t know how to lead.

This is where my passion lies. Managers need to understand the fundamental elements of leadership before they get to the level of the organizational hierarchy, whether it’s becoming a manager, director, or executive. This is an important topic I hope to cover on NIGP Radio in the coming months. There’s a gap in leadership training that many people are simply unaware of.

Advice to Up-and-Coming Leaders

Many great managers and organizations recognize the importance of training procurement professionals to become leaders. However, not every organization has this mindset. So, here’s my advice for individuals who may not have the organizational support they need to improve their leadership skills and prepare for the next level in their careers.

1. Find a Leader to Model

Find someone whose leadership style you admire. It can be someone from your organization or someone you’ve never met in real life. I found leaders to model through sports. You might find it elsewhere. For instance, maybe you had a professor who was also a great mentor. Or it could be someone you met at NIGP Forum or from your local chapter who is currently serving their organization at that next level of procurement leadership. Study that leadership model to clarify what you like about it and what skills you need to develop to achieve it.

2. Be Engaged

The most important thing a leader can do is engage with their team. The best leaders I’ve had in my life took the time to get to know the people on their teams personally, not just professionally. They ask how people are doing and genuinely listen to the answer, especially when the answer is more than “fine.” As you get to know your team, you’ll discover what motivates and discourages them, which is critical for ensuring your team’s success.

3. Get Uncomfortable with Yourself

Becoming a great leader requires taking an honest look at yourself. How do you interact with people, especially during times of conflict? What would your team say about how you lead? Be critical of yourself so you can identify your areas of weakness. Start with one weakness and work on improving it. Then go to the next and the next. One thing that’s true about leadership–you will always find new areas where you can improve!

Becoming a leader is a process, so don’t get discouraged if you feel like you haven’t achieved your leadership goals yet. NIGP has a lot of great resources to help you uncover your leadership style and build those essential leadership skills. Get active with your local chapter by volunteering for a leadership position. Attend webinars and events like NIGP Forum and Leadership Summit to meet other procurement professionals and leaders. And be sure to tune into NIGP Radio for more practical advice on how you can become a better procurement leader, no matter what title you carry.