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September 30, 2025
Back in May, I shared insights in a blog titled “Leadership Under Pressure – What the Data Tells Us, and How NIGP Is Responding.” In it, I highlighted troubling trends drawn from global leadership research: trust in managers falling to 29%, 71% of leaders reporting heightened stress, and time scarcity emerging as the top driver of burnout.
At the time, I noted these were not just abstract global concerns—they were showing up in procurement as well. That was confirmed by NIGP’s own survey of more than 4,000 practitioners, which reflected many of the same challenges in our field: rising complexity, tighter resources, and an urgent need for stronger leadership capacity.
The story was clear then—and it’s even clearer now: leadership in procurement is under real pressure. The question that remains is how we respond.
From Data to Development
As we approach this year’s NIGP Leadership Summit, that question is at the heart of the Impact Cohort. This program was created by NIGP specifically to address the leadership needs of today’s procurement professionals—drawing directly from the challenges revealed in both global research and our survey of over 4,000 practitioners.
The result is a curriculum designed not as theory, but as practical workshops for the realities procurement leaders are living.
1. Trust and Influence: Ethical Leadership in Complex Environments
When trust in immediate managers drops from 46% to 29%, rebuilding it becomes a strategic imperative. This workshop gives leaders the tools to align values with organizational goals, navigate political environments, and lead with credibility—even when authority is limited.
2. Resilient Leadership: Navigating Uncertainty with Strategy and Strength
With 71% of leaders reporting heightened stress, resilience isn’t optional. This session explores reflective decision-making, stress-as-growth frameworks, and prioritization under pressure—helping leaders stay grounded when disruption is constant.
3. People First: Building & Sustaining High-Performing Teams
Research shows employees who receive coaching are nine times more likely to trust their leader. This workshop focuses on coaching, recognition, and emotional intelligence—practices that shift teams from compliant to committed.
4. Innovation Lab: Designing the Future of Public Procurement
Leaders told us they need more space to experiment. The Innovation Lab answers that call, offering structured tools for creative thinking, prototyping, and systems change inside the public sector.
Why It Matters Now
The conversation we started earlier this year was about urgency: the data told us leadership gaps are real, and widening. This blog is about response: creating intentional opportunities to close those gaps.
The Impact Cohort at the 2025 NIGP Leadership Summit isn’t the only solution, but it’s one-way NIGP is investing in the profession’s capacity to lead with trust, resilience, people-first practices, and innovation.
For leaders navigating uncertainty, these aren’t abstract concepts—they’re daily skills. The Summit is a chance to step back, strengthen them, and return ready to apply them where it matters most.
Looking Ahead
The data reinforced what practitioners have been experiencing firsthand. The Impact Cohort at the NIGP Leadership Summit is one way to respond with purpose
Leadership in procurement has always demanded judgment, adaptability, and courage. But today, it also demands something else: a willingness to learn, to reflect, and to build new skills for a new era
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Todd Slater
