📊 𝟖𝟎% 𝐨𝐟 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭’𝐬 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐈𝐬 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐄𝐱𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

Source: Ardent Partners - CPO Rising Report

We move millions in spend, but we don't own our time.

Back-to-back meetings.

Chasing approvals.

Multiple time zones.

Hundreds of suppliers.

And still, not enough space to think.

This isn’t about one company.

It’s the reality for procurement teams around the world.

Procurement isn’t short on ambition. It’s short on bandwidth.

Execution is essential.

But strategy gets squeezed into whatever's left when it takes 80% of our capacity.

We can’t scale strategy if our calendar’s already full.

We control the spend. It’s time we control the agenda.

👇 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘮 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘪𝘮 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 10% 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦?

Additional tips: This is probably worth a whole article on its own, but here are a few quick tips to escape the 80% execution trap:

✅ Block thinking time in your calendar. Non-negotiable.

✅ Set clear thresholds for when procurement is involved, shift from “No” to “Yes, if.”

✅ Use and update the Eisenhower Matrix with your team at least monthly.

✅ Train stakeholders on negotiation, contract management, and performance monitoring so they rely less on you and can confidently handle lower-value spend.

✅ Don’t chase 100% spend coverage (especially with tight resources). Focus where you truly add value.

We don’t get strategic time by accident. We have to design for it.