Who Truly Cares About Your Category? Procurement Stakeholder Collaboration
- Lauri Vihonen
- May 13
- 3 min read
Category management is not just about analysis, plans, and goals – it is, above all, about collaboration. Without key stakeholders, no category initiative will go far. That’s why one of the most important early steps in category work is to identify the people and roles for whom the category genuinely matters. Who truly cares? Who wants to make an impact?
Stakeholders aren’t just those we actively work with. They are also individuals who hold power, responsibility, or a strong will regarding the category – for better or worse. Their expectations, interests, and goals must be understood for category management to become impactful, accepted, and strategically aligned.
Ask yourself these questions – they reveal your most critical stakeholders:
Who considers the category so important that they want to…
approve the category plan?
define its objectives?
track the realization of those objectives?
act as the sponsor and champion its success?
ensure it aligns with the organization’s strategic goals and programs?
How to identify other critically important stakeholders?
An org chart alone won’t tell the full story. That’s why I recommend going beyond the above questions and trying these practical approaches:
Listen to where your category is discussed – without you.
Is it mentioned in leadership meetings, finance, operations, or customer service? Does it show up in other people’s goals or concerns?
Watch who asks, comments, or challenges.
A stakeholder isn’t always a partner – it can be a demanding voice that wants to be heard or fears losing something.
Examine metrics and risks.
Whose KPIs does the category affect? Whose risks increase or decrease based on the category’s success?
Ask: whose daily work would change if the category changed?
These people often hold the key to implementation – through silent support or resistance.
A Practical Tool: Taking Stakeholder Collaboration Seriously
Procurement stakeholder collaboration starts with understanding needs. One effective way to begin is by using a simple yet powerful tool that walks you through these steps:
Identify the most important stakeholders
Analyze their requirements for procurement – needs, hopes, expectations, and concerns
Accept that the end solution may still be a “black box” – from their view, it’s not about the technical solution yet, but what matters most in the outcome
Gain your first sales arguments – why the category matters to them and how it supports their goals and roles
This approach helps build connections, trust, and visibility for your category work – long before a final plan is in place.
Summary: Procurement Stakeholder Collaboration
Identifying stakeholders isn’t about listing names – it’s about strategic empathy. The earlier and deeper you understand who cares and why, the more successful your category work will be.
I encourage you to try a (free) sparring session
📅 I specialize in procurement stakeholder collaboration. Book a free session with me – no commitment, just a conversation that might open a new path forward.
📧 Contact me directly:
Phone: +358 50 4381912
Website: www.leadersbeacon.fi
Best regards,
Lauri Vihonen
Author of the Blog - Specialist in Procurement Stakeholder Collaboration
I’ve written more than 200 blogs on procurement’s role, challenges, and opportunities – always grounded in real-world experience, successes, and lessons learned.
If you’re considering improving your procurement or recognized some familiar challenges, I recommend browsing my writings. You’ll find practical tools, insights, and ideas tailored to different industries and situations.
Comments