Summer is coming, and so are the holidays (for most of us). It is a chance to switch off, to catch your breath, but also to take stock of the past six months, to have a few moments of introspection so as to prepare properly for the return to work.
To help you do that, Prime Conseil will not be letting you go this summer! We will still ease off a little, while letting you unwind with reading that is sometimes less technical, but no less deep and interesting for it.
To open this summer season, we asked 12 contract managers from all backgrounds to give us one piece of advice, THE piece of advice that in their view is fundamental to the practice of contract management.
An article that takes you from theory to practice, to be consumed without moderation and shared with all your contract manager friends, whether junior or seasoned!
12 pieces of advice from contract managers to put in everyone’s hands:
Pierre-Flavien Mendoume“ To be a good contract manager, you have to be able to turn the operational teams into allies. The contract manager is a facilitator for the operational departments and must not be a brake on delivering projects. To get there, you need a strong capacity to listen and to adapt”
“ One of the contract manager’s fundamental contributions is the ability to establish a constructive dialogue, through active listening and a fine understanding of what is at stake for each party: they know how to listen actively to their counterparts, pick up weak signals and build a relationship of trust. That is often where the success of a project is decided. ”
Guillaume Maurin“ My advice as a contract manager is above all not to skimp on preparation time, because every hour spent preparing a negotiation saves you three during the discussions. So do not hesitate: analyse, structure, simulate: preparation is your best performance tool.”
“ Learn to read between the lines. Whether written or spoken, there is what is said and what is left unsaid. Unspoken points, silences and vague wording are often revealing. Dig, question, clarify. That is where the real issues are hiding.”
“ Venture into the subjects you have not mastered, be proactive by offering short contract awareness sessions – you will see, your colleagues are asking for them! Make them understand that you need them to roll out, together, a dynamic contract management that will be all the more robust for being practised collectively. ”
“ The contract manager does not simply react through the contract when difficulties arise: they anticipate, go out into the field, engage with the technical and financial stakes, and feed the project strategy. It is by getting concretely involved in their ecosystem that the contract manager creates both value and trust.”
“ When everything seems blocked, do not push harder – look elsewhere. The solution is rarely where everyone else keeps digging; it is more often found in the areas left in the shade. The role of the contract manager is to explore those spaces and bring out practical, elegant solutions. ”
“ My advice would be to regularly challenge the operational and technical teams because, even though the contract manager is not often expected to have deep technical knowledge, an outside perspective can bring inconsistencies to light or clarify key elements of the project.”
Yanis Bouyakoub“ Negotiation does not begin on the day itself. It is prepared well in advance, by working on the stakes, the room for manoeuvre and the sensitive points. That preparatory work means you face suppliers more calmly, avoid contractual ambiguities and defend solid positions without improvising.”
“ The CM must be a business partner who takes shape within the project and take off the gown of the mere order-taker.”
Henri Zouingnan“ Keep developing the quality of your communication. Take the time to build relationships of trust with the project, procurement, legal and supplier teams. Listen, ask the right questions, and make your messages clear, useful and actionable. It is by being at the heart of the exchanges that you will spot the gaps and the risks early, that you will keep the contract alive, detect opportunities, and become a true strategic facilitator. ”
Pierre Marchès“ My advice for performing over the long term is to keep your passion for contract management alive by drawing inspiration from your peers and their experience, by cultivating a learner’s mindset, and by training continuously in new practices, including ones on the fringes of contract management. In the difficult moments, or when facing the most complex challenges, it is that passion, that flame, that lets you surpass yourself. ”
Conclusion: one forewarned contract manager is worth 12
Preparation, listening, understanding, questioning, involvement, challenge, trust, passion, and so on: so many concepts to put into practice in day-to-day contract management & administration, which should ring in the ear of every contract manager, and on which we leave you to reflect all summer!