"I left procurement twice. Not because I wasn’t good at it, but because the stress made me question if it was worth it.”

This is Tom's story

10 years ago, my job almost broke me

I remember it vividly. I was in the audience at my daughter’s school play. Rather than admiring her performance and swelling with pride, my mind was consumed with work. I couldn’t escape.

Stress followed me everywhere. Stakeholders dismissed my team. We felt like the business killjoy – an obstacle to overcome, not diligent workers to be respected. Every bit of Procurement compliance we tried to drive forward, led us feeling more misunderstood.

When all that stress stole my focus off my daughter, that was the final straw. I’d had enough.

Something had to change, and I started with myself

On paper, I had everything it’d take to run a procurement team. I had the technical knowledge, and the grit. So why was the job beating me down?

Then it hit me. I hadn’t learned how to do the really hard bits. Crunching numbers? No bother. But finding common ground with stakeholders? Negotiating? Building rapport? Difficult. They were soft skills that didn’t come naturally to me, so I had to study to get better at them.

As I worked to improve my soft skills, decision-makers started seeing me as an ally, not an enemy. Instead of fighting for a seat at the table, I was invited. Everything changed for the better.

Now, I teach soft skills to other procurement professionals - before they give up on the industry entirely, like I almost did.

My Procurement Soft Skills Mastery course has elevated countless careers

Let’s get it straight. In our industry, soft skills are overlooked. As a procurement worker, you’re generally expected to learn how to resolve conflict and negotiate by experience alone – while sales teams frequently get training on objection handling, and how to communicate better. It’s unfair.

While our department mightn’t face customers directly, we do face partners, service providers, and stakeholders – and those interactions can retain big contracts, or cost the business.

Our jobs aren’t just sums and spreadsheets. We manage assets, people, and expectations – and your training needs to reflect that. Your soft skills need to be developed.

It’s my mission to help you. I offer consulting, public speaking, and a course to equip you to:

✅ Engage stakeholders effectively—so you’re seen as an ally, not an enemy.

✅ Communicate with confidence—so tough conversations become easier.

✅ Advance in your career—without stress and self-doubt holding you back.

Sounds great, right?

Perhaps you even think it sounds too good to be true. I know I got so deflated in my procurement job that it felt irreparable, and I doubted the industry was for me.

Thankfully, learning soft skills changed everything. It brought my love for my job back. I want the same for you.

That’s why I made the Procurement Soft Skills Mastery course. For you.

"Tom doesn’t just understand procurement, he understands people

I watched him handle high-stakes conversations, manage difficult stakeholders, and drive real change without breaking a sweat. The soft skills he teaches aren’t ‘nice-to-have’—they’re essential.”

Picture of Tom King

Tom King

Head of Cyber Security

"Soft skills are your only USP.
AI can do so much these days, but it can't truly empathise or move people."

Here are 3 ways I can help you master soft skills and procurement

Join My Soft Skills Mastery Course

Let’s master your soft skills together, so you can handle the demands of your job with confidence.

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