In a recent post, Jason Busch wrote what has to be one of the all-time best analogies I have ever read:
“Replacing a seasoned chief procurement officer with a narrow supplier diversity specialist in her place, someone without anything close to the experience (or the seniority), is akin to making the gal who oversees the popcorn stand at a rural movie theater the CEO of AMC, thinking her knowledge of extra butter is transferable to corporate finance, box office sales, content strategy, and business strategy.”
I will wait about ten years, then use it as my own 😉
So, why am I sharing an excerpt from a smartly written article about the ousting of a top CPO in Chicago?
Because good writing isn’t about facts alone – it is about understanding what those facts mean from a real-world, practical experience standpoint. I mean, come on, do you really think that ChatGPT would come up with a line like: “making the gal who oversees the popcorn stand at a rural movie theater the CEO of AMC, thinking her knowledge of extra butter is transferable to corporate finance, box office sales, content strategy, and business strategy.”
First-Hand, Real-World Experience
One of ChatGPT’s significant advantages is that it levels the playing field so that every case study, blog, and LinkedIn post reads like a Shakespearean work of art. The right words are in the right places. However, a level playing field does not mean you are raising the bar—in fact, it may be lowering it in critical areas, e.g., scraping.
By the way, ChatGPT isn’t the villain in this play. Our laziness and expedience are the problem. Like my old Funk & Wagnalls and Google search capability before it, it is an excellent tool for research but not so much for true understanding.
Everything I read today from almost every solution provider sounds virtually the same—punctually correct and numbingly factual. It doesn’t tell you whether the person behind the words knows what they are writing from a practical, real-world experience standpoint. This critical disconnect is one of the reasons why I wrote an article last year about the necessity for solution provider leadership to step out from behind their company logo. In short, do they “get it” to the point that they are solving problems versus pushing products, e.g., technology.
Behind And Beyond The Brochure
When selecting a solution provider for my analyst map, I look for the subtle yet vital element of problem understanding to determine if their solution extends beyond a well-written brochure or case study. Granted, digging deep takes more time and requires a combination of experience, expertise, and, to a certain extent, gut instinct, but the investment is worth it. Here is one example of the start of deeper digging and the corresponding rebuttal.
The three links in the above paragraph nicely sum up what ChatGPT will never be able to do—create meaningful engagement and dialogue that leads to essential insight, understanding, and, ultimately, your best chance for success.
Today’s Solution Provider
Why am I about to introduce you to a solution provider that I am just now beginning to assess? Because of a somewhat obscure article written by the company’s Founder and COO on October 26th, 2020.
Yes, the piece ultimately descends into a “look at us – we’re great” infomercial, but before then, it demonstrates actual industry knowledge and experience, which is the foundation for success. Here is an example:
“That all-in-one package didn’t look so shiny anymore. And by acquiring more tools outside that centralized ERP product suite, businesses watched their toolset that was already broken down, break down even further. Because sadly, a system that’s designed to do everything well—ends up doing nothing well.”
There is so much more to glean from the above article, but when I stumbled on this text, it demonstrated an understanding that I do not often read in articles today, let alone four years ago. Once again, a well-worded ChatGPT brochure or case study isn’t based on an individual’s unique perspective and experience or goes beyond “extra butter knowledge.”
By the way, the article was written by Joe Garafalo. Mr. Garafalo is the Founder and COO of Mosaic, and now that they are on my radar screen, you will be hearing a lot more about him and his company in the coming weeks.
Stay tuned!
Do You Know Me?
30
Procurement Insights
Solution provider selection and how to overcome ChatGPT factual numbing
Posted on June 2, 2024
0
In a recent post, Jason Busch wrote what has to be one of the all-time best analogies I have ever read:
“Replacing a seasoned chief procurement officer with a narrow supplier diversity specialist in her place, someone without anything close to the experience (or the seniority), is akin to making the gal who oversees the popcorn stand at a rural movie theater the CEO of AMC, thinking her knowledge of extra butter is transferable to corporate finance, box office sales, content strategy, and business strategy.”
I will wait about ten years, then use it as my own 😉
So, why am I sharing an excerpt from a smartly written article about the ousting of a top CPO in Chicago?
Because good writing isn’t about facts alone – it is about understanding what those facts mean from a real-world, practical experience standpoint. I mean, come on, do you really think that ChatGPT would come up with a line like: “making the gal who oversees the popcorn stand at a rural movie theater the CEO of AMC, thinking her knowledge of extra butter is transferable to corporate finance, box office sales, content strategy, and business strategy.”
First-Hand, Real-World Experience
One of ChatGPT’s significant advantages is that it levels the playing field so that every case study, blog, and LinkedIn post reads like a Shakespearean work of art. The right words are in the right places. However, a level playing field does not mean you are raising the bar—in fact, it may be lowering it in critical areas, e.g., scraping.
By the way, ChatGPT isn’t the villain in this play. Our laziness and expedience are the problem. Like my old Funk & Wagnalls and Google search capability before it, it is an excellent tool for research but not so much for true understanding.
Everything I read today from almost every solution provider sounds virtually the same—punctually correct and numbingly factual. It doesn’t tell you whether the person behind the words knows what they are writing from a practical, real-world experience standpoint. This critical disconnect is one of the reasons why I wrote an article last year about the necessity for solution provider leadership to step out from behind their company logo. In short, do they “get it” to the point that they are solving problems versus pushing products, e.g., technology.
Behind And Beyond The Brochure
When selecting a solution provider for my analyst map, I look for the subtle yet vital element of problem understanding to determine if their solution extends beyond a well-written brochure or case study. Granted, digging deep takes more time and requires a combination of experience, expertise, and, to a certain extent, gut instinct, but the investment is worth it. Here is one example of the start of deeper digging and the corresponding rebuttal.
The three links in the above paragraph nicely sum up what ChatGPT will never be able to do—create meaningful engagement and dialogue that leads to essential insight, understanding, and, ultimately, your best chance for success.
Today’s Solution Provider
Why am I about to introduce you to a solution provider that I am just now beginning to assess? Because of a somewhat obscure article written by the company’s Founder and COO on October 26th, 2020.
Yes, the piece ultimately descends into a “look at us – we’re great” infomercial, but before then, it demonstrates actual industry knowledge and experience, which is the foundation for success. Here is an example:
“That all-in-one package didn’t look so shiny anymore. And by acquiring more tools outside that centralized ERP product suite, businesses watched their toolset that was already broken down, break down even further. Because sadly, a system that’s designed to do everything well—ends up doing nothing well.”
There is so much more to glean from the above article, but when I stumbled on this text, it demonstrated an understanding that I do not often read in articles today, let alone four years ago. Once again, a well-worded ChatGPT brochure or case study isn’t based on an individual’s unique perspective and experience or goes beyond “extra butter knowledge.”
By the way, the article was written by Joe Garafalo. Mr. Garafalo is the Founder and COO of Mosaic, and now that they are on my radar screen, you will be hearing a lot more about him and his company in the coming weeks.
Stay tuned!
Do You Know Me?
30
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