This is a ‘sleepy’ week on the BMP events calendar, but don’t worry! If you had something else in mind, there are already 7 webinars on the calendar for next week. If you’re looking to plan your webinar schedule beyond this week, I recommend ‘Are you really MANAGING Procurement? (Or Does Stuff Just Happen…)’ on October 23rd from Per Angusta, Peter Smith (Spend Matters UK/EU), and Glen Lovett, Head of Group Procurement at FirstGroup. BTW: If you haven’t already, sign up for our mailing list to be sure you get my weekly recommendations in your Inbox each Monday.

This week’s webinars present another interesting combinations that are likely to be top of mind for leading procurement professionals. If you’re looking for something really different, I invite you to join #TakeActionOctober – this is an initiative started by my colleague and good friend Phil Ideson (Art of Procurement). Every day he posts a 5 minute podcast that includes a great message and an “action challenge”. I did it all last week, and it really is an enjoyable way to spend a few minutes a day. If you’re interested, it isn’t too late to get caught up. The full list of #TakeAction micro-pods can be accessed here. If you’re looking to plan your webinar schedule beyond this week, I recommend 'Integrating Supplier Risk Management into Your Procurement Processes' from SIG and SAPAriba on October 25th. In a rare webinar appearance, we’ll get to hear from Harold Good, Procurement Advisor, Futurist and Influencer for Procurement Pros Group LLC – although you probably know him better as @Hal_Good, Twitter influencer extraordinaire. BTW: If you haven’t already, sign up for our mailing list to be sure you get my weekly recommendations in your Inbox each Monday.

While we don’t have as many events to choose from this week as we did last week, the topics are fantastic. In fact, neither of the webinars I’m recommending is a straight on procurement-directed event. Taking in information on leading general business topics not only helps us come up with progressive ideas, it also keeps our eyes focused on the big picture of enterprise performance. If you’re looking to plan your webinar schedule beyond this week, I recommend “Risk is on the Rise, But Your Head Count is Not — How to Build a Business Case” from Lexis Nexis and Spend Matters’ Pierre Mitchell on October 25th at 2pm ET. BTW: If you haven’t already, sign up for our mailing list to be sure you get my weekly recommendations in your Inbox each Monday.

The last full week of September is going to be a busy one. There are 12 webinars taking place in three days and ProcureCon Indirect West will take place Monday through Wednesday in Scottsdale, AZ. A few of our good friends will be there, including Greg Tennyson, Michael Shaw, Joanna Martinez, Phil Ideson, and Bill Michels. If you’re looking to plan your webinar schedule beyond this week, I recommend RPA -  The BIG Picture 2018 from IRPA AI and Virtual Operations on October 10th at 12n ET. BTW: If you haven’t already, sign up for our mailing list to be sure you get my weekly recommendations in your Inbox each Monday.

This week presented me with a challenge on two levels – it was hard to select just three of the nine fantastic webinars taking place in the next few days, but it was just as difficult to decide which longer term event to suggest. At the end of the day, I compromised on a tie; both of the following events look amazing: The Future of Procurement: Why is Technology Lagging Behind? (ATK, IACCM, SirionLabs, Forbes) on September 25th at 11am ET The HFS Super Machine Learning Debate (HfS Research) on October 5th at 11am ET BTW: If you haven’t already, sign up for our mailing list to be sure you get my weekly recommendations in your Inbox each Monday.

Although webinars are primarily a ‘sit back and listen’ format, this week’s recommended webinars are all designed to SPUR you into action! There’s only so much talking procurement can do before the conversation turns to measurable results, and there is a lot of work to do if we are going to deliver in line with procurement’s full potential. If you’re planning a little further out, I recommend “Putting Data at the Center of Digital Procurement” with ISM and Zycus on September 18th at 2pm ET. BTW: If you haven’t already, sign up for our mailing list to be sure you get my weekly recommendations in your Inbox each Monday.

I thought this week might be so quiet that there wouldn’t be any webinars to recommend… Wrong-O! Monday will be a ghost town in most of the U.S. because of the Labor Day holiday, but things pick right back up for the rest of the week. Next week is already busy too, with 8 webinars and one conference already on the calendar. If you’re planning a little further out, I invite you to spend an hour of time with Phil Ideson (Art of Procurement) and I on September 11th or 12th. We’ve scheduled 3 live, virtual workshops that cover every conceivable time zone, so you really have no excuse not to be at one! By the end of the hour, you’ll have completed your own unique procurement catalyst plan for action – so have a pen and paper handy! Click here for more information. BTW: If you haven’t already, sign up for our mailing list to be sure you get my weekly recommendations in your Inbox each Monday.

For being the last ‘official’ week of summer, there are quite a few events listed – including two strong late additions, one from the Economist Intelligence Unit and another from IACCM. I’m not listing the EIU event on Mexico as one of my core recommendations, but I’ve already registered to attend – and for 2 reasons: 1. I’m a news junkie and want to get a business perspective on Andrés Manuel López Obrador (or “AMLO”), Mexico’s new leader, and 2. anyone in supply chain in North America owes it to themselves to understand the implications of such major a political shift. If you’re planning a little further out, I recommend “Taming the Long Tail - The Strategic Opportunity in Indirect Spend” from SIG and Bonfire on September 13th at 1pm ET. This webinar touches on a theme I’ve been thinking and writing about for a while now, that the path to strategic procurement goes straight through (not away from) our tactical responsibilities. BTW: If you haven’t already, sign up for our mailing list to be sure you get my weekly recommendations in your Inbox each Monday.

It was really hard selecting just three events to recommend this week – even the webinars that I’m not highlighting below sound fantastic. They include a Supply Chain Now Radio event on attracting top supply chain talent and an ISM/LexisNexis event on applying the PESTLE framework. We also have ProcureCon Direct taking place in San Diego, CA on Tuesday and Wednesday. If you’re planning a little further out, I recommend “How a Leading Wine Producer Is Making Digital Order Management a Reality” from HfS Research on September 6th at 11am ET. Come for the wine, stay for the digitalization. BTW: If you haven’t already, sign up for our mailing list to be sure you get my weekly recommendations in your Inbox each Monday.

After a clear events calendar last week, we’re back – and with five events to choose from! I’ve also started adding some great events for September, including AI and manufacturing, next generation operating models, and community intelligence. Take a look and get something in your schedule to start the fall off right. If you’re planning a little further out, I recommend “Securing the Internet of Things” from SIG and Mayer Brown on September 25th at 1pm ET. BTW: If you haven’t already, sign up for our mailing list to be sure you get my weekly recommendations in your Inbox each Monday.

This week and next are slow in terms of virtual events, maybe because we’re changing the calendar to August on Wednesday? There is a live event though – ProcureCon Contingent Staffing taking place in Minneapolis, MN on Tuesday and Wednesday. I’ll also be releasing the July ISM-New York Report on Business results and commentary on Thursday, so the week isn’t going to be completely quiet. If you’re planning a little further out, I recommend “Fundamental Philosophies in Negotiation for Buyer and Seller”, being hosted by SCN Radio, TalentStream, and APICS Atlanta and presented by my good friend Mark Bilgin on August 24th. Sign up now while you’re thinking of it! BTW: If you haven’t already, sign up for our mailing list to be sure you get my weekly recommendations in your Inbox each Monday.

We’re slowly chugging through the summer – in fact, next week’s recommendations will move into August. Actually, we’re already there in a way, because my long term recommendation for this week is just before Labor Day weekend: “Supply Chain and Safety: The Imperative of Partnering to Effectively Manage Contractor Performance and Risk” from ISM and Veriforce on August 29th. BTW: If you haven’t already, sign up for our mailing list to be sure you get my weekly recommendations in your Inbox each Monday.

This week’s webinar cover a wide range of topics, with a healthy dose of creativity scooped on top! If you’re planning a little further out, I’d like to invite you to join me for a panel-format webinar hosted by Tradeshift on August 16th at 2pm ET: The 5 Most Expensive Mistakes AP Can Make – And How To Avoid Them. Dena Weinstein, Global Controller at Tradeshift, Richard Porcaro, VP Procurement at ChainIQ and I will discuss how AP teams can become a driving force for positive cash flow. Mark your calendar! BTW: If you haven’t already, sign up for our mailing list to be sure you get my weekly recommendations in your Inbox each Monday.

After last week’s hiatus, we’re back with a full slate of webinars. If you’re looking to plan a little longer term than just this week, I recommend checking out “Don’t Go Chasing Unicorns” from Procurious and SAPAriba (a #ProcurewithPurpose webinar) on July18th at 2pm ET. BTW: If you haven’t already, sign up for our mailing list to be sure you get my weekly recommendations in your Inbox each Monday.

If you’re thinking of attending a webinar any time soon, this is the week. Next week’s calendar is completely empty, likely due to the Fourth of July holiday in the U.S. Even the week after only has one event as of right now, so we may finally be entering the summer slowdown. BTW: If you haven’t already, sign up for our mailing list to be sure you get my weekly recommendations in your Inbox each Monday.