You have built efficient procurement operations, delivered cost savings, and managed complex supplier relationships. Yet when the CEO gathers the executive team to make major decisions, you may not be seen as the strategic advisor you know you can be.

Does this sound familiar?

Many Chief Procurement Officers face a frustrating gap between their capabilities and their level of influence with executive leadership. This is not due to a lack of performance, but a lack of connection.

In the new Gartner ® report, Build CEO Rapport: Top 3 Actions for CPOs, the challenge is made clear: “CPOs often struggle to align procurement strategies with the CEO’s strategic vision and personal values, which can hinder trust-building and influence within the C-suite.”

‍

The Influence Gap

According to Gartner ®, 42% of C-suite executives say that influence within the executive leadership team depends, at least in part, on the individual’s relationship with the CEO.

For many CPOs, this is the missing piece. You may have mastered the operations. However, the real shift from tactical executor to strategic leader requires something more: rapport.

For a CPO trying to build rapport with their CEO, that means:

  • Understanding how the CEO thinks and makes decisions
  • Engaging with purpose and confidence, especially when the message is difficult
  • Supporting their strategic vision, not just procurement goals

So how can a CPO actually make that shift?

What Actions Can You Take?

The new report from Gartner ® outlines three essential actions that procurement leaders must take to earn trust, gain influence, and become aligned with CEO-level priorities. These are not general leadership tips. They are precise, research-based practices used by successful CPOs who have broken through the barrier.

  1. Partner with purpose
  2. Align with CEO values and priorities
  3. Lead with vision, support with expertise

And these actions are not just applicable to your relationship with the CEO. They can help strengthen relationships across the entire executive leadership team.

How Can Levelpath Help?

The recommendations above provide a roadmap to becoming a trusted partner to the CEO. The next step is finding a procurement solution that helps automate these behaviors so you can confidently contribute to the strategic vision.

Levelpath is an AI-native platform that simplifies front-door-to-procure, increases sourcing efficiency with built-in intelligence, unifies contract management, and provides a view of project pipeline that gives you transparency across all workflows. CPOs who enable their procurement teams with Levelpath can walk into the boardroom with answers that are grounded in real-time cost and risk transparency, a single source of truth for every contract and supplier, and outcome-based insights that future-proof enterprise strategy.

Get more insights and learn how to build rapport with your CEO today. Download the Gartner report now.

–Rose

‍