The Context
A Global Energy Company was entering the next phase of a large-scale procurement transformation tied to
its long-term strategy.
Leadership wanted an unfiltered view of what was actually happening on the ground, not just what
dashboards and KPIs suggested.
Hive Partners was asked to listen deeply, independently, and across levels to assess Capability, Capacity,
and Readiness for Change (CCR) before moving forward.
The Approach
111 one-to-one, in-person conversations across headquarters and multiple operating companies
Participants ranged from CEOs and SVPs to VPs, managers, and frontline procurement professionals across multiple operating companies
No pre-work. No scripts. Conversations were designed to surface both what was said and what wasn’t
Feedback was parsed into 2,132 discrete data points and coded across CCR dimensions, categories, and subcategories
What We Heard (At a Glance)
From Procurement
Pride in the mission, paired with frustration in execution
A strong understanding at the individual level of what transformation requires, yet a belief that the organization itself was not set up to deliver
Repeated tension between process and outcomes, and between KPIs and real business value
A desire to be seen and to operate as a strategic partner, not a transactional function
From Stakeholders
Direct, candid feedback on pain points and genuine support for procurement’s success
Clear signals that procurement was not consistently “speaking the language of the business”
Concern that standardization and process rigidity were limiting agility, innovation, and value creation
A strong appetite to be involved earlier in strategy, design, and planning
What the Data Revealed
A clear gap between individual capability and organizational performance
Alignment surfaced as the most frequently cited issue across all conversations
Leadership, change management, communication, and commercial acumen were consistently rated as weak at the organizational level
A “one-size-fits-all” approach was repeatedly called out as ineffective across diverse operating contexts
Core Takeaways
Transformation cannot be sustained without a shared mission, vision, and strategy that cascades across the enterprise
Change was often experienced as mandated rather than understood, leading to fatigue rather than commitment
Leadership behaviors were not consistently aligned with the expectations placed on teams
Talent existed across the system, but silos, false narratives, and limited recognition muted its impact
Communication skewed heavily toward the “how,” while the “why” was often missing
The Path Forward (High Level)
Establish a clearly defined procurement mission, operating model, and strategic priorities aligned to enterprise goals
Invest in leadership capability, not just technical expertise, to lead through continuous change
Shift procurement from a process-first mindset to an outcomes-driven, customer-centric model
Build disciplined change management and communication as core competencies, not afterthoughts
Treat culture as an outcome of behavior and execution, not a standalone initiative
Why This Matters
This work gave leaders a grounded, human view of where the organization was truly ready and where it wasn’t — not to slow transformation down, but to ensure the next phase was built on clarity, trust, and shared ownership rather than assumptions.
That’s where real change starts.
