The Spotlight Effect was something I had never heard of until I saw a post from . It was an eye-opener. So I’ve spent some time reading about this subject, which explains a lot of the “human mindset”.

But how can this impact what we do in Procurement?

The spotlight effect is a cognitive bias that affects everyone, including procurement professionals.

Ever felt like one of your colleagues might have their unwavering attention on you during a negotiation or a complex RFP?

I have - that internal monologue takes you to some weird places.

But the truth is they probably aren’t wasting a second about you.

It’s probably more likely they are having similar thoughts to you.

And here lies the problem. If we’re so caught up in believing that we are being monitored in such a manner, it can impact the quality of our work.

Not to mention our mental health.

I had this one super controlling, micro-managing piece of… I mean “boss”.

He seemed to spend more of his time emailing me, then slacking me to tell me he’d emailed me but then include the email in slack, and if I didn’t reply within 5-10 mins, my phone (personal phone that was not used for work in any way) would start ringing.

It got to the point where I was questioning my sanity. I’d talk to my partner and say, is this dude just focusing on me or is this pushing boundaries?

With hindsight, I was having the “Spotlight Effect” debate to determine if I was overthinking the attention I was receiving.

In this case, I wasn’t overthinking it. But I know there are likely several instances where I was.

And this isn’t good.

It can kill a relationship. Destroy good vibes (I’m all about good vibes). And make it harder to do the work.

So we need to treat this seriously so that we don’t get too caught up in our thoughts and apply critical thinking to each scenario to determine if our initial thoughts are justified.

Let’s cover a few other ideas linked to the Spotlight Effect that you might find helpful.

The false-consensus effect is a related phenomenon to the spotlight effect, and it occurs when individuals overestimate the extent to which other people share their opinions, attitudes, and behaviour.

You can navigate this effect by seeking out feedback from your colleagues.

By seeking feedback, you can gather information about the needs of yo’ needs, which can help you make better decisions that benefit the organisation.

In short - don’t assume alignment. Procurement has a big issue with achieving alignment within the business. This could be why.

The self-as-target bias is another closely linked phenomenon with the spotlight effect.

This bias describes when someone believes that events are disproportionately directed towards him or herself.

Think back to my first example of that boss I had.

I was definitely losing my mind thinking about this phenomenon that I didn’t know existed then.

In short, speak with people, figure this out, and determine if what is happening really is focused on you.

What a bloody minefield this is. Our brains are fallible.

And as Modern Procurement Professionals, we must arm ourselves with as much knowledge as possible. That doesn’t just mean being the best Category Manager for nickel-coated screws (is this a thing?).

It means mastering our minds, and being aware of ideas and concepts outside the World of Procurement.

And that’s why I write about these things every Tuesday (now). I want to bring you broader perspectives to help you navigate your Procurement careers.

I wish two years ago I knew about this. I wish I could have researched it to give some scientific backing to my argument. I know this would have downplayed my point in some ways but that rigour would have been useful.

And I hope this illuminates the good and bad you are experiencing.