Issue 21 - Coming of Age
Synopsis
I believe taking a cautious yet thoughtful approach to adopting technology in the bidding profession is vital. It’s important to ask critical questions and maintain perspective amidst advancements like GenAI. Waiting and analysing isn’t about avoiding progress; it’s a measured strategy. While I fully acknowledge the efficiency and improvements technology can bring, I find the “fear of being left behind” narrative unhelpful. Adoption should align with an organisation’s readiness and cultural shifts, not be driven by panic.
MoreContents
- Foreword
- Keep Calm and Carry on Bidding
- Great Expectations
- The Adolescent Advantage: Rekindling Creativity in Business
- From Awkward Adolescence to Professional Maturity
- Three Decades of Bidding: At the Edge of Transformation
- Taking Responsibility
- Accountability Counts
- When I Grow Up I Want to Be a Bid Writer!
- Is Capture Planning Still a Stroppy Teenager?
- Leaders – Wake Up and Smell the Coffee
- Hey Bid Pilots: Refusing to Grow Up?
- Flying the Nest
- Save Me a Space at the Grown-ups’ Table
- Heaven Lies About Us in Our Infancy
- Futureproofing the Workforce
- Developing a Grown-Up Relationship with Technology
- A Mature Industry?
- From Bad to…Way, Way Better!
- This is Why We’re Back in Our Teens
- With Adulthood Comes Responsibility
- Pushing Beyond the Status Quo
- The Adult in the Room: How the Proposal Profession Leads While Others Lag Behind
- The Role of AI in the Maturing Profession of Bidding
- There’s No ‘I’ in TEAM
- The Language Of Love
- Keeping Quality High and Burnout Levels Low
- The Art of Interviewing your Next Employer: Five Questions to Ask
BQ21 – Coming of Age, has 26 amazing expert contributions, full of fantastic advice and thought provoking ideas for you to ponder as our profession comes of age.
Bidding has never had a greater global platform from which to become a respected profession.
Please people, keep calm and carry on bidding.
Synopsis
I believe taking a cautious yet thoughtful approach to adopting technology in the bidding profession is vital. It’s important to ask critical questions and maintain perspective amidst advancements like GenAI. Waiting and analysing isn’t about avoiding progress; it’s a measured strategy. While I fully acknowledge the efficiency and improvements technology can bring, I find the “fear of being left behind” narrative unhelpful. Adoption should align with an organisation’s readiness and cultural shifts, not be driven by panic.
For me, the challenge isn’t embracing change—it’s finding the time to do so. Like many professionals, I juggle countless responsibilities and simply can’t dedicate hours to mastering the latest tech. The best bid teams I’ve worked with prioritise strong leadership, win strategies, and customer focus over tech dependency.
Whilst I recognise technology will redefine roles, it will never replace the human collaboration and creativity that make bidding truly fulfilling. We must own this change and continue shaping a future where our profession earns the respect it deserves.
BQ21 – Coming of Age, has 26 amazing expert contributions, full of fantastic advice and thought provoking ideas for you to ponder as our profession comes of age.
Bidding has never had a greater global platform from which to become a respected profession.
Please people, keep calm and carry on bidding.
Martin Smith