This theme is particularly pertinent for me as the mum of two teenagers preparing for the next part of their journey into adulthood, and as the owner of a thriving business curious about what the future holds.
The girls, my daughter and my niece, are currently studying hard for their A Levels. At the same time, they are desperate to cut the apron strings, surging into their new adult life at university without me breathing down their necks. They will be looking after themselves, meeting new people and creating a tribe, as well as making their own GP appointments (one of the scariest things apparently!). It will be a steep but exciting learning curve. I’ve instilled the basics – they can cook, wash clothes, and they have a great set of morals – but now it’s up to them to embrace all the challenges thrown at them and seek their own way of doing things. I just have to deal with empty nest syndrome.
It’s a bit like that with the bid profession. A bidding revolution is happening this very moment. AI and technology dominate thought leadership articles and processes, as do different ways of working flexibly, the imminent changes that will be brought about by the new procurement act, and ensuring wellbeing is at the heart of every employer’s agenda. And of course we must not forget to win the work and run profitable businesses while the government throws more and more curveballs at us.
As an employer, I instil the bidding basics to winning work the right way into my team – know your customer, approach/benefits/evidence, values of integrity, trust, and collaboration, etc. I am also keeping my ear to the ground with bidding and business developments as the profession changes.
But I won’t be left with an empty nest as the profession moves on. I want to encourage more young people into the profession to benefit from different ways of thinking. They are the future after all. Most important to me is that we don’t lose the art of connection with our peers as the profession moves forward – humans are more important than ever. We should lean on the community as we learn and grow together.
The future will be exhilarating but can be scary for many. As a profession, we need to be curious and open to new technology and experiences but not forget the basics of bidding and winning work while making the effort to create and sustain meaningful connections with real people.
Pippa Birch
Pippa owns award-winning Pipster Solutions Ltd and has over 20 years bid writing experience, mainly in highways and civil engineering. She is an active member of the Institute of Asphalt and has won several industry awards. She is APMP Professional certified and mentors other bid professionals, winning Contribution to the Profession in 2022. She also developed #ThursdayThrong and #BidBites – free online meetings for the bidding community to reduce isolation.
