843: How Change Management Powers Procurement Transformation W/ Jesse Jacoby

"Taking the time to get input, to get the feedback and listen to the needs might add a few weeks up front, but ultimately, you're going to have a better, stronger solution and support and alignment." - Jesse Jacoby, Founder and Managing Principal, Emergent, LLC

Procurement and business leaders face a tangled web: legacy systems, evolving digital capabilities, and rising pressure to do more with less. 

How do you design an operating model that truly enables transformation without adding more complexity?

In this episode, Philip Ideson speaks with Jesse Jacoby, Founder and Managing Principal at Emergent LLC. Jesse's experience guiding Fortune 500 organizations through high-stakes change gives him a practical, people-focused outlook on what really makes business transformation work. In this episode, Philip and Jesse explore how operating models can either help or hinder procurement, why quick fixes rarely stick, and how to leverage change management and AI for meaningful, lasting results.

Jesse's insights on avoiding common mistakes and building "muscle memory" for change are a must-hear for anyone stepping into (or leading) transformation.

In this episode, Jesse discusses how to:

• See operating models as interconnected "super systems" rather than isolated processes  
• Identify and untangle legacy complexity before making changes  
• Make the case for change both rationally and emotionally  
• Use AI to augment – not replace – human decision-making  
• Build resilience with ongoing, bite-sized upskilling programs

Links:

• Jesse Jacoby on LinkedIn
• Subscribe to This Week in Procurement
• Subscribe to Art of Procurement on YouTube