One of the problems with automation and outsourcing (in contracts and elsewhere) is that it closes the door to entry on our profession. And that may be a good thing.
Ours is a profession where many of us spend years writing purchase orders, analyzing prices or serving as the coat-holder for more senior negotiators. I've seen this go far beyond 'paying dues' and sour some really excellent talent on the contracts profession.
The parts of our role that are exciting (negotiating, deal architecture, problem solving) are not learned by starting out doing the parts of our role that aren't as exciting (paperwork, transactional buying, governance reviews). This creates a gap, causing people in our profession to plateau way too early.
For a metaphor, let's go back to my Florida roots. Orange trees are horrid, nasty things. There are strains that are hardy and robust, but these produce lousy oranges for eating. The trees that produce edible oranges are very fragile. The solution is grafting. A tough orange tree grows to a certain age, then sweet orange branches are grafted on to it. Edible oranges grow from these grafted branches.
I often think of this when looking at a contracts organization... I know that after my first 4 years at the bottom of the profession, I was pretty burned out and bitter. Fortunately, I got to do 2 years in systems and analysis. I came back with a better idea of how my activities fit into a bigger picture. Grafting worked!
This is why I tell my early-career mentees in contracts to rotate out of their department for a while. Some don't come back, finding their success in other parts of the organization. The ones who come back have the perspective and informal relationships necessary to be trusted with the exciting parts of the job.
