Do you have Optimism Bias in the bid process?

Are you losing bids because of optimism bias — and not even realising it?

In this episode, Emma Orr explores how overconfidence can quietly derail your bid strategy. Optimism bias shows up when teams assume “we’re the perfect fit,” “the client loves us,” or “we can definitely win this” — without objective evidence. While it’s true that you can’t win if you don’t bid, chasing every opportunity without proper qualification can waste time, money, and resources.

Emma shares real-world examples of costly pursuits, including last-minute requests and expensive bid requirements that were never likely to convert. She discusses the common “power of three” scenario, where suppliers are invited to bid simply to make up the numbers, and explains why internal enthusiasm doesn’t always reflect the client’s true intentions.

You’ll learn why pursuing weak opportunities prevents you from focusing on stronger ones, how underpricing and overpromising can damage profitability, and why organizations need the courage to challenge assumptions. Sometimes the most valuable voice in the room is the skeptical one.

Emma also highlights the importance of a structured, evidence-based bid qualification process — including her free 36-question scoring matrix designed to help businesses assess opportunities objectively.

If your team tends to default to “let’s go for it,” this episode will help you pause, ask better questions, and make smarter bid decisions.

Do you have optimism bias in your bid process? It might be time to find out.