Ellen Naylor

Ellen Naylor is one of America’s pioneers in competitive intelligence (CI) and Win/Loss analysis. For over 20 years, her research has consistently helped companies beat the competition and make smarter strategic decisions. Click here for our free Win/Loss cheat sheets: https://ellennaylor.com/subscribe/

Getting into Your Competitor’s Head: A Case Study

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Competitive intelligence professionals often spend too much time collecting competitive data and not enough time digesting what it really means. In the February McKinsey Quarterly, “Getting into Your Competitor’s Head,” the authors assert that in order to be more predictive you need to insert yourself into both your competitor’s company moves as well as their decision-making, which often don’t match. Some companies conduct elaborate wargames to get into their competitor’s head which is warranted in complex cases. Sometimes it’s as easy as identifying the key decision-maker’s motivation, personality style and track record through personality profiling.

Build Cooperative Trust: Learn from Millard Fuller, Habitat for Humanity Visionary

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When he presented Fuller the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1996, Clinton said, “I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that Millard Fuller has literally revolutionized the concept of philanthropy.” Millard Fuller’s leadership of Habitat for Humanity is an example of cooperative intelligence in the non-profit world, which continues to thrive. How will companies foster a cooperative spirit when they are struggling to survive? It is more important than ever that the remaining employees in companies feel valued and are motivated to work hard, not just to keep their jobs, but because they want to. What steps can you take to build up your company’s cooperative intelligence “trust” fund?

Sharpen Your Emotional Intelligence Skills

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In my field of competitive intelligence, strong emotional skills are essential since we’re often delivering people bad news which can cause stress since often “they” don’t want to hear bad news or threats to the business even if it is the truth. We have to stay strong not just to deliver bad news, but also be sensitive as to how “they” are going to take the news and not spring surprises, for example. What’s neat about EQ versus IQ is that we can learn and be coached to improve our EQ skills. Check out EQMentor, a web 2.0 delivery mentoring service to sharpen you EQ skills.

Diplomat Dennis Ross: Cooperative Leader & Active Listener

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Dennis Ross says, “I tell people that work with me that one of the most important skills in negotiations is active listening.” Active listening is a leading characteristic of a cooperative leader and crosses all job functions. I think executives who are cooperative leaders give their companies a tremendous competitive advantage since they are open to listening and learning so are less likely to be blind sided by surprise market developments, new technology or an emerging competitor.

Win Loss Analysis is more than Competitive Intelligence

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Win loss analysis is my favorite tactical cooperative intelligence practice as it offers the best ROI of any sales intelligence tool. As a competitive intelligence professional, you will be more successful in capturing competitive data from sales if you have an understanding and empathy for the challenges and joys of their job. You will most certainly gain this by reading the book Rain Making. You might even be giving your company’s sales and PR folks some tippers from this book.

Don’t be a verbal pack rat!

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Verbal pack rats are often guilty of one-way communication. This is not cooperative communication. Consider how every audience wants to be addressed with respect. Give them enough time to process the information you present and the time to get answers to their questions.

Netiquette on LinkedIn

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LinkedIn is primarily a business to business social network with over 30 million members as of Jan. 09. Users have different objectives and come from different cultures on LinkedIn. Some people use it to connect with people who they would never otherwise know, while others will only connect with people they know well. This post contains 12 LinkedIn user bad habits.

Connect Cooperatively through your social & old fashioned networks

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When Bonnie Hohhof, SCIP’s editor of Competitive Intelligence Magazine asked me to write about social networking etiquette, I was totally overwhelmed since there is reams of information on this topic.  How could I make it meaningful to SCIP members?  I found my answer in Chris Brogan‘s blog entry of Jan. 27, 2009 entitled, “You’re All Doing It Wrong.” …

Read moreConnect Cooperatively through your social & old fashioned networks

Integrate Competitive Intelligence and Marketing: Jazz Up Your Presentations!

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Last week I shared a book list which we used to supplement our AMA (American Marketing Association) course on Integrating Competitive Intelligence into Marketing. In the cooperative spirit, this list continues with 3 books to help you spruce up your communication and presentation skills. I love Advanced Presentations by Design: Creating Communication that Drives Action by …

Read moreIntegrate Competitive Intelligence and Marketing: Jazz Up Your Presentations!

Cooperative Leadership: The White House Has a Blog!

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The White House has a Blog, showing its intention to reach millions of Americans in this ere of social networking. President Obama embodies the attitude of cooperative leadership in his attitude of humility as he takes office, and reaches out to America a team of millions to bring us back.

© 2024 Ellen Naylor