creativity

The Present of Presence & Listening

by

I think the phenomenon of being quiet is valuable in business as part of cooperative communication, one of the arms of cooperative intelligence. In my fields of research and competitive intelligence, knowing when to be silent is a great gift, since there aren’t enough listening ears, especially these days with all the downsizing in America. Sometimes, people just need us to listen to them, and not offer any advice. This practice also builds incredible trust and connection between two people since you think enough of the other person to stay quiet and listen.

Jeffrey Immelt’s Ideas on Renewing America’s Competitiveness

by

Jeff Immelt, GE’s visionary and innovative Chairman & CEO thinks the US needs to create an industrial renewal as follows:
1. Invest in new technology
2. Win where it counts in Clean Energy and Affordable Healthcare
3. Become a country that’s good at manufacturing and exports
4. Embrace public/private partnerships
5. Encourage leaders that are also good citizens
He concludes that as “Business leaders we are responsible for the competitiveness of our own country.” The US is at a competitive disadvantage globally since its private and public sectors are often at odds and do not cooperate like they do in most other countries in the world!

Visualize Your Competitors on a Radar Screen Competitor Map, a Great Competitive Intelligence Tool

by

The Radar Screen is one of my favorite competitive intelligence tools. It is totally visual, and fits on one page for easy digestion. It can be used both strategically and tactically, and is a rich communication tool. Read about it in Adrian Slywotsky’s Value Migration. It’s a great way to visualize how competitors are positioned relative to you and each other. The uses for the Radar Screen competitor map are as rich as your imagination. The screen can be divided into 4 quadrants which might depict competitors by 4 separate business units, 4 different geographies, and on a tactical level 4 different reasons why customers buy.

Capture Competitive Intelligence from Sales: Switching Cost Analysis

by

One tool that been very popular with Sales forces over the years is “Switching Cost Analysis.” The goal is to help retain your customers! Identify all the hidden costs of the competitor’s solution which might make it more expensive for the customer to switch. Find enough omitted costs and the customer might wonder what else the competitor is not telling them!

Next Generation Competitive Intelligence Deliverables: SCIP Webinar

by

Next generation companies will be more collaborative, with far more interactions among their customers, suppliers, employees and partners. This will mandate that competitive intelligence professionals incorporate next generation technology when they create competitive intelligence deliverables. This webinar illustrates cooperative intelligence practices, both cooperative communication and cooperative connection, by adding Web 2.0 to your communication and connection arsenal. Marty will illustrate case studies from his deep experience at Cisco Systems. While he focuses on competitive intelligence cases, these practices will benefit anyone who provides a service.

Getting into Your Competitor’s Head: A Case Study

by

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

by

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?

© 2024 Ellen Naylor