Comments on: My Top 10 Competitive Intelligence Mistakes http://blog.jthawes.com/2009/12/10/my-top-10-competitive-intelligence-mistakes/ Helping Smart People Think Clearly About Strategy Fri, 27 May 2011 09:41:20 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Sara http://blog.jthawes.com/2009/12/10/my-top-10-competitive-intelligence-mistakes/comment-page-1/#comment-962 Sara Thu, 22 Jul 2010 11:43:30 +0000 http://blog.jthawes.com/?p=662#comment-962 Thanks for sharing so honestly your own past mistakes, because many of them are mine too! I'm still early in my career (and hoping to build one...) and I am also learning to value mistakes. I feel particularly concerned with #9, I tend to over estimate the knowledge of senior management teams when it comes to competition and analysis tools. Actually, some of my analysis left them pretty suprised or even shocked (see #6 for the courage required in this case!) But I understand that this is our role, teach people and help them take action. Otherwise, companies wouldn't need any competitive intelligence professionals... Thanks again, I just discovered your blog but I will definitely become a regular reader. Sara from France Thanks for sharing so honestly your own past mistakes, because many of them are mine too!
I’m still early in my career (and hoping to build one…) and I am also learning to value mistakes.

I feel particularly concerned with #9, I tend to over estimate the knowledge of senior management teams when it comes to competition and analysis tools. Actually, some of my analysis left them pretty suprised or even shocked (see #6 for the courage required in this case!)

But I understand that this is our role, teach people and help them take action. Otherwise, companies wouldn’t need any competitive intelligence professionals…

Thanks again, I just discovered your blog but I will definitely become a regular reader.

Sara from France

]]> By: Ellen Naylor http://blog.jthawes.com/2009/12/10/my-top-10-competitive-intelligence-mistakes/comment-page-1/#comment-628 Ellen Naylor Thu, 24 Dec 2009 19:23:05 +0000 http://blog.jthawes.com/?p=662#comment-628 Tom I have made all those mistakes and more in my corporate experience. The underlying mistakes I make are: I assume that they "get" what competitive intelligence is, and share my findings from that vantage point...OUCH I've lost them. The other mistake I made constantly was thinking I needed to be directly connected with top decision-makers in my large company in order to be "seen and heard". Actually my message got to top management often enough through middle managers, which helped me get face time, respect and a warmed reception from the top, something I hadn't factor AT ALL in relationship building. Happy Holidays! Ellen Tom I have made all those mistakes and more in my corporate experience. The underlying mistakes I make are: I assume that they “get” what competitive intelligence is, and share my findings from that vantage point…OUCH I’ve lost them. The other mistake I made constantly was thinking I needed to be directly connected with top decision-makers in my large company in order to be “seen and heard”. Actually my message got to top management often enough through middle managers, which helped me get face time, respect and a warmed reception from the top, something I hadn’t factor AT ALL in relationship building.

Happy Holidays!

Ellen

]]> By: Tom Hawes http://blog.jthawes.com/2009/12/10/my-top-10-competitive-intelligence-mistakes/comment-page-1/#comment-603 Tom Hawes Wed, 16 Dec 2009 01:05:18 +0000 http://blog.jthawes.com/?p=662#comment-603 Jason, thanks. It is easy to be sidetracked into the tactical issues. At least in my experience, most people think and act tactically so it is somewhat natural for a CI person to service them (sometimes to the detriment of strategic decision makers and the CI person). My sense is that it takes a conscious effort to be oriented toward strategy since it is more common and comfortable for many to be oriented toward tactics. Thanks for your observations. -- Tom Jason, thanks. It is easy to be sidetracked into the tactical issues. At least in my experience, most people think and act tactically so it is somewhat natural for a CI person to service them (sometimes to the detriment of strategic decision makers and the CI person). My sense is that it takes a conscious effort to be oriented toward strategy since it is more common and comfortable for many to be oriented toward tactics. Thanks for your observations.

– Tom

]]> By: Jason Katraouzos http://blog.jthawes.com/2009/12/10/my-top-10-competitive-intelligence-mistakes/comment-page-1/#comment-602 Jason Katraouzos Wed, 16 Dec 2009 00:58:13 +0000 http://blog.jthawes.com/?p=662#comment-602 This was a great list. The common thread seems to be that being proactive in communication and proactive in forming senior management relationships is critical, which has also been true in my CI experience. I've also noticed too many CI practitioners focused on exclusively tactical issues instead of assisting in strategic decision-making. For some reason I've never made that mistake and have always been pragmatically focused on actionable intelligence. Without actionable results and decision-making assistance, CI is in danger of being irrelevant in the eyes of management. This was a great list. The common thread seems to be that being proactive in communication and proactive in forming senior management relationships is critical, which has also been true in my CI experience. I’ve also noticed too many CI practitioners focused on exclusively tactical issues instead of assisting in strategic decision-making. For some reason I’ve never made that mistake and have always been pragmatically focused on actionable intelligence. Without actionable results and decision-making assistance, CI is in danger of being irrelevant in the eyes of management.

]]> By: Tom Hawes http://blog.jthawes.com/2009/12/10/my-top-10-competitive-intelligence-mistakes/comment-page-1/#comment-598 Tom Hawes Tue, 15 Dec 2009 16:20:41 +0000 http://blog.jthawes.com/?p=662#comment-598 Oystein, Good points. It is quite important to both understand senior management's perspective and present useful reality in an acceptable (to them) manner. In my experience, these two points (as much as or more than the analytic steps) determines CI success. As you say, this is not always easy. Thanks for reading and your comments. -- Tom Oystein,

Good points. It is quite important to both understand senior management’s perspective and present useful reality in an acceptable (to them) manner. In my experience, these two points (as much as or more than the analytic steps) determines CI success. As you say, this is not always easy. Thanks for reading and your comments.

– Tom

]]> By: Oystein Brattli http://blog.jthawes.com/2009/12/10/my-top-10-competitive-intelligence-mistakes/comment-page-1/#comment-597 Oystein Brattli Tue, 15 Dec 2009 16:09:37 +0000 http://blog.jthawes.com/?p=662#comment-597 Senior management always have a very strong positive opinion of their own strenght's and their competitor's weaknesses. Unless you can clearly explain this to senior management your CI presentation is likely to fail. I have encountered this mistake twice from two different angles. First time I did not counter the senior management's comments that their solution was very good (it was very good--but not significantly above competitior's solutions). Second time, I was driving home the point that my client's solution was just in line with competitor's solution and I think I offended my client (reality hurts sometime). So to be successful, I / we have to present reality in a very politically correct manner. This is not always easy. Senior management always have a very strong positive opinion of their own strenght’s and their competitor’s weaknesses. Unless you can clearly explain this to senior management your CI presentation is likely to fail.

I have encountered this mistake twice from two different angles. First time I did not counter the senior management’s comments that their solution was very good (it was very good–but not significantly above competitior’s solutions). Second time, I was driving home the point that my client’s solution was just in line with competitor’s solution and I think I offended my client (reality hurts sometime).

So to be successful, I / we have to present reality in a very politically correct manner. This is not always easy.

]]> By: Mes 10 plus grandes erreurs en intelligence économique « Cybercriminalité, sécurité et ordre public http://blog.jthawes.com/2009/12/10/my-top-10-competitive-intelligence-mistakes/comment-page-1/#comment-596 Mes 10 plus grandes erreurs en intelligence économique « Cybercriminalité, sécurité et ordre public Mon, 14 Dec 2009 19:44:35 +0000 http://blog.jthawes.com/?p=662#comment-596 [...] Cybercriminalité, sécurité et ordre public Le blog d'Intelligence Economique de Jean-Paul Pinte « Le cofondateur de Twitter espère une « rupture » de la finance Mes 10 plus grandes erreurs en intelligence économique décembre 14, 2009 En fait, il ne s’agit pas de mes erreurs, mais de celles de Tom Hawes, qui, cédant à une mode passagère (Le Top 10 de n’importe quoi en 2009), nous livre ses 10 plus grandes erreurs (http://blog.jthawes.com/2009/12/10/my-top-10-competitive-intelligence-mistakes/): [...] [...] Cybercriminalité, sécurité et ordre public Le blog d'Intelligence Economique de Jean-Paul Pinte « Le cofondateur de Twitter espère une « rupture » de la finance Mes 10 plus grandes erreurs en intelligence économique décembre 14, 2009 En fait, il ne s’agit pas de mes erreurs, mais de celles de Tom Hawes, qui, cédant à une mode passagère (Le Top 10 de n’importe quoi en 2009), nous livre ses 10 plus grandes erreurs (http://blog.jthawes.com/2009/12/10/my-top-10-competitive-intelligence-mistakes/): [...]

]]> By: uberVU - social comments http://blog.jthawes.com/2009/12/10/my-top-10-competitive-intelligence-mistakes/comment-page-1/#comment-571 uberVU - social comments Fri, 11 Dec 2009 15:07:19 +0000 http://blog.jthawes.com/?p=662#comment-571 <strong>Social comments and analytics for this post...</strong> This post was mentioned on Twitter by August Jackson: RT @JTHawes: Published my "Top 10 Competitive Intelligence Mistakes" at http://tinyurl.com/yfs5d8s. Maybe next year I'll only have 5? :)... Social comments and analytics for this post…

This post was mentioned on Twitter by August Jackson: RT @JTHawes: Published my “Top 10 Competitive Intelligence Mistakes” at http://tinyurl.com/yfs5d8s. Maybe next year I’ll only have 5? :) …

]]> By: Tweets that mention Strategically Thinking » My Top 10 Competitive Intelligence Mistakes -- Topsy.com http://blog.jthawes.com/2009/12/10/my-top-10-competitive-intelligence-mistakes/comment-page-1/#comment-561 Tweets that mention Strategically Thinking » My Top 10 Competitive Intelligence Mistakes -- Topsy.com Thu, 10 Dec 2009 14:55:14 +0000 http://blog.jthawes.com/?p=662#comment-561 [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Tom Hawes, August Jackson. August Jackson said: RT @JTHawes: Published my "Top 10 Competitive Intelligence Mistakes" at http://tinyurl.com/yfs5d8s. Maybe next year I'll only have 5? :) [...] [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Tom Hawes, August Jackson. August Jackson said: RT @JTHawes: Published my "Top 10 Competitive Intelligence Mistakes" at http://tinyurl.com/yfs5d8s. Maybe next year I'll only have 5? :) [...]

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