One of the things that intrigues me about competitive intelligence is the types of relationships that are required to be successful. Intuitively I think and empirically I know that people matter most. We get assignments from them, ask them to tell us their fears and deliver implicit commentary on their performance even as we report on the competitive environment.

I get it that they need specific information about competitors. I also know that clients or managers want to increase their confidence in their decision making. And, commonly they want to feel that they won’t be blindsided. Most of all they want help to make wise choices about the future that will reflect well on their leadership.

So what role should I play? Information source? Critic? Counselor? Oracle? Or, maybe, friend?

I can hear you through the computer right now (disagreement and skepticism transmit well). Yes, you think that the first 3 or 4 possibilities often fit. But, definitely not the “friend” role. That is entirely too soft a description that no client or senior manager would provide in a job description. They want bottom line results and value those that directly (directly!) contribute. Tangible, measurable and preferably quick results would be their highest goal.

Yet, I wonder about that. Not understating the need for results and concrete benefits, I think that we sometimes miss the human element of leadership and what it needs most.

Many times leaders are trying desperately to keep ahead of the game. There are rivalries within the company which are threatening their position. The people that work with them are constantly angling for attention and favor. Competitors, of course, would be gleeful if they failed. The Board is constantly evaluating their performance and it is easy to understand that most won’t advance. It’s a jungle and thriving within that jungle is tough. One needs help but where will it come from?

There is not one answer to that question.

The traditional organizational answer is that help will come from people that align their performance with the leader’s agenda because they are incentivized to do so. Since their pay and bonus are determined by the leader, their compliance and support is assumed. This motivation is powerful and not to be ignored.

However, competitive intelligence is an especially interesting role when supplied by an outsider or consultant. The reward system is different but so are the opportunities. Freed from the periodic review cycle and not presenting an alternative agenda, the CI consultant’s access to a leader gives them a unique chance to contribute to the success of the leader. Gone are their fears of being replaced, outmaneuvered or criticized by someone in the organization. Instead the focus can strictly be on getting help.

This is where being a “friend” can make a huge difference.

Now, just to be clear, I don’t think being a “friend” in this context means planning family vacations together. It doesn’t mean that you can avoid delivering tangible value effectively.   And I don’t think that you announce to the leader that you intend to be their friend!

It’s the friend behavior that is important.

The best friends that I have in my personal life have demonstrated that they are trustworthy even when there is a short term cost. They have not neglected to encourage me or to point out where I am going astray. Their recommendations are grounded in understanding what I value and they consider the long term impact of anything that they say or do. Mostly, they sincerely get pleasure out of seeing me succeed. My success takes nothing from them. On the contrary, together we navigate through life that has innumerable ups and downs. They stick with me when others don’t.

There is a parallel in business.

There is a yearning (usually unspoken) among leaders to have friends. Friends that want them to be successful and can be counted on in tough times. Straight talkers that understand the difficulties of the job and the immense challenges. Colleagues that help them solve problems that are vexing and deal with issues that seem intractable. Consultants, I dare say, that honor the leader’s agenda and yet challenge it productively to improve it. In short, they want a business “friend.”

My realization over the years is that relationships, emotional and intellectual, fuel great achievement.

So what are four hints for a competitive intelligence professional to be a “friend” to a client or leader.

1. Learn to listen for the emotional content. This means that you should attempt to get not only a description of the deliverables that are required but also the feelings that prompt the need. Observe how the leader talks and reacts. Is it defensive, aggressive, confident or questioning? Every signal gives clues to unstated needs. Meeting those needs in addition to answering the explicit CI questions will make you special in the eyes of the leader.
2. Observe the environment. It is very useful to observe the leader’s peers and reports. Their postures, words and interactions will speak volumes about the problems that the leader has to deal with every day. The leader will be constantly thinking through how to use the results that you deliver with that group. If you can be helpful with this, your services will be highly valued.
3. Speak the truth. Of course, you say. But the fact is that the leader is often not told the truth (or the whole truth). Maybe it’s because of the environment which discourages boldness. Maybe it’s because the people are too attuned to their own promotions rather than the leader’s. Sometimes people simple are “out of practice.” You can provide unvarnished observations if you muster the personal courage to do so. This will make you standout.
4. Give more than you are paid for. This may seem like economic foolishness. After all, you may have been engaged for a specific purpose at a specific cost to the company. Why give more when they aren’t explicitly paying for more? Simple, it shows that you are atypically interested in the leader and their success. This is what “friends” do and why friends are called back for more projects.

By nature I am a private person that doesn’t make friends easily. Still, I know that having friends and being a friend are enormously enabling in my life. People that pass the “friends” test are granted access to many things that were previously guarded.

I can be many things to leaders that hire me for competitive intelligence but thinking and acting like a friend is the greatest value I can provide to them. It resonates with what they don’t often state but consistently need.

Okay, what do you see or hear that makes you agree (or not) with what I said?