Some people just have “It.” When there is a crowd, they still are able to be noticed. People want to hear what they have to say and their opinions seem to matter more. From the outside, it is not always clear just what they have done to earn such esteem. After all, much of what they are saying is no different than what you said or thought months again. Nevertheless, their presence and how it affects others is quite tangible.
Organizations can be the same way within a business. Often it is the outgoing, extraverted functions (think Sales) that dominate the culture. Other times, it is the engineering group and their collective innovation that everyone notices. Maybe there is an iconic leader that is dominating due to their vision or leadership. Distinctive presence matters because it helps establish and reinforce the importance or contributions of the group. People attribute value because of the presence projected by a person or group.
The competitive intelligence function must have a “presence” to be successful.
I suppose one could argue that everyone already has a presence of sorts. Yes, that is true. But few have the kind of presence that reflects distinct, unique value that compels instant respect from others.
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