Power Play

Positioning power

at a glance

• Positioning is being the expert in your domain, and profile is being known as the expert. Positioning power uses both strategies for competitive advantage, with the ultimate goal of moving from influencing the influencers to becoming a mega influencer.
• The strategies involve doing the work, then building your profile by speaking up at meetings, networking, learning and partnering others.
• To be a mega influencer you have to lead the thinking in your field through your writing, speaking and example, which means using every opportunity to present inside and outside your organisation.
• It requires grit and courage, but, most of all, integrity and authenticity — being true to who you are.
• Indra Nooyi, CEO of PepsiCo, who is leading a brave change away from junk snack foods towards healthier alternatives, is a great example of a mega influencer.

Focus	Attitude
Profile	Rock star
Impact	Action
Jolt	Lift

Chapter 11 Positioning power … become the influencer

When seeking change, you will often start out by thinking about who the influencers are and how you could influence them or have them influence others. You may draw up a stakeholder management plan or a spreadsheet mapping out key people of influence in the domain you want to reach.

Xero, the very successful accounting software company that has superseded MYOB in the number one spot in this sector, used this strategy successfully.

Those most likely to recommend an accounting or bookkeeping ...