Power Play: take a walk on the wild side

Power Players keep a wild streak in their back pocket. It's useful to pull out every now and then. That's because being a little wild (or a little nuts) has its advantages.

Power Players know that playing the crazy card knocks people off their balance. Especially when the Power Player in question has a reputation for sober, conservative, predictable behaviour. No one quite knows how to react or what to say.

And shrewd Power Players know that taking a walk on the wild side invigorates them, gives them an edge when they need it most and is (frankly), a lot of fun.

The next time you're painted in a corner and you need an ace in the hole, take a walk on the wild side. Be unexpected. Play unpredictable. You'll wonder why you haven't done it sooner and you'll throw the room off balance and in the process, probably get exactly what you want.

Entrepreneur, strategist and author Rose Herceg co-founded Pophouse, specialising in social forecasting, market research and business strategy in 1998 before selling it to STW in 2006. Until recently Rose was strategy director of the STW Group, working across 70 companies on strategy, social forecasting, trends analysis and innovation. She is currently developing several online start-ups in media and media content.