Episode 64: How Insight leaders define purpose

Sandra discusses her journey at ASOS, highlighting the importance of establishing a cohesive purpose when integrating diverse analytics and Insight teams. 

Amanda (Wig) sheds light on how insight can drive business growth and help achieve revenue targets. We emphasize that without a clear purpose, insight teams risk becoming fragmented and struggling to demonstrate their value, which is crucial for securing budget and resources.

We discuss strategic prioritisation, resource management, and innovative approaches like the "stop, start, continue" method to redefine team roles. 

This year our podcasts will focus on the "Insight Leaders Playbook," an exciting initiative aimed at helping Insight leaders to become truly transformational.

Please listen to find out more!

Topics Discussed

• Transforming Data for Revenue Growth (03:17)
• Strategic Choices in Insight Teams (12:27)
• Involving Business Leadership in Decision-Making (19:36)
• Insightful Ambition in Business Transformation (25:15)
• Proving Value and Making Choices (29:37)

Highlights

• “They're data experts, they're communicators, they're analysts. Obviously there's so many things that they need to do and I think if you don't sort of focus the team on what they should be doing, or at least where you plan to get them to. You run the risk of them working across all kinds of things and often things that don't necessarily add the most strategic value, because they're insight people” (05:05)
• “I think one of the things I've realised actually as a consultant is there's a lot of businesses where leaders don't value it as a function actually, and I think I was quite fortunate and quite lucky. But the reason I suppose they say you create your own luck was because I linked everything back to revenue and delivering, so you know, on an objective.” (08.30)
• “There were two things that really helped my team and I thought I think I mean I'm really open and I think it's really important to let your team play a huge role in this so that they're happy and they come out the other side happy too, but also so that they understand their role or their purpose within the overall purpose and what they're delivering” (15.12)
• The John Barnes rap is perfect. I mean I'm not going to rap it for you, but I have it in front of me that I could read it if you'd like me to, the first line is perfect. You've got to hold and give, but do it at the right time. You can be slow or fast, but you must get to the line which picks up on Sandra's point about changing priorities. You need to be adaptable and flexible. They'll always hit you and hurt you, defend and attack.”(21.30)

This is episode 64 of the Transforming Insight podcast. 

If you have the ambition to transform your Insight team and the role it plays in your organisation, please tune in to future episodes. Not only will we explore the 42 secrets of successful corporate Insight teams as outlined in the Transforming Insight book, we will also talk to senior corporate Insight leaders, delve into books that have inspired us, and discuss new best practice research carried out with the IMA’s corporate members.

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About James Wycherley, the author of Transforming Insight

James Wycherley was Director of Customer Insight and Analytics at Barclays from 2005 to 2015 when he became Chief Executive of the Insight Management Academy (IMA). A popular keynote speaker and acknowledged expert on Insight leadership, strategy, and communication, he is the author of the book Transforming Insight: the 42 secrets of successful corporate Insight teams, and over 35 IMA publications. He has provided thought leadership in the UK, Western Europe, the USA, Canada, Australia, India, and the Middle East, and regularly hosts the IMA’s Insight forums - London, Manchester, UK Online and US Online.

The Insight Management Academy is the world’s leading authority on transforming Insight teams.

Resources: 

If you would like more information on any of the ideas discussed in this episode of the Transforming Insight podcast, please visit www.insight-management.org

Copies of James Wycherley’s book Transforming Insight: the 42 secrets of successful corporate Insight teams can be purchased direct from www.transforming-insight.com

Disclaimer

The Transforming Insight podcast is published by the Insight Management Academy and produced by Zorbiant.

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