Key Insights

• •

  Advising executives is best approached as a partnership of equals, not managing from below.

• •

  Less than 10% of big corporate decisions are truly driven by research despite the industry’s size.

• •

  Understanding the internal harmony of an organization—including jargon, assumptions, and financial flows—is crucial to influence.

• •

  A company's financial literacy is fundamental for researchers to gain strategic influence.

• •

  Each organization has a distinct rhythm or cadence that governs timing for change and decision-making.

• •

  Introducing challenging ideas (dissonance) requires precise timing, minimal new concepts at once, and a foolproof presentation.

• •

  Memorable hooks or riffs—small, repeatable stories—are vital for executives to retain and act on insights.

• •

  Ethnographic skills are as important internally as they are externally in understanding organizations.

• •

  Deep understanding of both micro organizational rhythm and broader societal context is necessary for impactful advice.

• •

  Opaque or complex business models, especially in tech, require intense ethnographic effort before credible advice can be given.

Notable Quotes