Insight influence

If Insight teams are to drive change, they need to understand senior decision-makers and develop trusted adviser relationships with them. Who are the stakeholders in your organisation that make the biggest decisions? What's their relationship with the Insight team?

You can explore this best practice territory by clicking on the tiles below to access all our guides, summaries and videos.

Many of these topics are also discussed in Season 2 of the Transforming Insight podcast (see episodes 15-17 & 19-20).

Please click here for information about online access or to return to the online library homepage

Insight influence guides and videos

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An introduction to influencing decision-makers - guide
IMP301: To change our companies’ behaviour, and for the insights our team produce to really make a difference, we need to transform our Insight team's ability to influence. This guide outlines the 5 key aspects to consider.
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How to understand decision-makers - guide
IMP302: We cannot influence if we don't understand, and yet many Insight teams have relatively little insight on the audience for their own insight. In this guide we explore what it feels like to be a senior decision-maker in today's corporate environment.
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How to improve stakeholder relationships - guide
IMP303: In this guide, we distill the skills involved in becoming a trusted adviser. We look at how these skills can be applied in practice in order to move from transactional and service-based relationships with decision-makers towards more trust-based relationships.
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Influencing skills for introverts - guide
IMP304: Most Insight teams have a mix of introverts and extroverts, but our workplaces tend be designed to suit extroverts. How can Insight leaders make the most of introverts' strengths, and make sure they are not inadvertently discriminating against them?
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Behavioural economics for Insight teams - guide
IMP305: Behavioural economics represents a fantastic opportunity for Insight teams over the coming decade. This guide explores the core essentials Insight teams need to know in order to influence both consumer decisions and internal corporate decisions.
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How to nudge decision-makers - guide
IMP306: A key challenge for Insight teams is how to effectively influence their internal stakeholders. This guide provides hints and tips on how to use behavioural economics to engage decision-makers with insights, providing a greater opportunity to ‘nudge’ their behaviour.
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How to successfully influence remotely - guide
IMP307: Do the best practice principles on Insight influence still hold true now that our Insight teams are working from home? Yes they do, but the way we apply them requires more structured thinking and effort
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Fuel & friction: how to influence decision-makers - guide
IMP309: (May 2022 Insight forum topic). There are two key elements that can impact on how ideas are adopted - fuel and friction - this guide looks at how Insight teams can overcome any resistance from decision-makers they may encounter.
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Fuel & friction: how to influence decision-makers - summary
IMS309: (May 2022 Insight forum topic) This 1-page summary discusses two elements that can impact on how ideas are adopted - fuel and friction - and looks at how Insight teams can overcome any resistance they may encounter.
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Following up with confidence - summary
IMS310: (June 2023 Insight forum topic). In this 1-page summary we discuss the benefits of following up on projects to ensure our insights and recommendations are actioned, and provide 5 top tips on how to do it with confidence
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Influencing decision-makers - video
IMV301: In this video James Wycherley introduces the concept of influencing for Insight teams. He talks about the importance of influencing key decision-makers and breaks the approach down into 3 key steps.
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Building relationships remotely - video
IMV307: Lisa Dutton explores the reasons why influencing remotely might be a challenge, and how the IMA's best practice principles on understanding and improving stakeholder relationships can help Insight leader and teams.
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Tactics for influencing remotely - video
IMV308: Lisa Dutton discusses how to effectively influence stakeholders while working remotely, using a range of behavioural economics tactics.
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Fuel & friction: how to influence decision-makers - video
IMV309: (May 2022 Insight forum topic) James Wycherley discusses two elements that can impact on how ideas are adopted - fuel and friction - and looks at how Insight teams can overcome any resistance they may encounter.
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Following up with confidence - video
IMV310: (June 2023 Insight forum topic). In this video Lisa Dutton discusses the benefits of following up on projects to ensure our insights and recommendations are actioned, and provides 5 top tips on how to do it with confidence