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?

Click on the tiles below to access all of our best practice 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).

Return to the online library homepage for information about online access, or to view all topics.

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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The 6 principles of Insight influencers - guide
IMP311 (November 2023 Insight forums). Influencers have been around for years in all walks of life, and more so than ever now with the rise in social media. This guide shares learnings from social media influencers that we can apply to the world of Insight.
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Embracing uncomfortable influencing - guide
IMP313: (March 2025 Insight forums). Influence is essential to driving change, but despite this, it can still feel uncomfortable for many Insight professionals. In this guide we discuss 3 key ways Insight professionals can approach this challenge.
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Influencing hard to reach senior audiences - guide
IMP314 (March 2025 Insight forums). Influencing senior audiences is not easy. In this guide, we share 6 key learnings from an experienced CEO about how to reach senior audiences, make the most of the opportunity with them, and keep them engaged long term.
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Navigating difficult conversations - guide
IMP315 (March 2025 Insight forums). Difficult conversations are a big part of our lives, but not all Insight professionals feel equipped to handle them. In this guide, we provide 5 key tips for navigating difficult conversations effectively.
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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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The 6 principles of Insight influencers - summary
IMS311 (November 2023 Insight forums). Influencers have been around for years in all walks of life, and more so than ever now with the rise in social media. This 1-page summary shares learnings from social media influencers that we can apply to the world of Insight.
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Unleash your inner influencer - summary
IMS312 (November 2023 Insight forums). It's likely that we see a range of different personality types in our teams, and it may appear that influencing comes more naturally to some than others. But influencing can be for everyone we just need to make it feel authentic!
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Embracing uncomfortable influencing - summary
IMS313: (March 2025 Insight forums). Influence is essential to driving change, but despite this, it can still feel uncomfortable for many Insight professionals. In this summary we highlight 3 key ways Insight professionals can approach this challenge.
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Influencing hard to reach senior audiences - summary
IMS314 (March 2025 Insight forums). Influencing senior audiences is not easy. In this summary, we share 6 key learnings from an experienced CEO about how to reach senior audiences, make the most of the opportunity with them, and keep them engaged long term.
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Navigating difficult conversations - summary
IMS315 (March 2025 Insight forums). Difficult conversations are a big part of our lives, but not all Insight professionals feel equipped to handle them. In this summary, we provide 5 key tips for navigating difficult conversations effectively.
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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
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The 6 principles of Insight influencers - video
IMV311 (November 2023 Insight forums). Influencers have been around for years in all walks of life, and more so than ever now with the rise in social media. This video shares learnings from social media influencers that we can apply to the world of Insight.
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Unleash your inner influencer - video
IMV312 (November 2023 Insight forums). It's likely that we see a range of different personality types in our teams, and it may appear that influencing comes more naturally to some than others. But influencing can be for everyone we just need to make it feel authentic!
IMA Red Apostrophe Icon
Embracing uncomfortable influencing - video
IMV313 (March 2025 Insight forums). Influence is essential to driving change, but despite this, it can feel uncomfortable for many Insight professionals. In this video Lisa Dutton highlights 3 key ways that Insight professionals can approach this challenge.
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Influencing hard to reach senior audiences - video
IMV314 (March 2025 Insight forums). Influencing senior audiences is not easy. In this video, we share 6 key learnings from an experienced CEO about how to reach senior audiences, make the most of the opportunity with them, and keep them engaged long term.
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Navigating difficult conversations - video
IMV315 (March 2025 Insight forums). Difficult conversations are a big part of our lives, but not all Insight professionals feel equipped to handle them. In this video, Emma Jones provides 5 key tips for navigating difficult conversations effectively.