My old boss used to say, “Too often, research is used the way a drunk uses a lamppost — for support, not illumination.” I’ve seen that play out again and again. Strategy sets the direction, and then research comes in afterward to hold it up — to justify the decision, prove the business case, or add a few numbers to a story that’s already been written.

Sometimes my job as your insights partner is to talk you out of doing research — or at least, not right away. Often, the answers you’re looking for already exist in the data you have.