(っ◔◡◔)っNº297 Mobility is Stability 🚴 ⚖️

If you're in Girona this week, let's ride! More about my plans here below. And if you're not here, you can track my race effort on Friday here: twotoneams.link/traka-tracking.

Keeping my renewed aspiration for sharing intro inspiration, I first thought to comment on the marketing mosh pit I find myself in here in Girona but I'll save that for another day. 😉

This morning, I was reading Studio Radio Duran's latest Radar Mailing List & Jan shared this Ethnographic Mind article by Jay Hasbrouck in his reading list about reading the room:

"The first observation is simply this: Nobody wants your strategy."

What Jay means is that is no inherent reason for a stakeholder to prioritize your strategic insights simply because you’re the researcher or consultant. Naively entering into an engagement assuming that your insights will be prioritised risks not only an arrogant impression but also endangers your ability to build influence (especially in a shifting work environment).

I liked the article because it was a great reminder for me that for the kind of work that Twotone does (and maybe you too!), it is our responsibility to strategically build a case and connect dots leveraging our insights that are not inherently strategic from a stakeholder perspective. Jibber jabber. I know. Here's some actionable cliff notes to sink your teeth into:

Just in Time — where does your role fit in with your clients' current efforts & goals?

What would help accelerate their work best right now?
How can you deliver key insights in small ‘bites’ that dovetail with the client’s workflow?
Model: Newspaper headline writer (This is one is fun!)
Approach: Offer simple statements, images, or summaries that emphasise action and direct connections to current team goals.

Ignite Insight — Is your client at a key milestone in their work?

What connections across your insights would be most valuable to help your team make better strategic decisions?
How can you bring them along to reach the same conclusions you found valuable?
Model: Attorney making a case
Approach: guide your client through a clear and compelling series of insights that build on one another.

Host an Exploration — deadlines not dire nor an immediate need to put out a fire? Then take a moment to inspire.

Present insights configured in such a way that stimulates creative thinking
How can you convey engaging, compelling insights that set the stage for generative work?
Model: Director staging a play
Approach: Curate themes across insights and offer easy ways for the team to explore and dive deeper where interested."

For Twotone, fitting into a client's workflow just in time & igniting insight come way easier than carving out the time for an exploration. Lesson for me this week: read to the room better like the article's title suggests and challenge ourselves to take the time to explore more when we're not under pressure for a launch or other deadline.

As always, thank you for reading,

Jon