Transforming Insight Podcast

James Wycherley

Welcome to Transforming Insight, the podcast for anyone who has the ambition to transform their Insight team and create an Insight-driven organisation. Your host is James Wycherley, chief executive of the Insight Management Academy, and the author of Transforming Insight: the 42 secrets of successful corporate Insight teams. In the Transforming Insight podcast, we not only explore all 42 secrets outlined in the Transforming Insight book, but we also talk to senior corporate Insight leaders, delve into books that have inspired us, and discuss new best practice research carried out with the IMA’s corporate members. You won’t want to miss this! So hit subscribe!

  1. Episode 89: Start with your organisation

    Episode 89

    Episode 89: Start with your organisation

    Laura shares the core principles that have guided her approach throughout her career:  Understanding the unique context and needs of each organisation before reaching for new data; Tapping into the wealth of knowledge that already exists within a business;  Always, always stepping into the shoes of the consumer Get to know your stakeholders These might sound like fundamentals, but as Laura makes clear, they're the principles most easily lost under the pressure of deadlines and data. We also talk about AI, where Laura has a balanced view: she believes it opens up exciting possibilities for speed and efficiency, but she's clear-eyed about the risk of leaning too heavily on technology at the expense of the distinctly human skills – the sense-making, strategic thinking and storytelling that defines truly impactful Insight work. There's also a thread running through this episode about agility: what large organisations can learn from the entrepreneurial mindset, and why adaptability may be the most underrated skill in the Insight professional's toolkit.   Please listen to find out more!   Topics Discussed The Shift from Researchers to Insight Activists (2.34) Stakeholder Expectations and Misunderstandings(6.45) Competence Issues in Forming Opinions (10.46) The Shift in Skillset: From Technical to Business Understanding (16.03) The Value of Structured Tools in Insight Work (18.12) Encouraging Conversations and Safe Spaces for Opinions (22.49)   This is episode 89 of the Transforming Insight podcast.  If you have the ambition to transform your Insight team and the role it plays in your organisation, please tune in to future episodes. Not only will we explore the 42 secrets of successful corporate Insight teams as outlined in the Transforming Insight book, and the 9Ps of The Insight Leader’s Playbook, we will also talk to senior corporate Insight leaders, delve into books that have inspired us, and discuss new best practice research carried out with the IMA’s corporate members. You won’t want to miss this! So please subscribe - and thank you for listening.    About James Wycherley, the author of Transforming Insight James Wycherley was Director of Customer Insight and Analytics at Barclays Bank from 2005 to 2015 when he became Chief Executive of the Insight Management Academy (IMA).  He published his first book, Transforming Insight, in 2020, and his second, The Insight Leader’s Playbook, in 2025, and he hosts the Insight forums and the Transforming Insight podcast. An entertaining keynote speaker, he has presented over 50 times at Quirk’s events, a global record, and has provided thought leadership in the UK, USA, Europe, Canada, Australia, India and the Middle East. The Insight Management Academy is the world’s leading authority on transforming corporate Insight teams, and its vision is to inspire and support every Insight leader to transform the impact of Insight in their organisation.   Resources: If you would like more information on any of the ideas discussed in this episode of the Transforming Insight podcast, please visit www.insight-management.org   Disclaimer The Transforming Insight podcast is published by the Insight Management Academy and produced by Zorbiant.

    30 min
  2. Episode 90: Transforming Insight at Admiral

    Episode 90

    Episode 90: Transforming Insight at Admiral

    With over 15 years of experience spanning Insight, research, market intelligence, and voice of the customer, Jo arrives at Admiral fresh from a significant tenure at TalkTalk, where she helped build something that every Insight leader will recognise as the holy grail: a value log that quantified the real monetary impact of Insight on the business. It's the kind of initiative that doesn't just demonstrate worth; it changes the conversation entirely. Jo talks candidly about what she's learned from that experience and how it's shaped the Insight Leaders Playbook she's brought with her to Admiral, a practical framework for setting vision, building momentum, and embedding Insight where it matters most. Her approach is deliberate and structured, but what comes through just as strongly is her belief in the power of relationships. Stakeholder trust, she argues, isn't a nice-to-have; it's the foundation on which everything else is built. This is an episode full of honest, grounded advice for anyone stepping into a new Insight leadership role or looking to reposition an existing team. Jo's energy and clarity of purpose are infectious, and her journey at Admiral is only just beginning.   Please listen to find out more!   Topics Discussed Establishing a Value Log for Insight (3.58) Insight Leaders Playbook: Planning for Success(12.20) Prioritising Transformation Areas at Admiral (16.25) Embedding Insight into Business Processes (22.10) Advice for New Insight Leaders (26.47)   This is episode 90 of the Transforming Insight podcast.  If you have the ambition to transform your Insight team and the role it plays in your organisation, please tune in to future episodes. Not only will we explore the 42 secrets of successful corporate Insight teams as outlined in the Transforming Insight book, and the 9Ps of The Insight Leader’s Playbook, we will also talk to senior corporate Insight leaders, delve into books that have inspired us, and discuss new best practice research carried out with the IMA’s corporate members. You won’t want to miss this! So please subscribe - and thank you for listening.    About James Wycherley, the author of Transforming Insight James Wycherley was Director of Customer Insight and Analytics at Barclays Bank from 2005 to 2015 when he became Chief Executive of the Insight Management Academy (IMA).  He published his first book, Transforming Insight, in 2020, and his second, The Insight Leader’s Playbook, in 2025, and he hosts the Insight forums and the Transforming Insight podcast. An entertaining keynote speaker, he has presented over 50 times at Quirk’s events, a global record, and has provided thought leadership in the UK, USA, Europe, Canada, Australia, India and the Middle East. The Insight Management Academy is the world’s leading authority on transforming corporate Insight teams, and its vision is to inspire and support every Insight leader to transform the impact of Insight in their organisation.   Resources: If you would like more information on any of the ideas discussed in this episode of the Transforming Insight podcast, please visit www.insight-management.org   Disclaimer The Transforming Insight podcast is published by the Insight Management Academy and produced by Zorbiant.

    35 min
  3. Episode 91: Working Well Together – One year on

    Episode 91

    Episode 91: Working Well Together – One year on

    One year on, Ruth returns to take stock of where things stand through the “Working Well Together Charter” - a practical framework built around six core principles designed to make client-agency relationships more intentional, more respectful, and ultimately more productive. Those principles cover everything from respecting agency time and the right to disconnect, to committing to open communication and treating agency partners as genuine members of the team. As Ruth is quick to acknowledge, none of this is rocket science. The challenge has never been knowing what good looks like; it's consistently living up to it under the pressures of real working life. That honest tension is what makes this conversation so valuable. We dig into findings from recent research with Aura members and agency partners that paint an encouraging picture. When the principles are genuinely applied, the results are tangible: more innovative proposals, deeper insights, better value, and stronger working relationships on both sides. There's a broader theme here, too, one that will resonate with any Insight professional looking to raise their team's profile. The most impactful Insight teams aren't just managing projects; they're building the kind of trusted partnership that makes better thinking possible. That’s one of the 9P’s in James Wycherley’s Insight Leader’s Playbook and an important aspect for any Insight professional who is working to become an Insight activist in their organisation. If you run a client-side Insight team or a market research agency, please visit the Aura website here to explore the Working Well Together Charter and think about how its principles might apply to your client-agency relationships.   Please listen to find out more!   Topics Discussed Six Principles of the Charter (2.42) Preferred Client Status and Agency Relationships (09.08) Navigating Budget Transparency (13.07) Training Needs for Insight Professionals (18.41) How to Learn More About the Charter (25.31)   This is episode 91 of the Transforming Insight podcast.  If you have the ambition to transform your Insight team and the role it plays in your organisation, please tune in to future episodes. Not only will we explore the 42 secrets of successful corporate Insight teams as outlined in the Transforming Insight book, and the 9Ps of The Insight Leader’s Playbook, we will also talk to senior corporate Insight leaders, delve into books that have inspired us, and discuss new best practice research carried out with the IMA’s corporate members. You won’t want to miss this! So please subscribe - and thank you for listening.    About James Wycherley James Wycherley was Director of Customer Insight and Analytics at Barclays Bank from 2005 to 2015 when he became Chief Executive of the Insight Management Academy (IMA).  He published his first book, Transforming Insight, in 2020, and his second, The Insight Leader’s Playbook, in 2025, and he hosts the Insight forums and the Transforming Insight podcast. An entertaining keynote speaker, he has presented over 60 times at Quirk’s events, a global record, and has provided thought leadership in the UK, USA, Europe, Canada, Australia, India and the Middle East. The Insight Management Academy is the world’s leading authority on transforming corporate Insight teams, and its vision is to inspire and support every Insight leader to transform the impact of Insight in their organisation.   Resources: If you would like more information on any of the ideas discussed in this episode of the Transforming Insight podcast, please visit www.insight-management.org   Disclaimer The Transforming Insight podcast is published by the Insight Management Academy and produced by Zorbiant.

    28 min

Ratings & Reviews

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out of 5
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About

Welcome to Transforming Insight, the podcast for anyone who has the ambition to transform their Insight team and create an Insight-driven organisation. Your host is James Wycherley, chief executive of the Insight Management Academy, and the author of Transforming Insight: the 42 secrets of successful corporate Insight teams. In the Transforming Insight podcast, we not only explore all 42 secrets outlined in the Transforming Insight book, but we also talk to senior corporate Insight leaders, delve into books that have inspired us, and discuss new best practice research carried out with the IMA’s corporate members. You won’t want to miss this! So hit subscribe!

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