Transforming Insight Podcast

Episode 44: Transforming Insight at Transport for London

Episode Summary

Episode 44 of the IMA's Transforming Insight podcast is now available. In this extended episode, James talks to Renate Brockes, Customer Insight Lead at Transport for London. Renate brings us on her journey from her initial role in market research at the Met Police to leading TFL's Insight team. Renate reflects on her experience of guiding a team through multiple organizational restructures and the complexities of public service. Sharing her aspirations for the team, the importance of collaboration and stable and clear direction is discussed. Taking a look at the challenges the pandemic brought to public transport Insights, Renate shares her pride in her team for their ability to flex when Insight became the most valuable commodity to the business at that time. Renate also shares her experience and advice for being a leader in an Insight team. Please listen to find out more!

Episode Notes

Topics Discussed

Renate's journey to leading the Insight Team at TFL (1:50)
Navigating the team through a re-org (4:21)
Annual goals, priorities and team collaboration (10:04)
What is Renate most proud of her team achieving? (14:15)
Maintaining the heightened profile for the Insight team post-pandemic (17:05)
Challenges and success of a leadership role (19:58)

Highlights

“This year, 2023, is the year of communication… That year everybody has an objective linked to that one thing. On top of the day-to-day and the project delivery, that everyone has objectives within their own development plans that is also speaking to that objective. That it's not my priority, it's a team priority. And that everybody understands how everybody kind of contributes to that.” (10:17)
“That's how you get a seat at the table is by helping people out when they asked you. But obviously there's a balance in there. We can't then say yes to everybody, at all times. And how you continue to build that good reputation and that helpful reputation, without just doing other people's admin for them.” (12:53)
“Suddenly, wanting to know what customers were thinking and doing and going to do next was the organization's number one priority and suddenly we were under pressure to deliver almost daily Insights and figures and facts.” (14:28)
“It was a really useful exercise to review absolutely every single thing you do as a team and I think, by nature of doing that, I think it made us more focused and more kind of specific and deliberate in what we did and what we didn't do” (17:27)
“It was realising that they don't need me to be the most experienced researcher. They need me to provide direction and vision and challenge, and that's my role.” (20:35)

This is episode 44 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, 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.

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About James Wycherley, the author of Transforming Insight

James Wycherley was Director of Customer Insight and Analytics at Barclays from 2005 to 2015 when he became Chief Executive of the Insight Management Academy (IMA). A popular keynote speaker and acknowledged expert on Insight leadership, strategy, and communication, he is the author of the book Transforming Insight: the 42 secrets of successful corporate Insight teams, and over 35 IMA publications. He has provided thought leadership in the UK, Western Europe, the USA, Canada, Australia, India, and the Middle East, and regularly hosts the IMA’s Insight forums - London, Manchester, UK Online and US Online.

The Insight Management Academy is the world’s leading authority on transforming Insight teams.

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

Copies of James Wycherley’s book Transforming Insight: the 42 secrets of successful corporate Insight teams can be purchased direct from www.transforming-insight.com

Disclaimer

The Transforming Insight podcast is published by the Insight Management Academy and produced by Zorbiant.