AI and digital skills matter, but senior leaders say business fluency, storytelling, and financial literacy are the real keys to driving impact.
By: Ed Keller, Executive Director, MRII
This article originally appeared on the Executive Insights channel of Greenbook, where forward-thinking market-research and insights professionals explore how to elevate their impact. Thank you to Greenbook for inviting MRII to host this exciting channel.
Editor’s Note: This article marks the beginning of a new chapter for Executive Insights, now hosted by the Market Research Institute International (MRII). MRII is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the profession through education and training (learn more at mrii.org). As the primary contributor to this channel, MRII will share executive-level perspectives on the skills, strategies, and trends shaping the future of the insights industry and we’re excited to being a new kind of content collaboration with them!
The Great Disconnect
The insights industry is evolving at a breakneck pace. AI is rewriting how we collect, process, and present data as well as manage workflows. Tools and technologies are transforming what’s possible. Yet amidst this innovation, a quieter but more consequential shift is taking place—one that may determine which insights teams are seen as strategic assets and which are sidelined.
At MRII, our mission is to support insights professionals through education and skills development. As part of this, we recently conducted a global survey of market research and insights professionals. Among other topics explored, we asked: Which skills would you benefit from developing to become better at your job?
The results were eye-opening.
- 57% said AI literacy/digital literacy
- 42% cited technical skills
However, only a third (32%) chose financial literacy about the business
- 31% picked communication skills
- 18% said emotional intelligence
Skills like leadership, collaboration, and critical thinking—all vital for strategic influence—were similarly under-prioritized.
This signals a critical gap between the skills researchers are investing in and the capabilities their organizations actually need them to have.
What Senior Leaders Say Really Matters
Through our Insights & Innovators podcast, MRII has hosted in-depth conversations with some of the top minds in the industry—senior insights leaders at major brands who regularly interact with the C-suite.
The message from these executives is remarkably consistent: insights teams need to connect their work directly to business outcomes like growth, profitability, and customer retention—and that requires a very different skill set than many practitioners are currently prioritizing.
Pam Forbus, SVP and Global Chief of Insights & Analytics at Mondelez, put it bluntly:
“If you’re not speaking the language of the CFO, you risk a disconnect with decision-makers.”
Similarly, Lisa Courtade, Associate VP of Global Business Insights & Analytics at Organon, emphasized that:
“It’s actually the approach that delivers the greatest value for the business that is the best one to go with.”
These perspectives reinforce a powerful theme: researchers need to communicate with clarity, confidence, and an eye on what drives executive action.
Ben Page, CEO of Ipsos, underscores this imperative:
“A great leader is a great simplifier. The ability to tell a clear story that inspires action makes all the difference.”
Pam Forbus builds on that theme:
“Insights without action are pointless. Your job is to inspire leaders and connect data to decisions that drive growth.”
The ability to communicate insights effectively remains a core leadership trait. Storytelling is not just about presenting findings—it’s about creating a vision that compels action and delivers impact.
From Data Deliverer to Strategic Partner
The modern insights leaders aren’t just a data experts or people with the best technical knowledge—they are a translator between customer understanding and business strategy. This means:
- Articulating how research connects to revenue, margin, and retention
- Understanding what drives stakeholder decisions and aligning insights accordingly
- Being fluent in financial and operational terms
- Leading with synthesis, not just data delivery
Yet according to our survey, many professionals are underinvesting in precisely these areas. The result? A widening gap between potential and performance.
If this disconnect continues, we risk creating a generation of insights professionals who are technically capable but strategically invisible.
Bridging the Divide: Three Key Priorities
To close this gap, we need to recalibrate how we think about skills development in the research space. Here are three priorities for professionals and organizations alike:
1. Rebalance Learning Portfolios
Yes, AI and technical skills are critical—but they shouldn’t dominate at the expense of business acumen. Make space for training in financial literacy, strategic thinking, and stakeholder engagement. These are the skills that unlock influence.
2. Embrace Business-Aligned Storytelling
Insights only matter if they’re heard—and understood. That means translating findings into narratives that resonate with executives. What does this mean for revenue? What are the implications for market growth or customer churn? Business storytelling should be as integral to your toolkit as segmentation or conjoint analysis.
3. Elevate “Soft” Skills to Strategic Must-Haves
Communication, emotional intelligence, leadership, collaboration—these aren’t “nice to have” anymore. They are foundational to building credibility, managing internal relationships, and creating impact. The more complex the data, the more human the delivery must be.
How the Industry Can Respond
The skills gap identified in MRII’s survey underscores a shift in how professional development should be prioritized. Technical expertise remains vital, but it must be complemented by broader competencies—financial fluency, strategic storytelling, and leadership.
Professional associations, educational institutions, and training providers are beginning to address this need by evolving their offerings. MRII, for example, has expanded its focus beyond core research methods to include areas like business acumen and executive communication—reflecting the demand for researchers to influence decision-making at the highest levels.
These types of resources, whether accessed through MRII or elsewhere, can help professionals strengthen the connection between insights and business outcomes.
Final Thought: Don’t Just Master the Tools—Master the Terrain
The future of insights isn’t just about the latest AI breakthrough or the next data platform. It’s about influence. It’s about shaping decisions. It’s about understanding not just the consumer, but the business they drive.
To do that, insights professionals must broaden their horizons. Because being data-savvy is the cost of entry. But being business-savvy? That’s what earns a seat at the table.
