Analysis, Professional Development
Analysts almost always function as part of a team, which makes the ability to work well with others critical to any analyst’s success. “Others” here includes everyone from teammates and counterparts to editors, managers, or graphics specialists. If you’re an analyst...
Analysis, Professional Development
If there was a prime directive for analysts when I was at the Central Intelligence Agency, it was that we and our work had to be objective. Properly serving policymakers and the country required a personal detachment from the issues we followed. Any analyst in the...
Analysis, Professional Development
Understanding your customers and their needs is critical to success as an analyst. What they care about and expect from you should always influence when and what you write and how you package it. I floundered at the start of my analytic career because I didn’t know my...
Analysis, Professional Development
The incoming Biden administration will require analysts across the Federal Government to adjust their products for a new audience. With the change of administrations comes a change in upper-level officials who demand a steady stream of information and analysis....
Analysis, Professional Development
In my last blog post, I urged analysts to become three-dimensional experts, and now I’m adding another critical piece of expertise-related advice: your customer’s level of expertise should be just as important as yours in driving how you present your analysis. You...
Analysis, Professional Development
You must demonstrate expertise to succeed as an analyst, regardless of what you analyze, but what exactly does it mean to be an expert? My public- and private-sector experience suggests there are three dimensions of expertise, and you gain knowledge in each area in...
Executive Presence, Professional Development
Most literature on executive presence focuses on your need to present a strong, competent persona so your bosses will see you as a capable professional. Unfortunately, not everyone you work with seeks a persona that maximizes competence. Some want a greater sense of...
Executive Presence, Professional Development
Your executive presence — how you consciously and unconsciously communicate your competence to others — is critical to your career. Unfortunately, although others’ opinions of your presence are what matter, you’ll rarely get feedback about how your bosses,...
