Pivoting a business or project in a new direction is filled with uncertainty. Leaders must find ways to ensure they are making the right strategic moves, gaining insights that competitors don’t have access to. This is where Adriana Delor, former innovation executive across industries like IBM and Verizon, brings her expertise. With over 15 years transforming companies’ most audacious ideas into successful ventures, Adriana provides critical advice for business leaders on how to pivot with certainty.
“If you think you can buy reports from consulting firms and gain proprietary insights, please reconsider,” Adriana asserts. “Your competitors have access to the same surface-level information in these generalized reports.” Instead, Adriana focuses business leaders on creating “unfair advantages” through understanding people, not just data.
Immersing Yourself in the Human Perspective
Many leaders believe they can relate to their audience by figuratively “stepping into their shoes.” However, Adriana argues this is simply projection. “What we think we know about other people, we don’t,” she explains. “Even when observing people directly, if we do so from our own siloed perspective, it’s biased.”
Adriana advocates for literally “going there yourself” to gain deeper human insights. She recounts when her team hired anthropologists globally to visit innovation hubs and remote locations. “We sent them to environments where innovation has to happen, places where it’s difficult to do a specific task,” says Adriana.
Though competitors could replicate this, Adriana explains the interpretations would vastly differ. “Ask two people the same question, and they’ll walk away with very different takeaways,” she notes. It’s these unique interpretations of “raw” information that become the foundation for distinctive pivots.
Avoiding the Pitfalls of Conventional Research
Many leaders rely heavily on traditional consumer research to guide pivots. However, Adriana highlights the shortcomings of this approach. “The map is not the territory,” she states. “What looks one way on the surface may actually be something entirely different once you explore further.” She emphasizes the need to go beyond surface-level observations to uncover pivotal human truths.
Adriana also warns against the instinct to “finish people’s sentences” when interpreting research and data. “We start speaking for them rather than listening openly,” she cautions. This closes leaders off from information that could fuel innovative pivots. “To create an unfair advantage, you must observe and understand people through an open lens,” Adriana advises. Curiosity, not projection, holds the key.
The Power Lies in Interpretation
Ultimately, Adriana stresses that effective pivots stem from how leaders interpret insights, not just the insights themselves. “You could give two leaders the same information, and they’d pivot in very different directions,” she explains. Much depends on individual perspective, judgment, and on certain helpful frameworks they are or are not aware of.
It’s this interpretation, fueled by deep human understanding, that drives pivotal decision-making. “The success of your pivot lies in how you gathered and digested ‘raw’ information,” says Adriana. Curiosity, immersion, and nuanced interpretation separate impactful pivots from misguided ones.
Guiding Leaders Through Uncertainty
For over 15 years, Adriana has guided executives through uncertainty, transforming ambiguity into decisive strategy. “I create unfair advantages by teaching leaders how to observe people through an open, unbiased lens,” she says. “This builds the certainty needed to pivot successfully.”
Though pivots bring uncertainty, Adriana believes humanity holds the answers. “Focus on truly understanding people, and your direction will unfold clearly,” she advises. “Let their needs and truths guide you. Then – read between the lines”
With a wealth of experience across industries and audiences, Adriana is eager to provide pivotal guidance. “I’d love to teach you how to find certainty when everything seems uncertain,” she shares. Contact Adriana Delor via LinkedIn or visit her website if you need help creating an unfair advantage in your next business pivot.
