From Academia to Action: Turning Research into Executive Impact | Stephanie Woerner | 613

Leveraging Thought Leadership

How can an academic bridge the gap between rigorous research and actionable insights for executives?

Stephanie Woerner, of MIT's Center for Information Systems Research (CISR), offers a masterclass on this topic in our latest podcast episode. She reveals how her team tackles the tension between academia’s slower pace and business’s urgent demands by designing projects with rapid deliverables and executive-relevant outcomes. It’s not just about publishing papers—it’s about driving impact and transforming practices.

Stephanie explains how CISR collaborates with its consortium of 75 corporate members to co-create research agendas that solve real-world problems. From exploring the impact of AI and data-driven decision-making to demystifying digital transformation, her frameworks make complex concepts accessible. Her advice? Listen to your audience, translate data into actionable insights, and focus on what drives performance—whether it’s profitability, innovation, or customer experience.

The conversation dives into the art of storytelling with data. Stephanie shares how visuals, like a simple two-by-two matrix, can illuminate business challenges and opportunities. By simplifying without oversimplifying, she equips leaders to move from confusion to clarity, making complex transformations manageable.

With thought leadership positioned as a practice, Stephanie reflects on her journey from researcher to influencer. She underscores the importance of connecting with your audience, constantly iterating, and striving for impact over time. This is thought leadership in action—anticipating the future, separating signal from noise, and delivering the insights your audience needs just when they need them.

Three Key Takeaways:

• Bridging Academia and Business: Stephanie Woerner highlights the importance of designing research to deliver actionable insights for executives. By structuring projects with shorter cycles and a focus on business relevance, her team ensures their work addresses urgent corporate challenges while maintaining academic rigor.

The Power of Frameworks and Storytelling: Simplifying complex ideas into accessible frameworks, like two-by-two matrices, helps executives understand challenges and take decisive action. Effective storytelling with data transforms raw information into compelling, actionable insights.Audience-Centered Thought Leadership: Successful thought leadership requires deep listening and collaboration with your audience. Woerner emphasizes the value of co-creating research agendas and focusing on practical outcomes that align with what your audience urgently needs to know—or hasn’t yet thought to ask.

If you want to further explore the idea of using academic research to build your thought leadership, be sure to check out this video by Leveraging Thought Leadership founder and CEO Peter Winick.