# The Burden of Knowing By:: [[Brian Heath]] 2022-12-04 Analysts spend a lot of time looking at data and organizational information. As a result, they tend to have a deeper and more forward-looking understanding of the organization. If you want to know what is going on that no one is talking about, oftentimes the analyst is a good place to start. While management may always keep some developments to themselves, often a perceptive analyst feels which way the wind is blowing and deduce likely outcomes. This is simultaneously an advantage and a burden. Knowing what might unfold allows the analyst to position themselves positively, help steer the organization in the right direction, and/or alert the organization of an issue. However, there is no guarantee that these things will happen, so the analyst must use the information wisely. This is why you see analysts list endless caveats and assumptions. Hedging is a trademarked analytical maneuver since time immemorial. You are always correct if you list enough assumptions. As an analyst, wisely deploying their knowledge to support the organization is part of their job. But, what if that knowledge conflicts with their identity and beliefs? For example, what if the analyst knows that organization is looking to acquire another organization that will likely make a whole department redundant? It doesn't take too much effort to see that some people in this redundant department will be laid off. If the analyst has friends within that department, are they obliged to inform them of this potential future? Is it wise to do so? Immediately the waters become murky as the analyst possesses many identities that are highly interconnected to the world around them. The burden of knowing is great and a core existential challenge for the analyst. How an analyst reconciles this will tell you everything you need to know. #### Related Items [[Analytics]] [[Knowledge]] [[Wisdom]] [[Decision-making]] [[Organizational Analytics]]