Hey, just a head's-up, this'll be a bit more serious of a post than usual.

If you're involved in making strategic decisions at work, KNOW YOUR SOURCES.

It is one thing to be good at analysis, to know where to look. But, being able to point at a paper by a think tank, a bank or a well-respected analyst in your field, now THAT will make you truly useful.

Well-supported advice with sources backing up the advice you're giving will make the difference between you being useful and you being indisposable.

This really applies everywhere, not just in decision and policy making. A good example is software engineering;

- Being able to point at industry literature stating that a design pattern is an anti-pattern can help support a negative review.
- Adding screenshots to a PR can make your colleagues believe in your confidence that a new feature works as expected.

The main reason for this is that it takes the cognitive load off of those acting on your advice or approving your work. A responsible manager or reviewer would need to review what they receive by finding sources themselves. By taking that step away from them, you're reducing the amount of time spent in total, even though you might be spending a little more time on something. YOU are usually more specialised in the subject you're being asked about / working on than your boss. YOU will have an easier time supporting your decision with sources and evidence than they will have trying to support their review with such materials.