Defending a Counterintuitive Finding in Front of a Partner
Validated a manager's framing, then layered in mathematical proof to hold a counterintuitive position in a senior review
Pranjal Gujral
Analyst at Redseer Strategy Consultants
From their time as
Analyst
Redseer Strategy Consultants • 2026
Overview
During a client review session attended by the firm's partner, the project manager, and Pranjal's direct manager, a data point came up that created tension in the room. The category was mobile accessories, and the data showed substantial growth in a competitor's numbers that was not visible in the client's own figures.
The Story
During a client review session attended by the firm's partner, the project manager, and Pranjal's direct manager, a data point came up that created tension in the room. The category was mobile accessories, and the data showed substantial growth in a competitor's numbers that was not visible in the client's own figures.
Pranjal's manager suggested the competitor's number was likely an anomaly. Pranjal had done the underlying analysis and believed it was not. He had a clear hypothesis: a spike in premium device purchases had driven demand for accessories, and one specific brand was capturing that growth. The math was traceable.
The challenge was not the analysis. It was the room. Contradicting a manager in front of a partner and a client is a high-stakes move, and doing it bluntly would have created friction without building conviction.
Pranjal's approach was deliberate. He validated his manager's framing first: yes, it could be an anomaly, and yes, it had happened. Then he walked the room through the causal chain and proved it mathematically, in the room, in real time.
The partner and client accepted the analysis. Pranjal was recognized for holding his position while keeping the dynamic constructive.