How do I cope with leading research instead of running the studies myself?

The insight lived in the studies, that moment a user showed you something no one expected. Now it is stakeholders and planning, and the discovery happens at someone else's desk. That loss is real. The studies were where the truth came in. But you decide which questions get asked and make sure the answers actually land. Insight that no one acts on is wasted, and protecting that is its own skill. You multiply the discovery across a whole team and carry it into rooms where it changes decisions. Run one study yourself this quarter. Sit with users, watch, listen. It refills your sense of the truth on the ground and keeps you honest about what your team is really doing.