“Data is the new gold”. And in order to mine that gold, the majority of the organisations are participating in the race by hiring “data-driven leaders”.
It’s a good thing because, one, data lets you in on the information you otherwise wouldn’t know. The kind of information that tells you your customer’s behaviours, your competitor’s strategies, your strengths, your weaknesses and the information you need to make decisions and plan your next move. And who else can understand all this better than a data pro like you?
But unfortunately, data pros are often reduced to “the dashboard people.”
Let’s see how to turn your proximity to data into real organisational influence and how to leverage your skills and knowledge in a data-driven organisation to drive impact and come up as a data-driven leader.
You’re the proponent of a data-driven culture
You and your team are the facilitators. You are the proponents of the data-driven culture. So first, take responsibility. Secondly, consider it an opportunity and preach the same to your team.
So many data professionals land in organisations that don’t truly value their skills and insights. They work in an environment that doesn’t let them shine. If you’re at a place that’s conducive to your skills, it’s time to show what you’ve got. You’re in an environment where you can put your expertise and skills to full use.
Moreover, it’s a valuable achievement in your career growth that you can brag about in interviews.
Correct the company’s direction
Though it’s good to be data-driven, a lot of organisations don’t fully grasp what it means to be data-driven and participate in the trend just for the sake of it.
As a data leader, don’t assume everyone shares the same definition. For some, data-driven means dashboards. For others, it means intuition backed by numbers. For leadership, it often means using data only when it supports an already-made decision. But you truly know how to maximise data’s power.
Your role at this point is to set expectations:
- Data is used before decisions, not just to justify them later.
- Dashboards are not for vanity; they give your real insights that shape company decisions.
- Opinions are welcome, but assumptions must be tested.
I have already discussed in detail what a data-driven culture looks like and how to build one. You can check that out for reference here: How to create a data-driven culture? A guide for data leaders.
Work on data literacy
Basic data literacy is essential for a data-driven culture. The responsibility of ensuring everyone in the organisation is at the same starting point lies on the shoulders of a data-driven leader. Every member of the company should understand the basics of data, how it works and why it is important. Training and workshops are the best way to promote it.
Meet every department at their level of understanding
You know you have to simplify things for everyone to understand the data. However, different departments might need different levels of simplicity. It’s important that you take that into account and meet them at their level.
For example, the tech and IT departments won’t need to be spoon-fed; a brief explanation would be enough. However, marketing, finance and logistics might need more details and in simpler language.
Save your sanity in the process
If you’re a new leader, I empathise with you. The shift to leadership is scary enough, let alone carrying the responsibility of shaping a culture across the organisation. Workload, overwhelm, confusion, and pressure hit tenfold, and you wonder how to manage it all.
Communication gaps, tough feedback and conflicts with other departments will surely arise in the process while your own and your team’s productivity takes a hit. To help new leads manage this chaos, I have put together a short e-book that will be your toolkit to navigate your leadership journey.
It starts by shattering your limiting mindset and gives you a new thought process that you need as a leader. And then come all the self-awareness, communication, feedback, conflict management and productivity tips and frameworks that will ease your life.
This is something I wish I had when I stepped into this realm, but I learnt it the hard way, and I want you to benefit from my experience. Check out Foundations of Leadership for Nerds.
Show the right data
You know how important the right data is. And you are the one presenting it to everyone else. Work with every department to understand their goals and KPIs and show them the relevant data that aligns with their objectives.
- Product teams want trade-offs
- Marketing wants trends and attribution
- Finance wants predictability
- Operations wants signals and alerts
It doesn’t take much to find what’s important to a department. Simple questions like the ones below will do the job.
- What are the most important decisions you make in a typical week or month?
- Where do you rely most on gut feel today?
- Which KPIs are you personally held accountable for?
- Which numbers do you check first when something goes wrong?
- How often do you realistically look at dashboards?
- Where do you feel blind when making decisions?
Simplify and visualise
Emphasise simplicity, not just in your language but also in dashboards. Make sure it’s easy to navigate and retrieve the required information.
Good visualisation guides the eye. Use simple and clean visuals for easy understanding and to limit the horror your non-tech fellows can feel by seeing new dashboards and numbers.
Also read: What is essential for making a data-driven culture stick
Step up as a data-driven leader
You’re more than dashboards and reports. As a data leader, you have the power to make things happen. It gets messy, it gets overwhelming, but you’ve got this. Step up, speak up, and turn your data into real impact, because no one else will.
And if this journey feels like a roller coaster ride, you take a seat in a comfortable car by getting yourself the toolkit you need. Learn more about Foundations of Leadership for Nerds and make your leadership journey a smooth and steady ride.
Still confused? Book a 1:1 consultation with me.
