The data leader playbook: six essential attributes for every data leader
What makes a successful data leader? The ability to crunch numbers, compile reports and create dashboards? In fact, there’s a lot more to it than that in an evolving business world where commerciality and wider business knowledge are increasingly important. If you’re an aspiring data leader, there are six main roles you need to play in order to bring a strategic value to your organisation. Let’s take a look at them.
1. The team coach
As a leader, you hire the best people, you coach them and then you get out of their way. But you don’t just oversee, facilitate and delegate. You also need to make it your business to help your people develop. Keep an ongoing feedback loop with your team members to understand how they’re getting on and discover their strengths and weaknesses. Not everyone in a team can do everything, but together they should bring a powerful blend of skills.
Find opportunities to reveal your people’s true potential. Create a path for their success and push them to grow further, providing training opportunities to help them advance in their career.
Remember you can’t spell ‘cheerleader’ without ‘leader.’ Be your people’s biggest advocate on a daily basis and be aware that some people will need more encouragement than others.
2. The challenger
You have to be your own worst critic before putting an idea to the test. That means being incredibly thorough with everything you put together and always looking for ways to optimise your solutions further.
Challenge your ideas and the ideas of your team. Even when you think you’re done, you’re not really done. Don’t just submit a proposal and hope for the best – actively look for holes in your own solutions. It helps to find the right audience to give you honest feedback, so pick people who you know will spot any inconsistencies or gaps in your data.
3. The data visionary
You come up with data solutions that will enable the business to thrive, envisioning the future of data. To do that, you have to deeply understand the key business problems you need to solve through data. This requires a detailed understanding of the business, its processes and its challenges. Draw a line through all the different business areas your new data capabilities are impacting and make sure people understand the value of what you’re building.
Don’t play it safe. Now is the time to experiment with new idea. Run ideation sessions across the business to build innovative data solutions and don’t be afraid to think outside the box. People won’t remember you for your data alone – they’ll remember you for the creative ways in which you use it.
4. The data crusader
When you feel confident with your data capabilities and resources, it’s time to act. Make sure that your data and analytics capabilities are distributed effectively across the business. Take every opportunity to advocate for the use of data. It’s not a matter of if you use it, but a matter of how. Be that crusader, be that advocate, be at the meetings where you can really push the value of data.
Most importantly of all, find your allies! Gain people’s support by rewarding the first data adopters with extra valuable insights. Create the right channels of communication so you have the right people to understand and act on your insights. Together, how can you create actionable insights and impact?
5. The value creator
You create the right infrastructure and framework to support ongoing data value creation. That begins with your team. Design an operating model that allows your team to work effectively and efficiently. Ensure transparency between your team, your solutions and your stakeholders. This in turn creates that trust between you and the rest of the business. Your stakeholders will have trust not only in your data, but in you – so if there’s a time when you need to push back a project, they’ll understand why and trust you’ll deliver it.
Follow the money! Anything attached to data can have a pound sign next to it, either directly or indirectly. Have the figures at hand every time you represent your team and capability. Showing how much money you’re bringing to the table will showcase the value of your data workstreams through tangible outcomes and illustrate why the business needs insights for strategic decision making.
How do you know you’re succeeding? The best marketing is satisfied customers. When a business starts believing in you, that empowers you and your team. You’re not just there for reporting and producing dashboards. You’re there to grow with the business and its data capabilities.
6. The business strategist
A true data leader needs to be a business leader first. That’s how you become recognised as someone with the commercial knowledge to drive the business forward. Understand the business’s goals and objectives and embrace your company’s mission and values, using them to build a robust data strategy.
Become a domain expert on all business areas and gain insights on the core products. Don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty in other fields. At the same time, always keep an eye on the market and what the competition is doing. This shows you have true commerciality and can identify opportunities.
Summary
A data leader is so much more than someone who looks after the numbers. They need to be a multifaceted professional with broad business and industry awareness, cross-collaboration skills and strong commercial acumen who helps to define the organisation’s strategic direction.
Demonstrating that you can fulfil these six roles will help you gain the trust of the business and give you the credibility and confidence to make great things happen. That’s when you go from someone who comes up with the numbers to someone who uses the numbers to bring business success. If you’re an aspiring data leader looking for your next role or you’re a business looking to hire a talented data professional, get in touch with our data and analytics team.
These insights were delivered by Maria Tarasidou, VP of data and analytics at Shiftavenue, at a WomenWiseData panel event in April 2024. WomenWiseData is a community aiming to support and increase the visibility of women in data. If you want to find out more about WomenWiseData or become part of our community, you can join our LinkedIn group here. Find out more about our new mentoring programme in partnership with Artefact, Women Wise Mentoring, here.
