Data Culture and Your Corporate Culture

Regardless of scale, our clients need to consider the same message when they set out on their Data Journey. Geordie Consulting has undertaken data projects with companies of all sizes, from companies in the single digits in terms of headcount to FTSE 100s or Fortune 500s. The challenges are the same: understanding that the changes that a Modern Data Platform will bring to your organisation will be successful, and the Data Culture within your organisation is also reviewed and updated. Doing this may also require that we review the more comprehensive Corporate Culture. Geordie Consulting has the experience and capability to assist you and your organisation to maximise the ROI footprint of your Data Journey.

The end goal of a modern data platform must be to understand the data used within the organisation better. It must deliver the standards needed to unify those discussions. A term describes the totality of this: Data Culture.

Corporate culture refers to the shared values, beliefs, behaviours, and practices characterising an organisation. It encompasses the company’s vision, norms, systems, symbols, language, assumptions, environment, and habits. Essentially, it is the company’s personality and influences how employees interact with each other and stakeholders outside the organisation. A strong corporate culture can increase employee engagement, higher productivity, and a better work environment. It can be shaped by various factors, including leadership style, company policies, workplace practices, and the organisation’s overall mission and goals.  As a leader, you have the power to shape and influence your company’s culture, making you a key player in the success of your organisation.

Data culture refers to an organisation’s collective mindset and practices that prioritise and value data-driven decision-making. It encompasses the attitudes, behaviours, and norms around data usage, ensuring that data is consistently used to inform strategies, operations, and innovations. A robust data culture can lead to more informed decision-making, improved efficiency, and a competitive advantage in the market.

What is clear is that the two statements of culture have at their heart Practices, Behaviours and Attitudes. The understanding of this is vital to understanding the benefits that can be found, but also help us to understand the challenges. It is not unheard of for certain behaviours, both of a Data Culture and of a Corporate Culture, to actively degrade and erode the other. So, the two must work together and be in lockstep for a business to truly benefit.

Balance is the key, as is so much of life. A balance of analysis is just as important as a balance of control. So what is Balance of Analysis, and of course, what is Balance of Control? Balance of Analysis is the practice of ensuring that you are using your analytics appropriately. Excessive analysis prevents action. Think of when you learnt to drive. Initially, you focus on what is immediately in front of the vehicle; over time, however, you begin to look further ahead and plan and prepare. Still being able to act should the situation change, but your strategy is to drive down the road, not related to every bump in the road or pedestrian on the pavement. In analytics, the same behaviours can occur and can be immensely damaging. In this case, we talk about strategic versus operational reports, which look down the road versus fixating on items in front of us.

Imagine an Online Retailer; should the monthly reports focus on the number of orders awaiting dispatch? Hopefully, we can all agree that being aware of the percentage of on-time orders shipped has strategic benefits but knowing that precisely 50 orders are currently to be dispatched does not have any strategic benefit. Let us know if you disagree with this. Suppose we present to a director or higher that 50 orders are currently awaiting dispatch. In that case, one of two things will happen: either apathy of the report content will start as the report has no value, and so the platform value will be degraded, or they start to try to get that number to zero. Remember, an order awaiting dispatch is meaningless and may never be zero; Amazon, for example, would likely be highly concerned if their “Outstanding Orders” number ever reached zero.

Balance of Control is a more nuanced area, but it simply revolves around whether your culture focuses more on patronage or mentoring. A strict hierarchy within an organisation will have to undergo more changes than one that focusing on the development of the individual. If you are used to instructions coming from above (remember used to and like do not mean the same thing), then the concept of being data-driven will be more alien. Data-driven decisions often start with the process experts using their knowledge to formulate a strategy, they may not be the decision makers or involved in the decision, however enabling them and establishing avenues that actively encourage the presentation of ideas for review without fear of adverse consequences is not usual within a strict hierarchy. The benefits of balancing control are that you achieve a more diverse strategy that is focused on a deep understanding of your organisation and how it works rather than what can often be strategy based the ideas of a few or even worse ideas based on what is believed to be what the few want. An organisation the encourages and uses diverse strategic options will be more agile and more able to cope with change.

The result of getting the balance right for your organisation is that your Leadership Teams become supporters, championing their teams’ growth and using data to drive the decisions made. In a more data-literate organisation, employees are trained to understand and work with the official organisational data. The organisational data has become deeply trusted across all levels of the organisation, with people using it confidently to extend the analysis to new levels, thus further driving better decisions. This standardisation around core data sources and models also drives levels of collaboration to previously unknown levels.

Geordie Consulting, a dedicated consultancy, has partnered with numerous companies to tackle this challenge. We are committed to sharing our expertise and experience with clients by supporting your Centre of Excellence. Our consultants and their knowledge will be available to foster the growth and development of this function within your organisation. Our team will oversee your Power Platform estate, ensuring consistent refresh cycles. Additionally, we will mentor your team or facilitate knowledge-sharing events to promote a new Data Culture within your business. As a Microsoft Partner, we ensure our team stays current with platform updates. We can simplify the upskilling process for your internal team by guiding and supporting their learning and demonstrating solutions implemented during your engagement. To optimise your return on investment, consider enrolling your organisation in our Centre of Excellence as a Service offering.