Building Credibility As A Data Leader

Don't Lead A Data Team Before Reading This Part 2

Hello all! This is Ben!

For those who are new or missed out on the prior part of this series. I have started to write a book.

This is the second part of the chapter focused on stakeholders and the business. The goal of this chapter is to discuss how we, as data people, can work better with the business. How can we communicate our ideas better, influence decisions, and so on?

Also! If you have led a data team, I’d also love to hear your stories and integrate them into this book.

Please feel free to reach out(you can respond to this newsletter)!

I want to give a very special thanks to Veronika Durgin, Celina Wong, Shachar Meir,

Jordan Cutler

and Jeff Nemecek for sharing your thoughts: both for the quotes provided, and the chapter itself. (If I missed someone, please do let me know and I’ll make sure to add you to the next one).

This is also the very first piece I am paywalling up front as it is a far more extensive piece. So if you’d like a discount consider using the special offer below.With that, let’s dive in.

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Influencing The Business

“It’s usually not enough to point out impending problems/opportunities or even to propose solutions. You may have to garner support for your proposed solution or conduct small pilot tests. All of this involves the need to influence powerful people.”

― Allan R. Cohen, Influencing Up

Having good ideas and communicating them effectively isn’t enough—especially in larger organizations where numerous competing ideas and initiatives are constantly at play from different directors and VPs.

To make real progress, you need to build influence within the organization.

Sometimes, influence means convincing others that your idea is right. Other times, it means convincing them that they are wrong. Many of us in the technical world believe that because we are the experts, we’re already the voice of authority. That might be true in smaller companies where you’re the sole technical person. But in larger organizations, it’s rarely that simple.

The business must buy into your idea, and they might not always agree with your approach. Even the best ideas require debate, refinement, and pushback—so you need to be prepared to defend your thinking. 

In previous sections, we’ve discussed how to communicate effectively with the business and how to identify their needs. Assuming you’ve begun your journey into mastering both, then you’re now ready to start influencing the direction you believe the business should take. But it’s not as simple as pointing in a direction and expecting everyone to follow. You need to build the influence that will turn ideas into action. 

To be clear, building influence doesn’t mean you’ve sucked up to everyone above you and built some Stalin-like inner circle. Instead, it involves earning respect and trust from leadership above you and the individual contributors you manage. 

Build a Strong Network (Inside and Outside the Company)

It’s hard to influence people you don’t know, and even harder to influence those who don’t like or support you. Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of tactics that might manipulate someone into action, but no one wants to feel tricked—and those strategies rarely work on experienced business leaders who have a good BS detector.  

To drive any project forward, especially those that impact multiple departments, you need a strong network within the company (and outside it). As a director, manager, or even an individual contributor, building that network is essential. Here are a few great ways to start:

• Provide Value First: It’s easy to feel like you should wait for others to offer value before you engage with them. But in reality, you can often build stronger relationships by providing value first. This doesn’t just mean doing favors for colleagues—value can come in many forms. For instance, share articles or resources that could help another leader, or invite them to an industry conference you have access to. The goal is to create genuine, mutually beneficial relationships. And just to be clear, this isn’t about buying people off. Be sincere, care about others, and nurture authentic connections.

• Be Curious: As the saying goes, “We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.” Let’s be honest, we all enjoy the sound of our own voice—probably a little too much—especially when we’re explaining something complex or insightful. But if you take the time to show genuine interest in others, ask thoughtful questions, and listen carefully, you’ll build deeper relationships. Curiosity is a powerful way to connect with others and learn what truly matters to them.

• Be Authentic: Above all, be genuine. People can sense when you’re being transactional or manipulative. Building influence isn’t about checking off boxes on a networking to-do list—it’s about sincerely caring about the business and the people within it. Be yourself.

Building a strong network is only part of the equation. Actually, if we were to create an equation for influence it could probably be simplified to something like the formula below(although I am sure someone would argue there is more to it than the below three attributes).

You might be well-liked, but that doesn’t necessarily mean people will trust you to deliver. You can be likable but still fail to execute. That’s why, alongside building relationships, you must consistently demonstrate that you are competent and can deliver results.