A seat at the table doesn’t guarantee a voice at the table. And for data leaders, that difference makes or breaks whether organisations truly become data-driven.
Data leaders often assume their role is to simply build scalable data products, develop and grow teams, and support the data infrastructure. Whilst all of this is true, it’s also our role to be the voice of reason in a room dominated by loud voices, big personalities and even bigger egos. It’s our job to ensure that data is steering the decisions our colleagues are making, and that they are making them objectively, correctly and responsibly.
Being present is just the first step towards leading your organisation to becoming truly data-driven. The real challenge is ensuring your voice is heard.
But what does having a voice at the table actually mean, and how do you make sure you’re heard?
Be Present
You can’t be heard if you’re not in the room. Working in data, it’s natural to want to avoid the weekly meetings or skip the kick-off calls. You’d much rather be at your desk getting some work done. Besides, you’re constantly being tapped on the shoulder anyway — so when they need you, they’ll grab you, right?
Wrong. If you’re not in the room, data will be an afterthought. By then, the opportunity to determine the fate of a new launch or initiative will already have passed.
Active Listening
It might sound counter-intuitive, but developing a voice that is heard begins by being great at listening — really listening — to the people around you. Understand their challenges, then ask yourself: how can data play a role in helping overcome these challenges?
Too often, data leaders fail to grasp the organisation’s challenges and instead run off doing their own thing. The result? Initiatives that are less about company needs and more about “cool” data projects or jumping on the latest hype cycle.
Incisive Questioning
Once you get good at listening and actually hearing what people have to say, start asking questions that get under the hood of the problem. As data people, we’re quick to jump into solution mode, but often forget to pause and ask: Is this the right solution? Are there better options? Is this even the right problem — or is there something deeper we need to solve?
Of course, our role should never be reduced to pure services. When it comes to data we must lead from the front but we can only do that if our work is aligned with business needs.
Vocal Contribution
When you’ve listened, asked questions, and understood the problem, only then are you in a position to start contributing. That’s when you can challenge norms and bring data-backed viewpoints to the table in a way that truly adds value.
And here’s an important point: having a seat at the table does not mean speaking for the sake of speaking. The loudest voices are often the least valuable.
It will feel uncomfortable at first, but it’s worth the effort. As your confidence builds, it won’t matter if you’re talking to the CEO, the Marketing Director or a Product Manager. It won’t even matter if you’re in a room of 5 or 25. In the end, your ability to communicate and influence is what ensures data has a genuine voice at the table.
When all is said and done, data leadership isn’t about building the biggest stack. It’s about building the confidence to use your voice — and helping your organisation make decisions that truly stand the test of reason.
