Introduction

One of the key hurdles to success in the role of CDO particularly in the first ninety days in a new posting is gaining buy-in from the board. Shop-floor support is important for on-boarding new projects and ensuring that any changes are sustained, but it is the approval and support of the boardroom that makes a difference to the how and when for the financing and prioritisation of new data projects.

As McKinsey found in one of their 2014 Quarterlys, the board is typically occupied with reports, budgets, audits and compliance, allocating approximately 70% of their time to those matters. This leaves little capacity for addressing new business issues, and the strategic management of data within the organisation is still a relatively new issue. As such the CDO needs to be proactive and tactical in gaining the support of the board. Here we outline eight specific steps that can help CDOs climb higher on the boardroom priorities.

Know The Board

Integration with the board is important to get a realistic understanding of their knowledge of strategic data management and what their expectations are, short and long term. This enables the prioritisation of projects and outcomes to ensure the CDOs office is delivering work that the board definitely want to see. As far as possible, build a relationship with board members and be proactive about board meeting agendas and outcomes. Developing regular contact with the board members who are more experienced in data, or simply tech-savvy, can lead to building a champion on the board. The board meeting agendas should allow the CDO to inspire and excite the board, as well as Inform and report on key criteria.

Build Grassroots Support It is important that the organisation is backing the CDO, championing projects and working cross functionally. This builds momentum within the business, drives results and enables the board to see how critical the CDOs work is. Building from the bottom-up requires a very hands-on approach: - Clearly communicate the scale of work to be addressed, the methods to be used and the results to be achieved. This ensures that projects are assimilated realistically and changes are sustained. - Communicate a performance criteria within the business, and to the board, so that it is clear what the specific goals are and how success will be measured. - Identify projects that are swift to implement and will drive quick-wins to build enthusiasm and support. - Avoid the misunderstanding that the CDO is a technology and tools person. Focus on people, ideas, processes, and solutions.

Board meeting agendas should allow

the CDO to inspire and excite the

board

Focus Solely On Business Outcomes A key factor in gaining buy-in from the board is ensuring the data work is driving outcomes for the business results that impact top line revenue, business growth, competitive advantage and customer experience. The emergence of the CDO role has been driven largely by the need for organisations to ensure regulatory compliance of their data. As such it is understood that back office changes and investments will be necessary. However, it is the consumer facing improvements that will be of most importance to the board and which should be prioritised as soon as possible. As well as making sure data projects are delivering actual business outcomes, it is important that the CDO is also positioned correctly in the business working closely with people and ideas rather than systems and tools.

Be An Excellent Communicator It is important to communicate within the business in a way that does not overly rely upon technical and technological references. This is also true of the boardroom where data and technology jargon will blur the messages and hinder understanding, acceptance and support for new projects and plans. Instead, focus on using clear business language that emphasises deliverables and their effect within the wider organisation. A well written mission statement and publicly shared performance criteria for the CDOs office also communicate the exact purpose and projects that will be worked on. This ensures that there is less ambiguity throughout the entire organisation, including the board - about the potential of strategic data management and the results that are being delivered.

Keep Governance Simple When determining the best structure for data governance, also take into consideration how and where the board will be able to interact with the new structure. For example, one overall forum with a chairperson who provides a quarterly report and can be easily contacted or interviewed, is straightforward for the board. Likely there will still be a web-like governance structure sitting beneath the forum, but the reporting and contact with a single chairperson is simple. In order to provide concise, relevant information to the board, conduct regular reviews of the whole data portfolio including the existing data infrastructure and management, data transformation projects and possibilities, and data talent in the organisation. This is an opportunity to objectively and proactively communicate strengths and areas for development and to lead the board towards discussions about the future strategic direction of data projects.

Use External Sources For Reinforcement In order to make strategic data management more accessible to the board, harness the power of research, statistics and case studies from outside the business - use external references and supports whenever possible and relevant. Experts, research and networks from outside the organisation can help to provide a context to the board for the wider world of data management and the opportunities that it holds. Use board meetings as an opportunity to showcase data expertise including external specialists and internal talent. This will build the boards knowledge but also develop a more thorough and accurate impression of the role of data and the CDO; using examples from the wider industry to create a context and demonstrating that data is about people, not just technology.

harness the power of research, statistics and case

studies from outside the business

Inspire Change As new entrants are changing the shape of established industries with flexible, unconventional business and cost structures it is useful to communicate to the whole organisation how data can lead the move into a new era of sophisticated, customer centric business activity. Through imaginative, innovative application of data it is possible for businesses to find new operating models, to radicalise product and service development, and to accelerate the customers experience. The board needs to be made aware of these opportunities; to be given a vision for how data can drive great change in the business, from granular insights to large scale transformation. The boards and management committees which are scanning the road ahead, planning for change and integrating emerging opportunities into their organisation will be set for success. The CDO is positioned to inspire the board, and the organisation, to take this view and be a market leader. With the backing of the board the CDO can accelerate the projects and plans to be executed in the organisation and benefit from top-down support and resource allocation. Although every organisation and every board is different, the fundamentals of gaining buy-in from the board remain the same: seek first of all to understand their expectations, focus on business outcomes and deliver quick wins, inspire change and create a vision for the company future.

Are you looking for ways to gain buy-in from the board? What other hurdles do you face on your way

to becoming a successful data leader?

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