Being “Data-Driven” Doesn’t Mean the Data Decides
- Derrick Yuen, MBA
- 3 days ago
- 4 min read
“Let the data decide.”
It’s a phrase that sounds sensible, rational, and modern. It’s also deeply misleading — especially in large organisations.
In practice, data rarely delivers the answer. More often, it delivers multiple, valid, and conflicting answers, depending on where you sit in the organisation.
And this is where many data-driven initiatives quietly break down.
When the Same Data Tells Three Different Stories
Consider a familiar scenario in a large organisation reviewing a new product line or market:
Finance looks at the numbers and sees losses.From their perspective, the data suggests discipline: exit early, cut losses, redeploy capital.
Sales or Marketing looks at the same data and sees momentum.Revenues are growing, customer acquisition is strong, awareness is building. Their interpretation: invest more now to unlock future scale.
Operations or Production sees something else entirely.Margins are weak because of higher logistics costs, supply chain inefficiencies, or teething issues. Their conclusion: performance may improve — but only with further operational investment, and only if we stay the course.
All three perspectives are data-driven.All three are internally coherent.And all three lead to very different decisions.
This is not a failure of analytics. It is the reality of organisational decision-making.
Local Optimisation vs Organisational Value
Most functions are, quite naturally, optimised to see the world through their own lens.
Finance protects capital.Sales drives growth.Operations ensures delivery.
Data amplifies this effect. It sharpens arguments. It strengthens conviction. But it also increases the risk of local sub-optimisation — where each function makes the “right” recommendation for itself, but not necessarily for the organisation as a whole.
This is why being data-driven does not mean being data-decided.
Leadership still has to weigh:
Short-term losses vs long-term potential
Certainty today vs optionality tomorrow
Financial discipline vs strategic positioning
No dashboard can resolve these trade-offs on its own.
Data Informs. Leaders Decide.
This is an uncomfortable truth that many organisations avoid saying out loud.
Data analytics:
Surfaces patterns
Clarifies trade-offs
Reduces blind spots
Improves the quality of debate
What it does not do is remove judgment.
Leaders still have to:
Interpret imperfect information
Make bets under uncertainty
Choose which risks are worth taking
Take ownership of both upside and downside
The eventual decision may align with some functions and disappoint others. That does not make it unscientific or irrational. It makes it an informed judgment call.
And crucially, data does not stop being useful after the decision is made.
There Is No Answer Key — Only Feedback
One of the most underappreciated roles of data is after the decision.
Data tells you:
Whether assumptions held
Where reality diverged from expectations
What needs adjusting, doubling down, or stopping
There is no model answer.There is only learning over time.
Organisations that truly create value with data understand this loop:
Not:
The Missing Piece: Data Culture, Not Data Capability
All of this assumes something far more fragile than tools or talent: trust.
Ask yourself honestly:
Do employees believe leaders only want good news?
Are inconvenient metrics quietly buried?
Do some teams inflate numbers to look successful?
Are people rewarded for learning — or punished for being wrong?
If the culture discourages bad news, data becomes performative.If incentives reward appearances over outcomes, dashboards become theatre.
These “soft” issues are rarely discussed in data strategies. Yet they are often the reason why data agendas fail — not because the analytics were wrong, but because the organisation wasn’t ready to hear what the data was saying.
The Real Meaning of Being Data-Driven
Being data-driven is not about eliminating judgment. It is about making judgment more accountable.
It means:
Making decisions with eyes wide open
Being explicit about trade-offs
Accepting uncertainty
Using data as feedback, not validation
In complex organisations, this is the most reliable path to creating value — not perfect answers, but better decisions, made consciously, and revisited honestly.
From Insight to Capability: Turning Data into Organisational Advantage
Understanding that data informs decisions rather than replaces judgment is only the first step.
The harder — and far more valuable — work is building an organisation that:
Encourages honest metrics, not just positive ones
Creates space for different data-driven perspectives to surface and be debated
Aligns incentives so teams optimise for organisational value, not functional scorecards
Treats data as feedback for learning, not ammunition for blame
This is not a technology problem. It is a capability and culture challenge.
Organisations that succeed here don’t just invest in dashboards or analytics talent. They invest in how decisions are framed, discussed, challenged, and reviewed over time.
A Thoughtful Call to Action
If these tensions sound familiar — conflicting data narratives, well-intentioned teams pulling in different directions, or leaders feeling pressured to “follow the data” without clarity on what that really means — you’re not alone.
At FYT Consulting, we work with leaders and teams to go beyond tools and reports, helping organisations:
Clarify what being “data-driven” actually means for their context
Build practical decision frameworks that integrate data with judgment and strategy
Develop the cultural norms needed to surface uncomfortable truths and learn from them
Design sustainable data capabilities that support better decisions over time
If you’re grappling with how to build a truly data-driven culture — not just more analytics — we’re always happy to have a conversation.
Get in touch with FYT Consulting to explore how your organisation can turn data into better decisions, not just better reports.
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