Data governance is often seen as a necessary evil, a set of rules and processes that stifle innovation and slow things down. But what if we shifted our perspective? What if we empowered data stewards to act not just as rule enforcers, but as general managers of their data domains, driving value and fostering a data-driven culture?

1. Applying the Science of Disruption
2. The Importance of Empowered Data Stewards

Applying the Science of Disruption

In Clayton Christensen’s The Innovator’s Dilemma, he discusses the concept of “heavyweight teams” – dedicated, cross-functional groups tasked with developing disruptive innovations.

A key characteristic of these teams is that members don’t simply represent their functional silos; they act as general managers, making trade-offs and decisions for the good of the project as a whole.

This same principle can be powerfully applied to data governance.

The Importance of Empowered Data Stewards

Traditionally, data stewards are often seen as technical experts focused on data quality, metadata management, or compliance within their specific area.

While these skills are essential, they can lead to a narrow view. A data steward focused solely on data quality might prioritize perfect data at the expense of accessibility or timely insights. Conversely, a steward focused solely on accessibility might overlook critical data quality issues that could lead to flawed decisions.

By empowering data stewards to think and act like general managers, we encourage them to transcend these narrow perspectives and consider the bigger picture. This shift involves several key changes:

• Broadened Scope: Instead of focusing solely on technical aspects, data stewards should be responsible for the overall value derived from their data domain. This includes understanding business needs, identifying opportunities for data-driven innovation, and ensuring that data is used effectively to achieve strategic objectives.
• Decision-Making Authority: General managers have the authority to make decisions and allocate resources within their area of responsibility. Similarly, data stewards should be empowered to make decisions about data access, usage, and quality, balancing competing priorities and making trade-offs as needed. This requires clear lines of accountability and support from senior management.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Just as general managers work across departments, data stewards need to collaborate effectively with stakeholders from different business units. This involves understanding their data needs, communicating data governance policies clearly, and building consensus around data-related decisions.
• Strategic Alignment: Data stewards should be actively involved in strategic planning and understand how their data domain contributes to the organization’s overall goals. This ensures that data governance efforts are aligned with business priorities and drive tangible value.

What does this look like in practice?

Imagine a data steward responsible for customer data. Instead of simply ensuring data accuracy and completeness, a general manager-style steward would:

• Work with the marketing team to understand their customer segmentation needs and ensure the data supports effective targeting.
• Collaborate with the sales team to identify opportunities for personalized customer experiences based on data insights.
• Work with the product development team to understand customer behavior and inform product roadmap decisions.
• Balance data privacy concerns with the need for data sharing and accessibility.

By adopting this general manager mindset, data stewards become proactive drivers of data value rather than reactive rule enforcers. They become key players in fostering a data-driven culture, enabling the organization to:

• Make better decisions: By ensuring data quality, accessibility, and relevance, data stewards empower business users to make informed decisions based on reliable insights.
• Drive innovation: By identifying opportunities for data-driven innovation, data stewards help the organization develop new products, services, and business models.
• Improve efficiency: By streamlining data processes and eliminating redundancies, data stewards contribute to operational efficiency and cost savings.
• Mitigate risk: By ensuring compliance with data privacy regulations and security standards, data stewards help protect the organization from legal and reputational risks.

In conclusion, treating data stewards as general managers is not just a semantic change; it’s a fundamental shift in how we approach data governance. By empowering these individuals to think strategically, collaborate effectively, and make informed decisions, we can unlock the true potential of data and drive significant value for the organization. This shift requires a commitment from leadership to provide the necessary support, training, and authority, but the rewards – a truly data-driven organization – are well worth the investment.