Early on, most new, popular trends or ideas face some backlash as people try to work them out and make sense of them. Data and Big Data are no different. Leaders are being pushed to be more data-driven. Some are pushing back as they try to figure out how (or if) they fit into this new world.
One of the biggest push-backs I hear when discussing data-driven communication is the old standard, “But you can make numbers say anything.” This common indictment of data is often the first line of defense when discrediting the results of an analysis. This is especially common when that analysis contradicts someone’s opinion or experience.
The statement itself is true. People use data to distort the truth all of the time. However, this isn’t a “data” problem. It’s a people problem. The real problem is that some people lie in order to get their way. It’s unlikely that the person who misuses data to make a point is forthright in all of their other communication and dealings. A dishonest person is going to use whatever means necessary to distort the truth. Data is just one of many resources at such a person’s disposal. Choosing between adopting and avoiding a more data-driven approach isn’t going to change your people’s or organizational culture’s integrity. If you are concerned that someone is going to lie with numbers, you probably shouldn’t be asking him or her a question in the first place.
When encountering something new, we often confuse the new context in which the issue occurs with the actual issue. That seems to be the case with data. Another push-back that I hear regarding using data is that there isn’t enough agreement on what data is appropriate to track and use to make decisions. I’m often asked for ideas on how to agree on what data to use when everyone on a team has a different opinion. There is nothing unique about coming to consensus on data use. You decide in the same way that you come to consensus on any issue for which people have opposing views. You sit down and talk about it. It’s just another decision that requires dialogue, debate, and compromise.
Data is just another tool for making sense of the world and communicating to others. With any language or set of tools, communication problems occur. People lie, people don’t agree, and people misunderstand. Those are fundamental problems of communication. They are solved the same way whether they are driven by data, emotion, or experience.
As with any tool or technology, data has its challenges and limitations. Those challenges and limitations need to be understood and addressed. However, don’t confuse the challenges associated with data with the challenges associated with interpersonal communication and relationships. If you don’t have the right tools to solve those problems, it really won’t matter how much or how little data you have.
