Guidebook spotlight: "The Data Hero Playbook"
In the realm of data-driven business transformations, Malcolm Hawker stands as a renowned thought leader, with over 25 years of experience guiding some of the world's largest companies. As the author of the Wiley book "The Data Hero Playbook," Hawker challenges conventional beliefs and practices in data management, advocating a customer-centric approach.
The book, now the Book of the Month, serves as a guide for data leaders seeking to rethink their approach and drive business success. It emphasizes the importance of re-centering customer satisfaction within data strategies, as sound data management must align with customer needs to achieve business goals effectively.
Hawker identifies limiting mindsets that are detrimental to data initiatives' success, such as the overuse of the phrase "garbage in, garbage out." He encourages data leaders to adopt a service mentality, aligning with practices advocated by Stephen Covey in his "7 Habits of Highly Effective People." This approach involves prioritizing understanding and meeting customer needs, as exemplified by the story of a Ritz Carlton employee who opened the lounge to serve customers, despite it not being their main job function.
"The Data Hero Playbook" is not just about challenging traditional practices; it is about promoting positive activity, particularly putting the customer's needs first. The book's subtitle, "Developing Your Career and Data SUPERPOWERS," reflects this focus, as it encourages data leaders to navigate the future of data management with a focus on developing innovative strategies to meet evolving business needs.
Malcolm Hawker's career journey is as inspiring as his book. From a minimum wage earner at AOL to the Chief Data Officer (CDO) of Profisee, Hawker's story is a testament to the power of persistence and a customer-centric approach. In his role as the CDO, Hawker continues to shape the future of data management, and as the host of the CDO Matters podcast, he shares his insights and experiences with a wider audience.
As a former Gartner analyst and a frequent public speaker on data and analytics best practices, Hawker's influence in the industry is undeniable. His book, "The Data Hero Playbook," is a must-read for any data leader seeking to redefine their approach and drive business success through customer-centric data management.
[1] The Ritz Carlton example is a reference to Stephan Covey's book "7-Habits of Highly Effective People." [2] The term "data superpowers" refers to the innovative and forward-thinking strategies needed to navigate the future of data management. [3] Customer needs and business goals are intertwined, with sound data management strategies aligning with customer needs to achieve business objectives. [4] Limiting mindsets refer to beliefs that hinder personal and professional growth, as well as the growth of data departments. Examples of such mindsets include the overuse of the phrase "garbage in, garbage out."
- Malcolm Hawker's book, "The Data Hero Playbook," encourages data leaders to adopt a service mentality similar to the one advocated by Stephen Covey in his book "7 Habits of Highly Effective People."
- The subtitle of Hawker's book, "Developing Your Career and Data SUPERPOWERS," signifies its focus on promoting innovative and forward-thinking strategies needed for the future of data management.
- In his book, Malcolm Hawker emphasizes the importance of re-centering customer satisfaction within data strategies, as sound data management strategies must align with customer needs to achieve business goals effectively.
- Hawker identifies limiting mindsets, such as the overuse of the phrase "garbage in, garbage out," as detrimental to the success of data initiatives and encourages data leaders to prioritize understanding and meeting customer needs.
