From People Analytics to Chief People Officer: How to Effectively Influence the C-suite
Our upcoming Insight222 People Analytics 2023 Trends research highlights how critical it is for the People Analytics Leader to increase their influence across the C-suite. While 58% of People Analytics leaders present to the C-Suite, only 21% present to the Board of Directors. These results demonstrate there is clear room to improve People Analytics' influence on the C-suite and beyond.
Doing so not only allows us to quantify the business impact of delivered insights but ensures the function is fully aligned to the most important business priorities. At Insight222's Global Executive Retreat 2023 (GER), part of our People Analytics Program®, Isabel Naidoo (CHRO of Wise) shared her exceptional journey from People Analytics Leader to CHRO, which allowed her to shed light on navigating this emerging popular path, as well as provide strategies for influencing the C-suite. This blog will review some of my key takeaways from this enlightening session.
Data vs Core Beliefs
Isabel Naidoo speaking at the Insight222 Global Executive Retreat
Most people analytics professionals (even the best of us) have encountered a time when their data-driven insights were ignored or not acted upon. I can testify to how frustrating this is. The session's Menti poll revealed that 91% of audience members have had an executive ignore data they brought to the table of a decision. So, what are we overlooking in our preparation? How can we, as People Analytics professionals, reduce this circumstance to have more influence?
Integrating Stakeholder Beliefs into Data-Driven Solutions
Typically, when data is ignored, it's because it goes against someone's core beliefs. Isabel challenged the audience to go beyond simply presenting an evidence-based solution. She highlighted the need to implement a deeper influencing strategy by investigating stakeholders' beliefs. It's incumbent upon the People Analytics professional to identify, understand and incorporate those beliefs into the proposed solution.
Enhancing Stakeholder Engagement in People Analytics through Co-Creation and Emotional Connection
Furthermore, co-creating the solution with stakeholders ensures everyone is aligned and more bought into the recommendations. As I think about fundamental storytelling techniques and principles where we are encouraged to consider our audience's fluency level with analytics and create emotional attachment, I am struck by how imperative it is to understand the beliefs and motivations of our audience.
We can only create emotional attachments if we understand the ethos of our audience. It's an easily overlooked step, but it's well worth the time investment to ensure we've removed any potential barriers to truly connecting to and acting on the insights we bring.
What Are CEOs Looking for From Their Analytics Functions?
Another aspect of influencing the C-Suite is for the People Analytics leader to know what CEOs seek from their analytics functions. Every CEO wants an analytics team solving actual business problems – the problem is that many CEOs simply haven't been exposed to what the people analytics function can do for them.
The session's Menti poll revealed that many People Analytics leaders are guessing what CEOs want from their analytics function, piquing our collective interest in another opportunity to operate differently for an even more significant business impact. What causes this disconnect between People Analytics leaders and what CEOs need?
A People Analytics Approach to Directly Engaging Business Heads
Isabel highlighted how inefficient the common practice of relying on second-hand knowledge is to know what's required. Instead, Isabel urged PA leaders to start with what is within their sphere of control – to partner with the CHRO and HRBPs to engage with all the heads of the business directly. I was overjoyed with Isabel's refreshingly direct strategy for PA Leaders:
Request a seat at the table.
Listen to the business issues first-hand.
Ensure you tell the stories of your most impactful insights when you get there.
Bringing data and insights directly to business leaders is one of the most robust methods for creating credibility along with honing your influencing, diagnostic and consulting skills.
Ensuring People Analytics Resonates with Top Business Priorities
Isabel Naidoo's session provided two very actionable strategies for People Analytics leaders to elevate their influence on the business. Understanding executives' beliefs and connecting directly with business leaders are imperative steps to raise the PA function's impact and ensure the function is strongly aligned with the most critical business priorities.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Heidi joined Insight222 in 2023 with a broad role to develop assets, and advise clients on the value of people analytics. She has a 15+ year analytics career beginning at NASA where she worked on astronaut crew selection and training. She has since worked at Google, Wayfair and Vertex Pharmaceuticals leading people analytics projects, and teams, to create value for C-Suite executives. She was one of the original Googlers on Project Oxygen, a landmark project for the entire global people analytics profession in the late 2000s. Heidi holds a B.S. in Psychology from Santa Clara University and a M.S. in Business Analytics from NYU. When not working, you'll find Heidi with her family, on the ski slopes, piloting a little Cessna, or generally enjoying the outdoors.
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