How good leaders use data to get ahead in business

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Being data literate indicates that someone can read and interpret charts, stats, and analytics spreadsheets.

But being data fluent means someone can look at those same numbers and then frame the right questions for the business, pull the most pertinent data, run relevant experiments and analyses, and turn those results into changes that yield positive business outcomes. Effective data usage often leads to important cost savings, market expansion opportunities, and increased conversions or sales.

“We consistently hear from employers that this ability to bridge quantitative evidence with strategic leadership is an important skill set and data fluency is increasingly recognized as an essential leadership skill,” Ron Delfine, executive director of the Reidy Career Center at Carnegie Mellon University, said in an interview.

Leaders and managers don’t need to be data scientists, Delfine said, but they do need to know how to read and apply data in context.

“The ability to translate evidence into action, whether through cost savings, smarter policy, or market expansion, is what separates those who simply manage information from those who drive meaningful outcomes,” he said.

A Gallup study in July found that 57% of managers expect to hire more people with data skills in the next five years. That’s happening because, according to a global Canva survey, data dependence is increasing in the workplace.

But the same Canva study also shows that competent data stewardship is lagging behind.

Almost 90% of those surveyed by Canva work with data and spreadsheets weekly, and 75% of them say data reliance is noticeably increasing.

Still, two-thirds of those surveyed say they are anxious about work with data and about 30% of them actively avoid it. The result, according to Canva, are more data errors, lower productivity, and heightened workplace anxiety.

Want to stand out at work? Practice getting comfortable working with data and learning how to turn numbers into business stories.

Businesses are leveraging data in every conceivable industry.

“As a 4th-generation insurance agency president, I’ve learned that data fluency in insurance isn’t about complex analytics — it’s about connecting dots that protect people’s livelihoods,” said Geoff Stanton, the president of Stanton Insurance in Waltham, Mass..

When considering promotions or new hires, Stanton said he specifically looks for people who can read between the lines of claims data and policy trends.

“Our biggest win came when one of my team members noticed our artisan contractor clients were filing 60% more liability claims than our standard commercial accounts,” he said. “Instead of just flagging it as a problem segment, she dug deeper and found these contractors needed specialized coverage for unique risks we weren’t properly addressing. We developed targeted programs and turned our highest-risk segment into one of our most profitable specialties.”

Thomas Jeneby, a San Antonio-based cosmetic surgeon and the CEO of several surgical centers and medical spas, said data fluency has been crucial for scaling operations safely while maintaining high patient satisfaction rates.

“When hiring, I prioritize candidates who can interpret our surgical outcome metrics and translate them into operational improvements, not just generate reports,” Jeneby said in an interview. “Our biggest data win came from analyzing our 9,000-plus revision cases over 19 years. My operations manager identified that 67% of complications occurred during specific seasonal periods when humidity exceeded 75%. We adjusted our pre-surgical protocols and facility climate controls, reducing revision rates by 34% and saving roughly $800,000 annually in overhead costs.”

An employee who used data to learn that tummy tuck patients had higher satisfaction scores when they received specific pre-op educational materials was promoted to patient experience director within six months, Jeneby said.

Data fluency could be a way for professionals to bolster their value to employers in a job market being disrupted by artificial intelligence and weakening confidence .

“There continues to be a shortage of data fluent talent to meet the needs of organizations across all sectors,” said Delfine’s Carnegie Mellon colleague Stephen Rakas, the executive director of the Masters Career Center at CMU’s Tepper School of Business. “Individuals who bring both fluency in data analysis and the business acumen needed to drive organizational strategy offer a powerful skillset that will remain in high demand.”

Not only will interpreting data be a critical skill, Delfine added, but so too will be the ability to communicate it effectively to the right people.

“We’ve made data-driven decision making a core element of our curriculum across all of our programs,” Delfine said.

Stanton, the insurance company president, said the real value in his business is when people can translate insurance metrics into human stories.

“When someone can look at claim frequency data and say, ‘This tells me Mrs. Johnson’s business is growing and she needs more coverage,’ that’s the data fluency that builds generational relationships,” Stanton said. “I don’t need statisticians. I need people who can spot the story behind the numbers and act on it before problems become claims.”