Seeing Data Differently: Lessons From My Work in the “Real-World”
If you’re like me, wearing HR, OD, and business-strategy hats, you’ve probably felt it: the tension between wanting to lead with heart and needing to lead with numbers.
I’ve spent years navigating that balance, and my real-world experience has shaped how I approach my work to increase my impact.
Organizational Effectiveness (OE) showed me how structure and insight can simplify complexity and drive meaningful results. Collecting and analyzing structured data through talent processes helps us see the business from a high-level perspective, spotting patterns, connections, and opportunities that aren’t always obvious from the ground.
HR taught me that the human side of business can’t be ignored. Conversations matter—being present, understanding them, and speaking the language of the business is critical. I also learned that simple often works best. We need to engage people processes through the lens of the work itself, not as check-the-box exercises.
Sales and Business Development added another perspective: measurable outcomes. Goals, quotas, and results clarified one thing: talent enablement is at the center of business success. The right people in the right roles, supported intentionally, drive performance.
My experiences continue to shape how I operate today. In my role at Orgvue, I am seeing first-hand the power of workforce data. It’s not static numbers; it’s the voice of our people. When we build data alignment, know the story, and act intentionally, we can guide decisions, challenge assumptions, and act with intention.
Build Data Alignment
Before we can make smart decisions, we have to align our data with what matters. “Talent” and “Strategy” can’t operate in separate worlds. People and business metrics need to move together.
A simple way to start is for every business question your leaders are asking, come up with a matching talent metric. It helps uncover the people-side of the story and ensures decisions are grounded in reality.
For example:
Business question: Where do we want to compete and what capabilities do we need to win?
Talent question: Do we have the skills and competencies to compete effectively, and where do we need to build or hire?
Business question: What are the key priorities over the next 1–3 years, and how will we measure success?
Talent question: Are our roles and performance metrics designed to support these priorities?
Business question: Where are the biggest gaps or risks in achieving our goals?
Talent question: Have we identified our critical roles (or talent), and what development or succession plans are needed?
When we drive alignment, talent data becomes more than just numbers. It becomes the heartbeat of business success.
Know THE STORY
You can’t plan for the future without knowing where you are today. Your baseline is your starting point. It shows what’s working, where there are gaps, and where the biggest opportunities lie.
Answer your business and talent questions honestly. What capabilities are critical for your strategy? Do you have the right people in the right roles? Where are the risks and are we addressing them?
Don’t leave the answers in a spreadsheet. Visualize them, turn it into a story, and share it broadly. When people can see the connection between talent and business outcomes, it clicks. Everyone gets on the same page, focus sharpens, and momentum builds. Numbers become insight, and insight drives action.
ACT IntentionALLY
Once you’ve established and aligned on your baseline, it’s time to put it to work.
Use the business and talent questions you’ve answered to guide decisions. Who should be promoted or developed? Where should you invest in skills or roles? What scenarios should you model to see potential outcomes?
When data is mapped against strategy, it’s easier to spot risks, explore possibilities, and make intentional choices. Every decision becomes a deliberate act of transformation, informed by the voice of your people, not guesswork.
Using data this way turns alignment, clarity, and momentum into real results. It’s how business success connects to the people who make it happen.
What OrgVue Has Prompted Me to See
My work at Orgvue has reinforced and expanded how I view data. I don’t believe in the platform simply because I work there—I believe in it because of what it enables. Orgvue helps leaders build alignment, know their data, and use it with intention. It helps turn numbers into insight, insight into strategy, and strategy into action.
Final Thoughts
At Core Engagement Group, I’ve always believed in helping organizations simplify, align, and act with clarity. My OE work taught me to see the business from a high level and use frameworks for impact. My HR work reminded me that conversations, simplicity, and human context matter. My experience in sales and BD taught me that talent is key to drive results. And Orgvue has shown me that when people-data becomes visible, aligned, and actionable, it can transform the way businesses engage with their workforce and strategy.
