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Should you invest in a new consumer market? Cut that underperforming division? Buy off-the-shelf or build custom technology you urgently need to compete? Over the course of my career, I’ve seen leaders make good, bad, and risky decisions to guide their businesses. These decisions are often based on consensus, gut instinct or complex financial modelsand occasionally, a half-formed idea from the back of a meeting agenda. But years in business have taught me something crucial: Success is driven neither by pure data worship nor blind intuition. Companies need bothespecially knowing that today’s opportunity could be tomorrow’s risk. The path forward requires balancing rigorous analysis with human wisdom and context and ultimately knowing when to say what. The three data traps Companies typically fall into one of three traps when it comes to data. First, low confidence in the data itself. For data to work, it must be trusted and accurate. When leaders are able to pull different reports based on different numbers, confidence evaporates. Major business decisions get derailed because teams cant agree on basic metrics. Without consistent, and accessible, information, even the most sophisticated analytics become useless. Second, companies can get stuck analyzing endless information. If every dashboard drives more questions than answers, that’s a losing battle. Businesses chasing endless data or sifting through a deluge risk delaying critical decisions while their competitors move ahead. Analysis paralysis is realand costly. Finding the sweet spot between information gathering and action is the difference between missing or meeting the market. Third, companies cant over-rely on analytics without human context. Data can reflect what happened and may predict what happens next, but it frequently misses the “why.” A dashboard may show low engagement from an internal tool and recommend sunsetting it. What this doesnt take into account is the user perspective where maybe they find it hard to use or have competing priorities. Balance data and intuition I spent part of my early career in public relations but exited the industry out of frustration due to the lack of meaningful data at the time, although now it is quite different. We would get a feature in a top-tier outlet, then struggle to measure the business impact. Through this, I learned a valuable lesson about balancing a good story with verifiable stats. This balance matters across every function. Marketing teams solely relying on metrics may miss the emotional connections that drive loyalty, while finance departments only tracking historical performance may miss emerging market signals that leaders can spot. The magic happens when companies combine data-backed insights with human expertise. At West Monroe, we’ve seen the power of this firsthand. When we worked with a tire distributor to optimize their supply chain, we didn’t just build predictive models. We paired real-time analytics and insights to optimize their planning and inventory models WITH the expertise of people who understood supplier relationships and market nuances. The result? A $200 million reduction in working capitalall during pandemic disruptions, when either data or intuition alone would have failed. How to fix it: Build a data-driven culture Build trust in your data first. Start with the basics: Identify the numbers that actually move the needle for your business and ensure everyone defines and measures them consistently. When leaders trust the numbers, they’ll use them to make impactful decisions. Bring data where decisions happen. Stop making people hunt through separate dashboards. Instead, embed relevant insights directly into the tools your team already uses. When the right information is available at the right moment, it naturally becomes part of the decision-making process. Show, dont tell. Leaders should visibly incorporate data in their decisions while acknowledging its limitations. Create space in meetings where teams can discuss both hard metrics and real-world observations. Both perspectives deserve equal airtime and consideration. Its never too late to lead with data You can always become a data-driven leader. Even walk the halls executives who have historically avoided analytics can develop this muscle. Start smallidentify one key business question where better data would improve decisions. As confidence grows, expand to more complex ones. The most successful leaders won’t be those with the most data or the best intuition. They’ll be the ones who master the art of balancing bothand take decisive action with confidence. Casey Foss is chief operating officer of West Monroe.
Category:
E-Commerce
As Ive been watching deep cuts unfold across the federal government and nonprofit sectors, I cant help but feel deeply sad for the work that is at risk or has been cancelled, the knowledge that will be lost, and for the people who did the work. I know firsthand what it means to be on both sides of the equation. Ive been the leader tasked with executing layoffs, and Ive also been the one laid off. Both experiences gutted me. They made me reflect on what leadership really means and what we should be measuring when we define success. The problem is that we often gauge success by revenue, efficiency, and productivity while completely overlooking a key factor:the well-being of the people doing the work. A 2024 Gallup report revealed that only 21% of employees strongly agree that their organization cares about their overall well-being. While I agree that there are inefficiencies in every bureaucracy and organization, leaders have a responsibility to balance financial performance with other measures of success. At Catapult Design, a social impact design firm, weve made well-being a non-negotiable metricon equal footing with financial performance and creative excellence. Because if an organizations work is meant to improve liveswhether in social innovation, government services, or private enterprisehow can we ignore whats happening inside our own walls? Well-being is the missing metric I worked at one consultancy that had indicators for measuring the quality of work and the financial health of the company. I thought that was amazing. It really kept the company on track because both were reported quarterly. The work was consistently good by many measures, and the company was very healthy from a financial perspective. When I left there to take a CEO position, I suggested to my new board that we measure the quality of our work and financial health but also add another indicator around team well-being. At first, this was around ensuring that we had the best benefits that a small business could offer. We were thoughtful around vacation time, sick leave, training days, and professional and personal stipends. But over time, we realized that well-being isnt just about benefits or hours workedits about how people experience their work. We started paying closer attention to overworknot as the cause of burnout, but as an early signal. Research shows that burnout is less about working too many hours and more about things like lack of clarity, autonomy, or alignment with values. Still, sustained overwork often points to deeper systemic issues. We use it as a check engine light of the well-being of the team. Thats why weve built a practice that if anyone is consistently working more than 45 hours a week, they message me directly. Then we talk about why. Is it a broken process? Poorly scoped projects? Is someone quietly drowning? We bring those issues to the board and leadership meetings, treating them as seriously as financial projections. As weve deepened our approach to well-being, weve also learned its shaped just as much by leadership behavior as by organizational policy. A few months ago, my team asked to formally review me. Their feedback was honest, thoughtful, and generous. One thing they shared was that when something seems obvious to me, I tend to move forward without discussion. But whats clear to me isnt always clear to othersand they wanted more transparency and space for shared decision making. That feedback was a gift. One small but meaningful change I made was to begin sharing my weekly board emails with the entire team. Its helped remove ambiguity and reduce stress about whats happening behind the scenes. We all know at Catapult Design that we are not immune to what is happening in the U.S. government right now. While Im happy to see efforts for efficiency in financial performance, I worry about whats being lost in the process. As budgets shrink and priorities shift, how will the quality of government services be measured? And what happens to the well-being of those providingand relying onthose services if we fail to track what really matters? 4 ways to prioritize employee well-being Prioritizing well-being isnt just a leadership philosophy; its a strategic decision. Were always refining what this looks like, but heres how organizations can make it real: Make well-being a key performance indicator. Measure engagement, workload balance, and psychological safety as rigorously as revenue. Normalize feedback loops. If leaders arent being reviewed by their teams, theyre missing critical data about whats working (and whats not). Recalibrate workloads. If overwork is the norm, the problem isnt employeesits leadership. Project scoping must align with reality, not just ambition. Champion transparency. When teams understand the organizations financial health and strategic direction, they feel more investedand less anxious. Well-being matters more than ever Were in a moment of reckoning. Layoffs are making headlines across industriesfrom tech to media to governmentand many organizations are under pressure to do more with less. It’s not surprising that burnout and questions about leadership are surfacing more often in the process. In a world where talent is mobile and exhaustion is widespread, the best organizations wont just be those that survive financiallytheyll be the ones that create workplaces where people want to stay, grow, and thrive. Ive learned the hard way that leadership isnt about having all the answers. But I do wonder, if we dont prioritize the people who make the work possible, will anything else matter. Angela Hariche is CEO of Catapult Design.
Category:
E-Commerce
The old adage the only thing constant is change seems to ring true in workplaces today. Workplaces are rife with challenges, from navigating economic uncertainty to rapidly adapting to technological change. Workplace mental health support plays a pivotal role in helping employees build resilience to navigate the stressors they face. When we discuss mental health in the workplace, we often think of a corporate office: a desk, a screen, and a Slack channel. In reality, the need for mental health support extends to all sectors and workers. From healthcare to hospitality, construction to retail, food service to utilities, workers in non-office jobs are just as in need of support as their desked peers. There is no such thing as a stress-free workplace. As a leader, what you do to address it can make all the difference. It’s a business imperative At Calm, weve seen this firsthand. Through our app, we support over 3,500 organizations, including 600 non-office industries. Across sectors and industries, employees come to Calm for stress, anxiety, mindfulness, and sleep support. Workers across the board might share similar challengesanxiety, burnout, family stressbut their experiences are unique to their role or environment. An office worker may fear being replaced by AI. A warehouse worker may worry more about the risk of injury or being replaced by automation. Each of those fears is valid, and each deserves bespoke support. Supporting workers isnt just the right thing to do; its a business imperative. According to yale researchers, the U.S. economy loses over $280 billion each year due to mental health conditions, including anxiety and depression. Gallup found that employees who report poor mental health take nearly five times as many sick days. Thats $47.6 billion in lost productivity. But more than that, its millions of people quietly struggling to get through the day. It doesn’t have to be this way and making mental health support a priority goes a long way. It begins with open and honest communication. Leaders must be willing to share their own experiences with stress, anxiety, or burnout to normalize these conversations. Ive publicly discussed my personal journey with my team, from experiencing panic attacks starting as a teenager to leading Calm, aiming to inspire others to prioritize their mental well-being. This transparency has helped break down the stigma associated with mental health challenges and encourages employees to seek help when they need it. Steps leaders can take Here are some other ways leaders can help incorporate employee mental well-being as a workplace priority: Talk about it. Leadership sets the tone and should model and share their own experiences balancing mental well-being while at work. Listen. Be present. Find ways to hear from your teams.Understand the stressors that exist across different types of work. For some, its emotional fatigure. For others, its physical strain or unpredictable hours. All of it matters. Meet people where they are. Whether its a digital platform, a flyer in the locker room, or a text-based check-in, delivery matters as much as the message. Tailor support. One-size-fits-all solutions fall flat. A call center agent and a construction worker have very different needs, and your approach should reflect that. Normalize mental health in company culture. Mental wellness shouldnt feel like an afterthought. At Calm, we begin every all-hands meeting with a short meditation. I try not to start my day by checking emails or texts. These arent big shifts, but theyre grounding. When mindfulness is integrated into the rhythm of work, it becomes an integral part of the culture, rather than just a checkbox. At Calm, weve learned that purpose and performance arent opposites. When employees feel supported, they show up stronger and better. Engagement goes up, turnover goes down, and business benefits. Stress isnt going away. However, we have an opportunity to transform how we support employees in handling it. Workplace mental health support isnt optional; it’s essential. It is crucial to create a supportive and sustainable workplace that enables leaders to take a holistic approach to caring for their people. After all, we cant build healthy companies without a thriving workforce across all teams in every sector of our economy. David Ko is CEO of Calm.
Category:
E-Commerce
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