8 Capabilities for leading a company

 

This chapter covers

  • Crafting technology roadmaps to align teams and to support executive initiatives
  • Sponsoring and championing promising DS projects
  • Delivering consistently by managing people, process, and platforms
  • Building a strong function with clear career maps and a robust hiring process
  • Anticipating business needs and applying initial solutions against urgent issues

Executives and distinguished data scientists leading DS operate with a different level of capability than directors. While directors and principal data scientists seek to bring clarity in focus and prioritization to the DS function, executive and distinguished data scientists are concerned about a company’s overall business strategy and articulate how a company can be competitive within its industry.

As an executive or distinguished data scientist leading DS, in the technology dimension, you are responsible for architecting the long-term business strategy in data and creating and driving a data-driven culture in all aspects of the business process. Executives have the added responsibility to structure the DS organization according to its business needs.

For execution, you are responsible for infusing DS capabilities into the vision and mission; building a strong talent pool at the organization, function, and team level; and clarifying your own roles and priorities to the CEO and team members.

8.1 Technology: Tools and skills

8.1.1 Architecting one- to three-year business strategies and roadmaps in data

8.1.2 Delivering data-driven culture in all aspects of business processes

8.1.3 Structuring innovative and productive data science organizations

8.2 Execution: Best practices

8.2.1 Infusing data science capabilities into the vision and mission

8.2.2 Building a strong talent pool in data science

8.2.3 Clarifying your role as composer or conductor

References