Resilient Leadership Through Trusted People Analytics

Doerte Stiller, VP HR Strategy & People Analytics, Harbour Energy

Doerte Stiller, VP HR Strategy & People Analytics, Harbour Energy

In times of consistent change, resilience and teamwork have been most critical in my role as a leader. Involving each team member with their individual skills brings us forward as a high-performing team. Showing my resilience consistently provides the required psychological safety for the team. Driving a positive workplace culture is a kind of foundation for me. Soft skills and analytical skills go hand in hand and are crucial for shaping an effective leadership approach. The analytical skills are essential for any leader right prioritization and decision making.

Strategy-Led Metrics Turning Insights into Action

Besides standard metrics reporting, we are reviewing the people strategy and defining for each strategic priority the related Key Performance Indicator (KPI). A relevant step for deciding on the right KPIs is the finding the cause and effect (What actions drive the strategic objective?) For sure, it is crucial that the raw data are accurate. Here is the biggest challenge. Mindset change is facilitated to ensure the understanding that data integrity is the responsibility of each. Besides strategy, it is important to look at the business problem when it occurs: Use the problem statement to prioritize the analysis of relevant metrics. Overall, it is important to measure leading (on input) and lagging (on output) KPIs.

“Soft skills and analytical skills go hand in hand and are crucial for shaping an effective leadership approach.”

Data of the current situation around workforce performance or engagement has to be seen always in correlation to external benchmarks, and/or internal trends. Only by that can it be identified where there is a need for an action, which means you have to convey raw data to a narrative. Then a root cause analysis has to take place with the involvement of key stakeholders. This must be followed by a brainstorming exercise on actions, as there is not only one single solution possible. This approach is very commonly used with Engagement data from surveys. They lead to actions through the involvement of the participants and validating the best actions. Mantra for survey must always be: turning results into action. This is the responsibility of each leader when receiving their data. HR is driving and supporting the action planning.

Trusted Analytics through Literacy and Transparency

Data integrity is the basis for trust, but also honesty when data are still in an interim status. By publishing more data, the discussion can be proactively driven. Resistance must be taken as a positive sign to get better. For example, statements like “the data are wrong” must be addressed directly, which either leads to correction of data errors or leads to a change of assumption of the person. The key is to be transparent with analytical data. Increase your data literacy skills. Use opportunities to present not only raw data, but rather interpret the data into a storyline.