(US and Canada) Clemson University CDO Benjamin Wiles speaks with Denise Collison, SVP, President, Public Sector Sales at SHI International Corp., in a video interview about introducing organizational change, driving data literacy, teaching students to translate data into value, and the need for change in leadership mindsets to break down barriers.

Wiles maintains that there are many dimensions to individual differences in an organization. As a leader, he adds that it is critical to know the people through those dimensions and tell a compelling story while communicating about change.

However, the story must support the view of each individual or it will not effectively bring change, says Wiles. He asserts that helping individuals perceive themselves as autonomous takes only the right story and stepping out of the leader bubble.

According to Wiles, the first step toward organizational data literacy is understanding the learning objectives. He explains that an excellent data literacy program will mean nothing if it does not satisfy the organization’s needs. Wiles analogizes teaching data with teaching music.

Wiles points out that it is fundamental to map the learning objectives to the desired outcomes and then design them. Before applying data to a context to build value, employees or students must understand their context, he adds.

Wiles mentions teaching with an hourglass where the fundamental ideas, questions, and topics for business value and strategic vision remain at the top. With data literacy, an organization can translate well-defined business questions into analytical questions using data analysis methods, he adds.

According to Wiles, organizations cannot generate value without business knowledge and data literacy. To bring about organizational change, leaders need to tell the team what they need to know, not what they want the team to know.

He explains that in learning theory, it is called the “zone of proximal development.” Citing an example, Wiles states that is the reason why no one teaches calculus in kindergarten. The goal, he reveals, is to build out and gently remove the scaffolding to expand the zone of proximal development toward a larger purpose.

Wiles discusses how to change leadership mindsets to break barriers, stating that a psychologically safe environment is crucial. He notes that it depends upon the organization’s nature and leadership strategy. In conclusion, Wiles encourages leaders to take psychology courses for increased understanding.

CDO Magazine thanks Benjamin Wiles for sharing his expertise with the broader community.

See more from Benjamin Wiles

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