Analytics and Leadership

hether your organization is looking to implement a data analytics program from scratch, take your use of data to the next level, or simply learn how to do it more effectively, this course will increase your fluency in the domain, and round out your knowledge of the skills necessary to successfully analyze, interpret, communicate and present data with confidence.

The program is structured in standalone modules which can be taken individually by managers from any sector or functional department.

The first two modules allow participants to quickly get to the heart of business applications for data analytics, and to learn the communication and presentation skills required to ensure its successful integration into the organization’s managerial processes. The final module offers a deep dive into the foundations of predictive and data analytics. Participants must take all three modules to receive their Masters Certificate.

Key Program Take Aways

The program has been designed to give participants knowledge of:

• Different analytical approaches to enhance strategic business decision-making for increased performance or profitability.
• The role of data in customer acquisition and retention to create competitive advantage and improve marketing and sales strategies.
• The softer skills critical to successfully leading analytics projects in organizations, including communication, presentation, negotiation and exerting influence.
• The ability to summarize, interpret and derive insights from data, and incorporate uncertainty in decision making.

Course content details

1. Leading with Analytics (1 day)

It is not always clear where and how analytics can help your company succeed. Even worse, it can sometimes seem like everyone is speaking a different language! This session will help you harmonize your organization and lead it to greater success by pairing your expertise about the business with an understanding of where and how data science can help. You’ll also learn how to collaborate effectively with experienced data scientists and to mentor novice analytics professionals to engage in the business.

• Describe applications of exploratory, explanatory, predictive, forecasting and prescriptive analysis
• Identify the best corporate analytical strategy to drive success
• Frame business problems for data and analytics answers
• Identify and manage different communication and work styles and overcome communication barriers among data team members

1. Data Governance of Big Data (1 day)

Data privacy is a vital management planning concern. Ensuring proper business ethics and governance of data is essential across industries. During this module, participants will review and discuss real life business and public sector examples to strategically manage legal or ethical problems, ranging from perception to compliance to data sovereignty.

• Security, privacy, sovereignty, and ethical considerations of big data collection, warehousing, and analytics use
• Options for privacy protection and data governance including policy creation and enforcement, rights and responsibilities of all parties
• Governance strategies, implications, associated obligations, and models

1. Overview of Big Data Tools (1 day)

How are today’s most forward-thinking organizations using big data analytics and data science to make more informed business decisions? This opening session will explain all of the terminology and allow participants to see innovative examples of Big Data applications from different sectors – and begin evaluating how their organization can grow through more effective use of data analytics.

• How Big Data relates to cloud, mobility, security, social media and online business activities
• How Big Data analytics drives competitive advantage in your industry
• Big Data tools and others, and their usefulness

1. Leadership Skills (1 day)

You can measure your leadership by the confidence that your team members, your partners, your customers and the public have in you. Achieving your strategic plan requires people to be inspired by your vision and commit to it. But to be successful in this regard you need to be yourself. Your ability to connect with others, to communicate, to influence and inspire defines your leadership strengths. In this session, participants will learn to:

• Differentiate management and leadership
• Develop self-awareness
• Craft communications that inspire and incite action
• Engage stakeholders effectively
• Create a culture of collaboration

1. Negotiating and Influencing Skills (1 day)

Negotiating with and influencing people effectively are important skills gained through experience and effective training. During this module, participants will learn the art and science of negotiating, as well as new skills, strategies, and behaviours needed to influence others and achieve better ‘win- win’ outcomes.

• How to gain agreement on difficult and contentious issues
• How to achieve team commitment to deliverables
• When to apply the three primary ways to influence others (power/rights/interests)
• An “interest-based” approach to negotiating and influencing with others
• An influencing “toolkit” for all situations
• How to negotiate past barriers to help both parties get “unstuck”