Bringing Everyone to the Data Dance: Why Transformation for Horizon Five’s Founder and CEO Must Start With People

Welcome back to Orchestration Insights – where I share the highlights from my discussions with our guests on The New Automation Mindset podcast. If you're short on time, this is your go-to for actionable takeaways from each episode.

There’s a moment in many digital transformations when CEOs ask: “We’ve got the technology, why aren’t we seeing outcomes?” In the rush to generate returns from their investments, organizations forget that it takes more than giving employees access to new applications to drive the results that leaders want. Growing sales, minimizing risk, increasing compliance, enhancing productivity and efficiency; these outcomes require organizations to rethink processes, and revamp workflows to make sure those who understand the data the best are helping to drive value from it. 

According to Steve Brodrick , founder and CEO of Horizon Five , it starts with people. In this podcast episode, Steve expertly explains why so many companies struggle with ROI when it comes to data, and why an emphasis on teamwork is key. With greater collaboration between IT and end users, as well as the ability for non-technologists to explore and iterate their way to solutions, new data professionals begin to emerge across every function in the organization. This delivers the scale that companies need to begin to see more transformative results. For leaders eager to understand why their data and AI investments are struggling to gain traction, my discussion with Steve is a must-listen. 

Steve’s Career Journey

The former Chief Transformation Officer at Alteryx, as well as a long-time finance and technology leader at digital pioneer Stanley Black & Decker, Steve has the unique experience of approaching IT investments as both a technologist and a CFO. As a result, he understands better than most what’s required to really drive value from new systems and applications. 

For Steve, collaboration is key. Outcomes can’t be achieved by a small team of data and AI professionals. Instead, companies must take advantage of modern tooling to empower business specialists who are closest to the data to use it to improve their work. The most successful, data-driven companies are those that make sure experts are helping build the IT solutions to the problems they face every day. 

Key Takeaways from Steve: 

1. Don’t just fast-forward to RPA: Consider automation and other mechanisms to integrate data to get to better decisions, minimize risk, and identify sources of value. 
2. Trust people closest to the data: Find end users who know “where the gold is” and can help technologists target the problems and opportunities that will make the most impact. 
3. Don’t let data run wild: Data democratization is important, but do it in a way that’s pointed towards the solution set. And make sure there’s proper governance and security around the assets. 
4. Great work can’t happen in pockets: Amplify success to drive more collaboration and scale. Create avenues for accountability, like hackathons. Highlight the best outcomes on all-hands calls. Implement recognition programs, and tie outcomes to employee compensation. 
5. Encourage discovery: Start with a goal, like eliminating specific manual tasks, and allow people to use self-service IT platforms to find the solutions themselves. 

“Data really knows no function. It sits in your marketing organization, your HR organization; it sits everywhere. You have to develop a strategy when you're transforming where you have an integrated way to welcome everyone to the data dance.” 

– Steve Brodrick 

It’s becoming very clear that a focus on organizational change is what separates the data and AI winners from the laggards. Those that emphasize training and cross-collaboration between those who know the technology and those who know the business can drive returns from their investments, while others struggle. This gap will only widen as AI advances at such a fast pace. It’s why companies must start immediately to engage employees, and Steve’s advice should help. 

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