Headline Partner

Nicola Askham, , The Data Governance Coach

What has been your path to power?

I got into data governance by accident while I was working for a major bank. It was my lightbulb moment, I realised I had found my thing, and that having well understood, good quality data is the foundation of so many things. I went on to work for two consultancies as their data governance expert, which I absolutely loved. Both consultancies were great and developed me as a person in different ways. I kept thinking about how I could help more companies with their data governance. I got brave enough to set up my own business, having realised I could fast track others using all the experience I had gained.

I started offering training courses. The first time I did one I was really nervous, but I suddenly realised how, instead of just me being really passionate about the data, I lit up a whole room of people who were ready to go and do the same across their whole organisation. Now I spend most of my time training and coaching. I’ve worked a lot in the financial sector, publishing, higher education, and the public sector. I’ve made it my mission to help as many people as possible be successful with data governance.

What impact has the pandemic had on your role?

At the start of the pandemic, lots of businesses put their data governance initiatives on hold because they didn’t understand the value of them fully. Then towards the latter half of 2020 many organisations across a range of sectors realised the value of their data because they were having to make key decisions that could potentially impact the future of their organisation based on that data. Suddenly they were asking questions like, is this the right data? Is it good enough? The pandemic has stimulated the market for data governance.

How do you bring your strategic views into discussions about data either in organisations or across industry?

I have developed The Six Principles of Data Governance through my many years of experience implementing data governances in organisations. I share these principles with as many people as possible. I want to save people making mistakes and making data governance harder than it has to be, because it is a challenging thing to do. If I can give people the dos and the don’ts, it really helps them. I’m a regular guest on podcasts and at international conferences including the Data2030 Summit. I host webinars and training programmes and offer a free place on my courses to charity.

What are your key areas of focus for the business in 2022?

I’m evolving the services I offer to give clients the skills they need to do data governance successfully themselves. Data governance is relevant for every industry or sector but I’m seeing an upsurge in interest in the public sector. This is an area I’m keen to focus on because it has a direct impact on us as citizens. It shows data as a force for good, enabling agencies to make good decisions, spend public money wisely and invest in the right places.

How do you apply your leadership skills a) within your own business and b)

externally?

I promote best practice in everything I do, whether I’m recording a video, writing a blog post, being interviewed on a podcast, or working with a large public sector organisation. I work with my clients to engage their teams in data governance and bring data governance professionals together to learn from each other. I work with a number of associates and run regular gatherings with them to encourage them to grow and develop their own skills. I am on the board of DAMA UK, the Data Management Association, whose purpose is nurturing a community of data professionals. As part of that role, I am responsible for arranging and hosting webinars, which empower people to progress their own data management careers.

What key skills or attributes do you consider have contributed to your success in this

role?

I simplify data governance through clear language and stories which show people how it applies to them and their organisation. My communication skills are key, whether I am talking to senior stakeholders or writing an interview with Father Christmas about data governance on my blog.

How did you develop – and continue to develop – these skills or attributes?

Trial and error! I didn’t explain data governance in a very engaging way in the early days but rather than keep repeating myself and getting frustrated, I developed better ways to talk about it. I’m good at self-observation and reflection. If I say something and it doesn’t have the desired impact, I will ask myself why it didn’t work and if I come across that situation again in the future, how I will handle it differently. I constantly learn, adapt and experiment. I also embrace opportunities as they come up. I focus on best practice and I’m continually improving on what’s working well already.

How do you ensure that you are keeping pace with the goals and requirements

around data to avoid lagging behind?

I work hard to make sure we have a different array of presenters for the webinars hosted by DAMA UK. While I arrange them for the wider benefit of the data community, I have learned so much by hosting these events. They really help me keep abreast of what’s happening in the data space, what’s changing, what’s coming, so I can keep my thinking fresh and up to date around what these changes might mean for data governance.

Nicola Askham
has been included in:

100 Influencers 2022 (EMEA)

Enabling data and AI leaders to drive impact

Enabling the success of Data and AI leaders and their teams.

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