Booster Analytics

As a PhD supervisor and technical manager in data analytics, I’ve spent years navigating the intersection of technology, data, and human behavior. One painful truth I’ve come to realize is that, in the modern world of business, data often trumps culture. This fact is difficult to ignore as companies increasingly shift toward data-driven decision-making. However, beneath this data-driven revolution, there is an even more uncomfortable truth that too often gets lost. While data may win over culture, it’s a connection that ultimately trumps data.

Data Takes the Lead, but It Has Its Limits

In the world of data analytics, we are conditioned to believe that data is the ultimate authority. Organizations today are obsessed with being “data-driven,” and for good reason. Data offers a clear, quantifiable way to make decisions. It removes much of the guesswork and subjectivity that traditional management styles often relied upon. When analyzing performance metrics or making strategic decisions, data allows us to cut through personal biases, providing what we hope is an objective lens.

I’ve seen this first-hand with my students and in the organizations I work with. The sheer power of data in identifying trends, predicting outcomes, and driving efficiency is undeniable. In the context of a PhD proposal, for instance, the analytical rigor demanded is akin to the data-driven culture of organizations that prioritize metrics, performance KPIs, and data points over intangible qualities like “team culture.”

But here’s the catch: as much as data helps inform decisions, it needs to catch up in fully capturing the human side of an organization. Culture may not always seem critical, especially when you can quantify performance with data, but the truth is that culture acts as the soil in which data-driven strategies either thrive or fail. Data might tell you what is happening, but it won’t explain *why* it’s happening, nor will it reveal the underlying currents of human motivation and interaction that truly define an organization’s potential.

The Data-Driven Illusion: Culture Suffers

When an organization leans too heavily into data, culture becomes a casualty. The notion that “culture eats strategy for breakfast” becomes easy to dismiss when faced with a dashboard of key performance indicators (KPIs) or a sleek data visualization tool. Why focus on vague notions of “culture” when you can drive decisions with seemingly irrefutable metrics?

I’ve witnessed this in companies that focus so intently on data that they start viewing employees as mere inputs and outputs in a formula. While there’s something inherently comforting about letting data think for you, we often forget that people — the ones generating that data — are not simply numbers. They’re complex, emotional beings who interpret and react to the culture they’re embedded in. A data-driven organization without a cohesive culture risks disengaging its workforce, alienating talent, and making decisions that, while technically correct, are emotionally and strategically disconnected from what’s actually happening on the ground.

In my own supervisory experience, I often see the same dynamic in academic research. My PhD students are surrounded by data—hypotheses, experiments, metrics—but the culture of their research groups, how they collaborate, and how they engage with feedback plays a significant role in their success. It’s the balance of rigor (data) and shared values (culture) that defines the quality of their work.

The Uncomfortable Truth: Connection Trump Data

As much as data might sideline culture, it doesn’t eliminate the need for human connection. This need is where many organizations falter. They assume that by being data-driven, they can bypass the need to build deep relationships. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that connection — not data — is the true currency of success.

Connection fosters trust, collaboration, and a sense of belonging. These elements allow employees to go beyond what’s measurable. Connection helps bridge the gap between what data tells us and the human motivations behind those numbers. It’s the foundation that allows teams to innovate, adapt to changes, and stay resilient in the face of uncertainty. No matter how sophisticated our data analytics become, they will never replace the nuances of human interaction.

In my supervisory role, I see this play out regularly. My most successful students aren’t necessarily those who are the most data-driven but those who build strong relationships with their peers and mentors. These connections allow them to navigate the inevitable challenges that arise in research — challenges that no algorithm could predict or resolve.

I’ve also seen it in organizations. Teams that communicate well, share values, and trust each other are far more adaptable and effective than those that operate strictly by the numbers. Data may guide their decisions, but the strength of their connections determines whether they can execute those decisions effectively.

The Real Challenge: Balancing Data and Connection

The challenge I face, and I believe many leaders face, is finding a balance between being data-driven and fostering human connection. The two aren’t mutually exclusive, but they often compete for attention. Organizations that go all-in on data-driven decision-making can alienate employees by reducing them to metrics. On the other hand, companies that focus solely on culture and connection without the grounding influence of data risk making emotional, biased decisions that don’t hold up in the long run.

In my work with PhD students and technical teams, I’ve found that the key is to use data as a guide, not as an absolute truth. Data should inform decisions, but the human connection should shape how those decisions are implemented. True success happens at the intersection of data-driven insights and strong interpersonal relationships.

The sad truth is that many organizations believe data can replace the need for connection. In reality, the two must work together. Connection fills in the gaps where data falls short, providing the context and understanding that numbers alone cannot offer. And while data might drive efficiency, it’s a connection that drives meaning, purpose, and long-term success.

Why Connection Still Wins

As I reflect on the evolution of data in organizations and my experience guiding research in data analytics, it becomes clear that data will only partially capture the complexity of human relationships. Data can guide decisions, yes, but connection gives those decisions depth and resilience.

As leaders, we must resist the temptation to rely solely on data at the expense of human connection. We must foster a culture that values both data and human relationships, and that allows us to interpret and act on that data effectively. Data may win in the short term, but over the long haul, it’s the strength of human connection that determines true organizational success.