How do you set up a metrics culture in a team that doesn't trust data?
Model answer
Model answerDistrust of data usually comes from data that was wrong, irrelevant, or used to punish rather than learn. Start by fixing the data quality problem — one bad dashboard poisons trust for years. Then use data to celebrate: share wins and 'what we learned' stories publicly. Never use metrics to catch people out. The goal is to make data feel like a flashlight, not a surveillance camera.
Framework · Metric Governance
- QQuality first
Fix broken dashboards before promoting data culture — bad data kills trust permanently - CCelebrate with data
Use metrics to share wins and learnings publicly, never to assign blame - AAccessibility
If data requires a SQL query to access, most people won't use it — invest in self-serve - TTransparency about limits
Acknowledge when data is uncertain — honesty builds more trust than false precision
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