Episode VI - Data is Power

The large amount of data that companies gather internally can, if distributed properly, become a democratizing factor. But if you’re not careful, one person can become a bottleneck for the access to data and in turn, slow down the workflow. This issue and many more are discussed in this short podcast episode with Lior Abraham.

Data is power

People are increasingly producing more and more data. This of course is no less true in business. This enormous amount of data is very powerful. The new insights that can be derived from this are very valuable. But how do you access it? Is the entire organization dependent on one person’s ability to derive (or even access) this data? This is something that Lior Abraham himself has experienced many times in his previous workplaces. If you break the bottleneck and let everyone have access, the organization at a whole will benefit. This is exactly what Interana has done.

Why you shouldn’t hire the best engineer to be the manager

Of course skills are important. If you are not good at coding, for example, you probably won’t know how to manage people who code - or can you? Lior argues that people skills are just as important as technical skills, and sometimes these two abilities can be hard to find in the same person.

That is why you probably shouldn’t hire the best engineer on the team to be the manager. This person will be good at coding, but may lack people skills. The average coder might be excellent at mobilizing and motivating people on the team, and therefore be appointed manager. Although this choice of manager can be hard to explain to the team, the benefits might exceed the unpleasantness.

“Do you feel heard?”

That is a phrase Lior Abraham uses a lot in his company. This question enables him to know how his employees are doing on a personal level. He believes that his team’s well being is of the utmost importance  and states that most people quit because of their managers. This requires the manager to have a very specific set of skills and very high EQ. (For more information on EQ, listen to our previous podcast about the subject.)

Three things about building a company culture

  • 1-on-1s: “Having that channel of communication is irreplaceable.”
  • Clear mission: Everyone is moving together towards the same goal
  • Fun atmosphere: Foster a casual atmosphere, where joking is allowed

Listen to the entire podcast above.

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