The Data Hoarding Trap

Many organizations are guided by the adage “Knowledge is power.” Teams closely guard their data to maintain an internal competitive edge. But what if this mentality is holding your company back?

Imagine your marketing team has gathered valuable data on customer preferences but fails to share that information with your product development team. Product development misses a chance to align new features with customer needs, creating a disconnect that could impact customer satisfaction and competitive edge. Or maybe your sales team hoards data on the most lucrative accounts, refusing to collaborate with the customer success team. In these all-too-common situations, teams lose the benefits of data-driven decision-making, and your organization’s ability to innovate and grow is severely hampered.

Power lies in sharing data, not hoarding it. Data transparency drives insights, fosters cooperation, and accelerates success. These four steps will help you create a data-sharing culture in your organization.

1. Understand the Reasons for Reluctance

Teams are hesitant to share their data due to various factors, including:

Concerns about data security and privacy: In an era of increasing data breaches and stringent privacy regulations, teams may be wary of sharing sensitive information. Leaders fear people misusing data or allowing unauthorized access. To overcome data-sharing reluctance, address concerns around misuse and security head-on by establishing clear data governance policies and access controls. Data sharing doesn’t mean open, unchecked access—it means creating secure, controlled pathways for the right teams to access relevant data. This enables collaboration while maintaining data integrity and compliance.

Lack of trust in other teams: If there is a history of poor collaboration or a perceived lack of reciprocity, teams may be reluctant to share their data, fearing it will be exploited, used against them, or misunderstood. Some teams may believe they are best equipped to interpret and utilize their data and hesitate to share it with other teams who don’t fully grasp its context and nuances.

2. Establish a Compelling Vision for Data Sharing

Emphasize how data sharing lets you make better decisions and drives innovation by providing access to datasets that reveal valuable insights, emerging trends, and creative solutions. Cite real-world examples of organizations that have successfully transformed their operations through sharing data and illustrate how your company can achieve similar results.

Sharing data fosters cross-functional collaboration. By breaking down data silos, teams can deepen understanding and empathy, improving communication, knowledge-sharing, and joint problem-solving.

Finally, position data transparency as a strategic necessity for long-term success. You can give your organization a competitive edge by leveraging data across the enterprise, enabling quick adaptation to market changes, anticipation of customer needs, and a proactive stance in staying ahead.

Take Action: Visualize the “Data-Sharing Ecosystem”
Visualize your organization’s data-sharing ecosystem to illustrate the benefits of increased data transparency. Map teams as nodes and use arrows to show current data flows, employing different colors or styles to indicate various data types and sharing frequencies. Identify teams not sharing complementary data and highlight potential insights from those connections. Include a “future-state” vision to show how an integrated data ecosystem can drive innovation and efficiency.

The goal is to provide a clear, strategic overview of a data-sharing culture’s transformative potential, not a complex technical diagram. Use this visualization in executive presentations, team meetings, and company-wide communications to garner support for your data transparency initiatives. Regularly update it to reflect progress and celebrate successful data-sharing stories, reinforcing the benefits of this cultural shift.

Take Action: Develop a Data-Sharing Roadmap
Assess your organization’s current data landscape and define a clear vision for the future. Set SMART objectives for short-term (6 months), medium-term (1 year), and long-term (2+ years) goals. Your roadmap should outline key phases, including infrastructure development, pilot programs, organization-wide rollout, and advanced analytics integration.

Identify key milestones like establishing a data governance framework, completing a pilot program, reaching 50% team participation in data-sharing initiatives, and implementing advanced analytics models while tracking KPIs such as active team participation rates, time saved through data reuse, and revenue generated from data-sharing insights. Treat this roadmap as a living document—regularly review and adjust it based on progress and changing organizational needs. The focus should be on maintaining momentum and achieving meaningful outcomes while remaining agile enough to seize new opportunities.

Take Action: Host a Company-Wide Data Discovery Day
Organize a Data Discovery Day to foster a culture of data sharing and collaboration. Dedicate a full day for participation from all teams, with each team presenting key data assets, current projects, and potential benefits.

Encourage creative presentations, such as data visualizations or interactive dashboards, to engage participants. Set up a central space—physical or virtual—for teams to showcase their work and include structured networking sessions to facilitate cross-team conversations.

As the leader, you should kick off the event by emphasizing its importance, participating in different showcases, and highlighting key insights and potential collaborations. This event educates the organization on available data resources and inspires ways to use shared data.

3. Implement Supporting Policies and Processes

Take the lead in developing an effective data governance and sharing framework that addresses your teams’ concerns.

Take Action: Establish Clear Data-Sharing Policies
Develop clear data-sharing policies that specify the guidelines, protocols, and responsibilities for data access, usage, and protection. These policies should address data security, privacy, and compliance, ensuring that teams feel confident with the safeguards.

While setting these policies is important, the emphasis should be on enabling collaboration rather than restricting access. Design governance frameworks that foster transparency and trust to foster an environment where teams feel empowered to share their data.

For more insights on building a robust data governance program, check out my blog, “Data Governance in the Age of Generative AI.”

Take Action: Govern by Enabling
Invest in secure, user-friendly data-sharing platforms that protect sensitive information while empowering teams to access and share data. Your objective is to eliminate data-sharing barriers while ensuring responsible information handling.

Balance control and openness in regard to data access and permission management. Empower teams to manage their own data-sharing permissions while maintaining centralized oversight to handle sensitive information appropriately.

To learn more, check out my blog post, “Governing by Enabling: A Strategic Approach to Data Governance for Executives.”

4. Lead by Example

Your actions and behaviors can profoundly impact your organization’s norms and values. To succeed, you must lead by example, modeling the desired behavior and setting the tone for the rest of the company.

Take Action: Share Relevant Data and Insights From Your Teams
Regularly share relevant data and insights from your teams. Host monthly data-sharing sessions where team leaders present key metrics, project outcomes, and lessons learned, ensuring this information is accessible to all employees. Encourage your direct reports to do the same by providing them with the tools and platforms necessary for sharing insights, such as collaborative dashboards or internal newsletters.

Take Action: Recognize and Celebrate Teams That Share Their Data
Take time to publicly recognize teams and individuals who excel in sharing data. Establish a monthly recognition program to spotlight contributors in company meetings, newsletters, or internal communications, highlighting how their efforts lead to tangible benefits like improved project outcomes or increased efficiency.

Consider implementing a Data Champion award to incentivize participation, offering winners a small prize or professional development opportunities. This positive reinforcement motivates others to adopt similar practices.

Conclusion: Unlocking the Power of Data Sharing

Fostering a data-sharing culture is not a one-time initiative; it is an ongoing journey that requires commitment and flexibility. While it may take time to realize the full potential of transparent data practices, the rewards are worth the effort.

Data’s true power lies in sharing it. By dismantling barriers, addressing concerns, and nurturing an environment of trust and collaboration, your organization can harness collective insights that drive innovation and growth.

Your leadership is vital in championing this cultural shift. By articulating a clear vision, modeling data-sharing behaviors, and implementing supportive policies, you can inspire your teams to embrace a more open approach to data. Encourage continuous learning and celebrate successes along the way to create a community where everyone feels empowered to share and collaborate.