Good Data = Good Decisions
We talk a lot about strategy, leadership, and transformation. But here’s the reality: none of it works without trusted data.
Leaders can only make as good of a decision as the data they’re basing it on. If the information is incomplete, inconsistent, or unreliable, even the best leadership instincts will fall short.
Why It Matters Beyond CargoWise
While I often talk about CargoWise, this isn’t just a system issue — it’s a leadership issue.
Finance
I know people often grumble when it’s time to update a forecast. To many, it feels like a silly finance exercise. But the reality? It can be one of the most powerful tools in a leader’s arsenal — if the underlying data is solid.
When I was a Controller, we would pull source data from shipments, compare what was billed and what was accrued, and use that as the baseline for analysis and forecast updates. As a solid finance professional, I always looked for anomalies — shipments that deviated from our standard profit per shipment — and requested a review to ensure accuracy.
In CargoWise, this was even easier and more powerful. With accrual processes and detailed shipment data, you could have almost fully complete information. But even then, it still had to be scrutinized.
One forecast sticks in my mind: a handful of ocean shipments showed unusually high profit. Costs were either finalized or accrued, so on the surface it looked right. We pushed for a secondary review, and operations managers reassured us: “This is a high-profit client. We did special projects — it’s probably right.”
WRONG. The following month, the operator reversed the entries and updated the shipments — profits dropped through the floor. For one month we looked like superstars to group leadership, and the next, our credibility took a hit.
The lesson? Forecasts are more than numbers — they manage expectations. Are we going to hit budget or not? Are new operators’ costs going to be covered by forecasted future business? Without solid data, leaders risk manic swings in strategy and credibility. Data governance and accountability are the safeguards.
Operations
Productivity initiatives fail when leaders can’t trust performance metrics. If reports say shipments are on time when they aren’t, leaders miss opportunities to fix root causes. When the numbers lie, process improvement stalls.
HR & People Leadership
One area where data makes or breaks leadership decisions is warehousing.
You need pickers, packers, put-away teams, and returns staff — all balanced carefully. Too many packers but not enough pickers? People sit idle. Too many on returns but not enough packers? Others get overworked, driving up overtime costs.
Now add clients. If this warehouse is serving multiple customers, service levels are on the line. Misallocation of staff doesn’t just hurt productivity — it risks client trust.
This is why data in warehousing is critical. A strong warehouse management system should not only track inventory but also give insights into how long it takes to pick products, the typical order profile, and how many staff are needed to fulfill commitments on time.
But here’s the hard truth: garbage data in = garbage decisions out. Poorly managed warehouse data leads to overstaffing, understaffing, ballooning costs, and service-level failures. Leaders can’t afford to fly blind.
The Leadership Lesson
Strong leaders don’t just set vision — they ensure their organizations have the data foundation to execute. That means:
- Prioritizing governance and review processes.
- Holding teams accountable for accuracy.
- Modeling the discipline of fact-checking data before making big decisions.
In today’s environment, good data isn’t optional. It’s the competitive advantage. It lets leaders move faster, act with confidence, and inspire trust across the organization.
Your Turn
👉 What’s one time bad data made a good decision impossible in your world?
And if you’re looking at your own organization and realizing the data foundation isn’t as strong as it should be, that’s where I come in.
At ALL2S Consulting LLC, I help leaders bridge the gap between systems, processes, and people — so your decisions are based on facts, not guesswork.
- ✅ If you need a project partner, I can help design and implement data governance, system setups, and process improvements.
- ☕ If you don’t need a full project but want an outside perspective, book a micro-consulting session with me — quick, focused conversations that give you actionable insight right away.
📩 Visit www.all2sconsultingllc.com or message me here on LinkedIn to start the conversation.
Because when it comes to leadership: Good Data = Good Decisions.
ALL2S CONSULTING LLC 