A CDO’s Guide to Inspiring Change in the First One Hundred Days

Franklin Roosevelt was the first president to talk about the “first one hundred days”, when he publicly reflected on the progress he had made during his first weeks in office, and his unprecedented level of action during this period.?

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Since then, the first one hundred days has been adopted as an effective benchmark for measuring the success of a new presidential administration, but also for corporate leadership, crisis management and policy implementations. Essentially highlighting that, across most sectors, much of what determines your success or failure going forward will take place in the first one hundred days.?

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I find the first one hundred days measurement to be particularly effective for those starting out their career as a Chief Data Officer (CDO), as in this role, it's vital to quickly set expectations for the kind of data leader? you’re going to be moving forward, essentially using the first one hundred days as a microcosm for the rest of your time as a CDO.?

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The CDO role has quickly risen to prominence due to organisations generating more data, data driven decisions making increasing and new regulations emerging. As a key strategic position tasked with unlocking the value of data to drive organisational success, being a CDO is a big responsibility. So, with the increasing importance of data in today's business world, how can CDO’s successfully navigate the vital, first one hundred days?

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Make People Want To Help Create The Future You’re Selling For CDO’s, essentially it is about getting the basics right now and building firm foundations for the future.?

Firstly, you need to identify what isn’t working effectively and needs to change in the organisation.? Focus on outcomes, keep your head up and be aware of the details, but make sure you are solving problems – just have fun while you do it.?

To get companywide buy-in, you need to give a clear explanation of the reasons for the changes you want to implement, the problems being solved, and the benefits this will bring. Think of it as the “why” behind a big decision—helping everyone understand the purpose and urgency of moving forward. No organisational change is successful without a significant benefit at the end of it, this could be, for example, saving the organisation from repeating mistakes or gaining insight to derive more value. Whatever the reason, these potential benefits need to be conveyed clearly to the team sooner rather than later. It’s the compelling argument that makes people want to help create the future you are selling.

Your job as CDO is to boil everything down to a simple clear message which is easy to understand. This means also scoping out your expectation about what you will and won't be doing. Whilst you need to create a compelling vision, it’s best to be realistic about where you can go, what it will feel like, and how long it is going to take to make a difference.?

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Hearts and Minds No, one person will ever be able to change a company without a lot of support. In your first one hundred days, you will need to have people around you to help, offering different perspectives, skills and experiences … and most importantly, providing helpful advice when you run into issues.??

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As well as a strong team directly around you, CDO’s also require support from the wider team in the organisation.? I often talk about hearts and minds being the most important aspect of data. You can have the best processes, tools, and tech in the world but if you don’t convince people to come out of their comfort zone and try something different you will fail. In order to get executives to restructure and adopt the insights coming out of data, CDO's should communicate with management frequently, get preliminary executive buy-ins, and offer concrete ROIs.?

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At the end of the day, everyone in the organisation is responsible for the success of their data initiatives. While tangible parts of a data operation are important to an organisation’s success, what really makes or breaks a data strategy is the people using it every day. For this reason, CDOs also need to focus on ensuring employees understand what data can do for them and their departments. Data literacy is the ability to create, read, write and argue with data and, in an ideal world, all employees would have at least a foundational ability to do all four of these things.?

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An Added Layer Of Complexity Today, CDO’s face an added layer of complexity due to the rise of GenAI in businesses and its associated data challenges. Navigating a new technology is hard at the best of times, but doing so as both the technology and its regulation develops at the pace that AI is currently developing presents its own set of unique challenges.?

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It's important that CDO’s spend time getting their head around what AI is and if it is the right thing for their enterprise. As with any data strategy, the focus should be on purpose - what is the purpose you're going to use this technology for? What are you hoping to get out of it?

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All CDO’s should really care about is that organisations understand how everything fits together and how it's all going to work. For some businesses, because of the way they work, it makes perfect sense to have a data strategy and an AI strategy because data is the fuel that's going into the AI, and you need to know how they work together. In other organisations, you might have a digital strategy that encompasses multiple things. I wouldn't argue that your strategy must be a certain way; I’m more interested in what it's doing for you. It's important to build that flexibility into your thinking when you go through this process.

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We Are Data Leaders… So Lead! As a CDO in your first one hundred days, your role is more than just managing data—it's about inspiring change and driving innovation. Take ownership of your position and the problems you're trying to solve by engaging with stakeholders, the data team and the wider organisation to champion collaboration, innovation, and data literacy. Don’t be afraid of unexpected challenges and new technologies but face them with curiosity and a solutions-focused mindset. Remember, your behavior has the potential to set an example, empowering teams to see the value in data-driven decisions and foster an environment where positive change is embraced.?

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For me there is a clue in the title: we are data leaders, so lead. Don’t hide away believing that someone else will pick up the flag or think your small part won’t help. Be part of the data revolution!