Why Data Pushback Is Often About Trust and Identity

Have you ever shared a data insight only to have it dismissed outright? The problem might not be the data itself but how it’s framed. People are more open to information that aligns with their values. But when data contradicts core beliefs, people often reject it — not because it’s wrong, but because accepting it feels like a threat to their identity. If you think this might happen to you when communicating data, try presenting insights in a way that aligns with your audience’s values. This is known as "moral reframing" and will increase the likelihood of your message being received openly. 💡 Same insights. 🖼️ Different frame. Here are some examples of how the same issue can be framed differently for different perspectives: 🏥 "We should provide universal healthcare because it’s a basic human right." 🏥 "A healthier population means a stronger workforce and lower long-term costs for taxpayers." 🌎 "We need to support immigration because it’s the right thing to do." 🌎 "Immigrants contribute to economic growth, fill critical job shortages, and strengthen our communities." 🔒 "Data privacy regulations are necessary to protect consumers." 🔒 "Building trust through strong data protections enhances brand loyalty and reduces legal risks." Moral reframing isn’t about changing the facts — it’s about making them matter to your audience. Have you seen an example of this in action? #datastorytelling 🍏 The Data Storyteller's Course: courses.roguepenguin.co.nz

Discussing, Not Debating the Numbers How often have you gone into a meeting, presentation ready, full of energy to discuss insights and strategies, only for the conversation to derail because someone starts doubting the numbers? Suddenly, the focus shifts from decisions to defending the data. Worse, others bring their numbers calculated in isolation, and the room is distracted. While this sometimes happens due to fragmented systems or a lack of a single source of truth, let’s not ignore the fact that doubting the numbers is sometimes a deliberate tactic. 😞It’s a way to:😞 ➡️Shift the focus from uncomfortable conversations. ➡️Buy time when the numbers don’t support earlier promises. ➡️Steer discussions in someone else’s favor. As finance leaders, our credibility is non-negotiable. We can’t allow distractions like these to dilute accountability or damage the decision-making process. How we can stay ahead: ➡️Establish trust in the numbers: Data must be accurate, validated, and come from one source of truth. ➡️ Anticipate pushback: Be prepared. Understand the numbers’ impact on each stakeholder and their possible objections. ➡️ Be assertive: Don’t allow the discussion to drift. Clearly state that the data is validated and focus the conversation on the implications. ➡️Preempt distractions: Share reports early so stakeholders can align beforehand. ➡️ Reinforce credibility: Precision, integrity, and fairness are at the core of what we do. ➡️Fostering data literacy: Ensure that teams understand how numbers are calculated and the assumptions behind them. When we move beyond debating the numbers and focus on the why and the how of decision-making, we unlock real progress, let’s commit to aligning on the data first for more productive discussions and impact. Our role isn’t just about numbers; it’s about leadership, confidence, and guiding the organization forward with impactful decisions.

I remember a time in my previous role where I presented a report I had spent days working on. I double-checked every detail. I was confident in my numbers. Then, during the meeting, one of the managers said: “𝘐 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵.” I started to feel panicked. Was my analysis wrong? All the data I extracted was being questioned. It was overwhelming, but I needed to explain to them how I arrived at my numbers: - I walked them through my process. - I explained my assumptions. - I asked what seemed off to them. It turned out their issue wasn’t with my numbers... It was with how the metric had been calculated in the past. The logic had changed since then, and it was clear that that change was not communicated to all the relevant teams. Those few minutes of panic reminded me of something: Having the correct insights isn't the only important thing. We also need to build 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵 in that data. Now, when I have a new report to present to stakeholders, I try to prepare a little better for the unexpected. Things like: ➤ Anticipating potential pushback after presenting my insights. ➤ Being prepared with explanations for my data sources and logic. ➤ Asking clarifying questions instead of getting defensive or taking things personally. Something we might forget at times is that in data, 𝘩𝘰𝘸 we communicate our insights is just as important as the insights themselves. 𝙃𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙝𝙖𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙙𝙚𝙛𝙚𝙣𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙠? 𝙃𝙤𝙬 𝙙𝙞𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙡𝙚 𝙞𝙩? --- 𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗺𝗲 if you like this post! 🔔 I post about data analytics and things I’ve learned along the way. 💁♀️ #dataanalytics #softskills #communication #dataskills #stakeholdermanagement