Make Data Talk

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• #54 Being a learning organisation means more than good intentions 26.05.2026 10Min.

  In this episode, Dr. Selena Fisk explores what it really means to be a learning organisation and challenges whether most teams are actually learning or simply saying the right things. Drawing on Harvard Business Review's work on learning organisations, she unpacks the role of both pre-decision and post-decision data, and why the real test of organisational learning comes when evidence challenges the plan, the decision, or the leader.
• #53 Why outcome and hindsight bias undermine your impact story 20.05.2026 9Min.

  In this episode, Dr. Selena Fisk explores why perceptions data is essential at the start of any change project. This episode examines how hindsight bias and outcomes bias distort post-change evaluation, and why leaders need baseline feedback from employees, leaders, clients, and other stakeholders to measure change accurately.
• #52 Why we need to separate decision quality from outcomes 28.04.2026 11Min.

  In this week's episode, Dr Selena Fisk explores data-informed decision making, outcome bias, and hindsight bias, and explains why a disappointing results do not always mean the original decision was wrong. This episode is for professionals and leaders who want to make better decisions, reflect more effectively, and learn how to separate decision quality from decision outcomes when navigating uncertainty, complexity, and change.
• #51 The leadership team sport behind data-informed culture 14.04.2026 16Min.

  In this episode, Dr. Selena Fisk explores data-informed culture and the leadership alignment required to make it stick. She breaks down why middle leaders and middle management can't carry data culture change alone, and why executive sponsorship and middle leader follow-through are essential if an organisation wants data to genuinely shape decisions. Listeners will learn what strong leadership alignment looks like between senior and middle leaders, how misalignment quietly stalls change management, and the practical signals that shift data-informed work from a project into "the way we do things here."
• #50 Stop letting Excel choose your charts for you 31.03.2026 10Min.

  In this episode of Make Data Talk, Dr. Selena Fisk breaks down why "recommended charts" and default visualisations often hide the real story in your data... and what to do instead. You'll learn how Microsoft Excel's chart choices can unintentionally mislead your audience, distract from your message, or make insights harder to see, especially when you're presenting to leaders, clients, or time-poor teams. If you've ever wondered: why your chart feels "technically correct" but still confusing what makes a chart persuasive, not just pretty how to avoid common Excel chart traps (hello, clutter and unnecessary complexity) …this is for you. Selena shares practical rules of thumb for choosing visuals based on the question you're answering, not the chart type Excel serves up. Expect clear examples, quick decision prompts, and a simple framework you can apply immediately - whether you're building a board report, a dashboard, or a one-slide update for an audience. In this episode, you'll learn: The hidden bias baked into Excel's default chart recommendations A fast "purpose-first" method for choosing better visuals How to make your charts clearer, calmer, and more convincing Perfect for team and business leaders, analysts, and anyone who wants their data to land with impact. Keywords: Excel charts, data visualisation, choosing the right chart, dashboard design, data storytelling, spreadsheet reporting, better charts in Excel, business reporting visuals, data communication
• #49 What if you have an epic data story but you're worried people in the meeting won't get it? 17.03.2026 15Min.

  Most data storytelling advice focuses on the analysis: choosing the right data, selecting the best charts, and building compelling visuals. But in real organisations, the hardest part is often what happens after the analysis — when you have to share the data in a meeting. In this episode, Dr. Selena Fisk explores why data conversations can break down in mixed-skill meetings, where some people speak fluently in metrics, others think in outcomes, and some are quietly trying to interpret the chart (or work out whether what they're seeing is "right"). Without designing for this reality, meetings become predictable: the confident voices dominate, less-confident participants withdraw, and decisions get made on partial understanding and momentum. Instead of a step-by-step process, this episode offers 10 practical principles for data storytelling in meetings to help you facilitate inclusive, productive dialogue while maintaining technical integrity. Some of the things you'll learn in this episode Why leading with purpose (the decision) is more effective than leading with charts How to separate observation, interpretation, and decision-making to reduce unproductive debate How to reduce cognitive load so people can think, not just interpret visuals If you present data in meetings, lead teams, or want better decision-making conversations around metrics, this episode will help you design meetings where more people can participate in meaning-making — and where data leads to action and learning. Keywords: data storytelling in meetings, data storytelling principles, presenting data to stakeholders, mixed-skill teams, leading with purpose, making clarity questions normal, decision-making with data, communicating data insights, inclusive meetings, facilitating data discussions, reduce cognitive load, narrating charts, data-informed leadership #datastorytelling #decisionmaking #leadership #data #meetings #communication
• #48 Your data strategy and data plan are two different things - get both! 03.03.2026 10Min.

  In this episode of Make Data Talk, Dr. Selena Fisk breaks down the critical difference between a data strategy and a data plan, and why confusing the two is quietly undermining data-informed decision making in many organisations. Too often, leaders believe they have a data strategy when what they actually have is a collection of dashboards, reporting tools, or technology roadmaps. But a true data strategy defines why data matters, and how it creates value. A data plan, on the other hand, clarifies what data is used, by whom, when, and what responsibility sits behind it. If you care about data governance, building a strong data culture, improving business intelligence, or strengthening data-informed leadership, this episode will help you align strategy with execution. You'll learn: The difference between data strategy and a data plan How to provide clarity for data responsibility across teams Practical steps to build a more data-informed organisation Perfect for executives, leaders, and data professionals who want their data investments to actually change behaviour, not just produce reports.
• #47 Your data dashboard IS NOT a data story 17.02.2026 10Min.

  Most dashboards look impressive. They're packed with metrics, trends, and filters, and yet they still leave people asking, "So what?" In this episode of Make Data Talk, Dr. Selena Fisk unpacks why a data dashboard is not a data story (and why confusing the two leads to stalled decisions, misaligned teams, and "insight" that never turns into action). You'll learn the critical importance of meaning-making, how to move from reporting to narrative, and the value in leaders translating charts into clarity. If you're a leader, analyst, or anyone responsible for communicating data, this episode will help you stop presenting information and start creating understanding, so your data actually influences decisions. Keywords: data dashboards, data storytelling, business intelligence, KPI reporting, decision making, data literacy, analytics communication, executive reporting, insight to action
• #46 Data literacy has very little to do with maths ability 03.02.2026 11Min.

  "I'm not a numbers person" is one of the most common and most limiting beliefs holding people back from engaging with data. In this episode, Dr Selena Fisk challenges the widespread assumption that data literacy is about maths ability. She explains why modern data work has very little to do with calculations and everything to do with interpretation, critical thinking, and decision-making. You'll learn what data literacy actually means in today's organisations, why equating it with numeracy excludes capable leaders and professionals, and how this misunderstanding narrows data conversations and weakens insight. Selena reframes data literacy as a human thinking skill - one grounded in asking better questions, applying judgement, and making sense of information in context. If your organisation is investing in data but struggling to build confidence, capability, or meaningful data-informed decisions, this episode will help you rethink the skills that truly matter. Keywords: data literacy, data capability, leadership and data, data-informed decision making, data confidence, learning culture
• #45 You don't have a data problem - you have a confidence or skills problem 20.01.2026 9Min.

  Many leaders believe their organisation has a data problem...  not enough data, not the right dashboards, not the right systems. In this episode, I unpack why that's rarely the real issue. Instead, most organisations are grappling with a skills or confidence problem. People are surrounded by data but don't feel equipped or safe to ask questions, interpret what they see, or use data once decisions have been made. We explore what leaders often misunderstand about data capability, how well-intentioned investments in tools can backfire, and what actually builds confidence and better decision-making over time. If your organisation feels data-rich but insight-poor, this conversation will help you rethink where the real work needs to happen.
• #44 What data people can learn from yogis 03.12.2025 14Min.

  Ever wondered what data and yoga have in common? At first, they seem like two very different ideas, but dig a little deeper and you start to see there is much yoga can teach us about data. In this episode, Dr Selena Fisk reflects on the completion of her yoga teacher training and five things it's taught her about data culture in our organisations. Connect with Selena at https://www.linkedin.com/in/selenafisk/
• #43 Discovery visuals - the creative process BEFORE you show your charts to others 20.08.2025 9Min.

  Do you brainstorm and plan out your data visualisations before you present them to others?  In this episode, Dr Selena Fisk talks about the idea of discovery visuals, and the process for getting the best visualisation for the data story you want to tell. Connect with Selena at https://www.linkedin.com/in/selenafisk/
• #42 The eight archetypes of the 3i impact model 05.08.2025 17Min.

  When making change, it's useful to look at all the different impacts and categorise these so you can focus on what matters to you and your organisation. Last episode, Dr Selena FIsk introduced her new 3i Impact Model, and in this episode, she unpacks the different archetypes each type of impact falls into.  Connect with Selena at https://www.linkedin.com/in/selenafisk/  
• #41 3i impact model 23.07.2025 12Min.

  Do you struggle with a tangible way to measure impact? We all strive to create an impact, but often it's difficult to truly measure the impact of a change, initiative or project we've put in place in a simple, yet meaningful way. In this episode, Dr Selena Fisk introduces her new 3i impact model, developed over 12 months of working with change makers and leaders in various industries looking to measure the impact they're having.    Connect with Selena at https://www.linkedin.com/in/selenafisk/
• #40 Dashboards are not the answer to your problems 15.04.2025 11Min.

  Apologies for the provocative title, but while dashboards are powerful visualisation tools, unfortunately they are not a silver bullet for all things data storytelling. In this episode, Dr Selena Fisk explains why dashboards should not become the "be all and end all" when it comes to data storytelling, and how to avoid the pitfalls of set-and-forget dashboards.  Connect with Selena at https://www.linkedin.com/in/selenafisk/
• #39 The ethical use of data 08.04.2025 12Min.

  A question often encountered with data is the ethical considerations we need to be aware of when collecting, using and interpreting data. In this episode, Dr. Selena Fisk dives into actionable strategies for ethical data use and how you can avoid common pitfalls in data storytelling to build trust and credibility. Other episodes mentioned: Data Biases   Take the data diagnostic here: Corporates: https://www.selenafisk.com/corporates Schools: https://www.selenafisk.com/schools   Connect with Selena at https://www.linkedin.com/in/selenafisk/          
• #38 'Key person risk' and data 01.04.2025 12Min.

  Do you have one or two people in your organisation who are responsible for many of the key operations when it comes to data? Have you considered what would happen if they were to leave or become unwell?  In this episode, Dr Selena Fisk talks about 'key person risk', what it means for organisations in terms of data and how you can proactively plan for and minimise it in your teams and organisations. Other episodes mentioned in this episode: Data democracies   Connect with Selena at https://www.linkedin.com/in/selenafisk/https://selenafisk.com/podcast
• #37 Think like a bronze medallist with your data 25.03.2025 9Min.

  Do you find yourself looking at data and only seeing the things that went wrong or need to improve?  In this week's Make Data Talk episode, I show you how to think like a bronze medallist when it comes data, so you can see all the things that went right in order for you and your team to have gotten onto that proverbial podium in the first place. Connect with Selena at https://www.linkedin.com/in/selenafisk/
• #36 Pre-decision vs post-decision data 18.03.2025 13Min.

  We're often quite good at using pre-decision data to inform our next actions, but what about post-decision data? How often do you stop and reflect on post-decision data and actually use it for action? In this episode, Dr Selena Fisk talks about the difference between pre-decision and post-decision data, and how to upskill your team to ensure they're reflecting on post-decision data effectively.   Previous episodes mentioned: Data informed vs data driven Baseline data Trends and insights   Take the data diagnostic here: Corporates: https://www.selenafisk.com/corporates Schools: https://www.selenafisk.com/schools   Connect with Selena at https://www.linkedin.com/in/selenafisk/  
• #35 Tipping points and leading data informed change 11.03.2025 14Min.

  Are you looking to lead data informed change in your organisation but not sure how to get to that critical buy in from your team?  In this episode, Dr Selena Fisk talks about the notion of a 'Tipping point' and how to recognise those members of your team who will be your assests when leading data informed change.    Connect with Selena at https://www.linkedin.com/in/selenafisk/