I Don't Trust the Data!
Recent client meetings have left me a bit stumped! Because I keep hearing the following: “We don’t trust our data.”
It’s not the first time I’ve heard it, and I bet it won’t be the last.
The irony?
Those same businesses were using data every single day to pay invoices, run supply chains, and make strategic calls. So it’s not really the data they mistrusted. It must be something deeper.
So where does this mistrust come from?
Sometimes it’s a cover for not liking what the numbers say (because numbers don’t bend to opinion). Other times, it’s really about trust in the data team rather than the data itself. Occasionally, it’s just become a lazy throwaway line.
If organizations want to break this cycle, both leaders and data teams need to change the way they work together.
Here’s a 5-point playbook that stops “data mistrust” in its tracks:
- Define Once, Use Everywhere: agree on common definitions for key metrics. Document them, make them visible, and hold teams accountable for sticking to them. Consistency builds confidence.
- Show the Journey: make data lineage transparent. Leaders should see where a number originates, how it’s transformed, and why it ends up in a dashboard etc. Traceability removes suspicion.
- Shared Accountability: data isn’t an “IT product.” It’s a joint effort. Business leaders must own the accuracy of inputs; data teams must own the quality of models and outputs. Co-ownership prevents finger-pointing.
- Resolve Issues Quickly: Don’t let data concerns fester. Implement visible feedback channels, track issues openly, and close them with clear communication. The faster issues are addressed, the stronger the trust becomes.
- Normalize Hard Truths: not all insights will be comfortable. That’s the point. Leaders must be ready to hear what the numbers say, and data teams must present them clearly.
Data itself isn’t untrustworthy. It’s the behaviours, mindset, and responses around it that determine whether people believe it.
So let’s stop hiding behind the lazy phrase “we don’t trust our data.”
👉 Business leaders, are you really questioning the data, or just avoiding what it’s telling you?
👉 Data team, are you giving the business clarity, speed, and confidence, or just more numbers to argue over?
Because until both sides stop passing the blame, “data mistrust” won’t go away, it will just keep undermining decisions.
