The Insight-Driven Leader: How High-Performing Companies are Using Analytics to Unlock Business Value

by Jenny Dearborn, Kelly Rider

Overview

How to harness the data already in your company to solve your business problems

In today's fast-paced world, data is everywhere—but only actionable insights can drive real success. The Insight-Driven Leader offers a practical guide to transforming raw data into powerful workforce insights that solve critical business challenges. Through clear frameworks, compelling case studies, and proven strategies, Jenny Dearborn and Kelly Rider reveal how high-performing organizations combine business and workforce data to innovate, engage employees, delight customers, and exceed financial goals. Readers will also find:

• How to move beyond traditional rear-view HR metrics to actionable insights
• Real-life case studies from leading organizations, as well as cautionary tales
• Recommendations for becoming an insights-driven organization using workforce analytics

This book empowers leaders to align data with strategy, build a culture of insight-driven decision-making, and unlock the full potential of their HR and leadership teams.

Whether you're a CEO, CHRO, or first-time manager, The Insight-Driven Leader will elevate your leadership, equipping you to tackle perennial business challenges and deliver measurable impact in your organization.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781394308897
Publisher:	Wiley
Publication date:	06/09/2025
Sold by:	JOHN WILEY & SONS
Format:	eBook
Pages:	304
File size:	15 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

JENNY DEARBORN is an experienced executive leader in enterprise technology sales and human resources. She’s also a board director, advisor, and investor, and currently serves as the Chief People Strategy Officer at BTS Group, a global consulting firm.

KELLY RIDER is a talent and learning strategist with over ten years’ experience on leadership teams. She specializes in connecting business needs with measurable outcomes, and in finding ways to use real-world data to drive leadership decisions.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments ix

Foreword xi

Preface xv

Introduction xix

Case Studies xxvii

Section 1: Change What You Measure, Transform What You Can Manage 1

1.1 Commit to Insights, Not Metrics 2

1.2 Embrace Workforce Insights 20

1.3 Let HR (Get Better at) Help(ing) You 34

1.4 Act on the Insights 42

1.5 Key Takeaways 45

Section 2: Enabling Workforce Analytics 47

2.1 Get with the (Workforce Data) Program 47

2.2 Support Data Integration 53

2.3 Fall on the Sword of Data Governance 62

2.4 Understand Workforce Analytics Capabilities 72

2.5 Key Takeaways 87

Section 3: Moving the Goalpost 89

3.1 Remember Yesterday’s IT 90

3.2 Know and Demand Excellence 98

3.3 Take Your Preference 106

3.4 Accountability as a Two-Way Street 113

3.5 Key Takeaways 119

Section 4: Become Truly Insight-Driven 121

4.1 Why “Insight-Driven” Matters 122

4.2 Making Culture Your #1 Strategic Asset 124

4.3 Upleveling HR 129

4.4 Creating Your Insight-Driven Culture 146

4.5 Key Takeaways 163

Section 5: Higher Math—Workforce Analytics at the C-level 165

5.1 All About the CHRO 165

5.2 CEO: Be a True Partner, Get a True Partner 174

5.3 Evolve the Power Structure 187

5.4 Integrate HR into the Business 198

5.5 Key Takeaways 211

Conclusion 213

Notes 215

Appendix A: Guide to Workforce Data 233

Appendix B: CEO+CHRO Survey Results 243

Appendix C: Interviewees 249

About the Authors 255

Index 257