How to get ahead of 99% of Data professionals
- Gilbert Eijkelenboom
- 6 days ago
- 3 min read
I was 8 years old.
Went on a camping trip.
The moment we arrived, my parents started pitching the tent.
But what did I do?
I jumped straight into the swimming pool.
It wasn’t that I didn’t want to help...
I was just too excited to dive in.
Now, almost 30 years later, I see data analysts doing the exact same thing.
A stakeholder asks for a dashboard?
They dive right into the data.
It’s not laziness.
It’s eagerness.
But this instinct to dive in headfirst?
It’s the reason so many dashboards are never used.
Do you prefer video?
The Hidden Trap of Good Intentions
Most data professionals think mastering Python or SQL will put them ahead of the pack.
And sure, those skills matter.
But they’re not what separates the top 1% of analysts from the rest.
After training thousands of analysts around the world, I’ve noticed a different pattern.
The ones who rise, who gain real influence, who get stakeholder love and promotions, excel at three non-technical skills.
Let’s break them down.
3 Skills That Set You Apart
1. Uncover the Real Question
Stakeholders rarely ask for what they truly need. That’s why clarifying their request is your secret weapon.
Ask:
“Why do you need this data?”
“What decision will this support?”
“What does success look like?”
These questions shift the conversation from “what” to “why”, from execution to strategy.
That’s how you avoid building dashboards no one opens.
2. Get Buy-In Early
If you wait until the end to show your dashboard, you’re flying blind.
A tiny 1-degree deviation at the start?
It’s the difference between landing in Kenya or Somalia.
Here’s what Harvard professor John Kotter recommends:
Show early drafts. Don't wait for perfection.
Ask for feedback. Then listen, really listen.
Make them feel involved. Co-creation builds emotional investment.
Even a 5-minute chat or short email can make all the difference.
Stakeholders who feel heard become champions of your work.
3. Present with Story, Not Just Stats
Here’s how most data presentations go:
Data.More data.Even more data.
Bad example:
“Our website redesign has led to a 20% uptick in overall traffic AND the average time visitors spend on our site has doubled. AND, our newsletter sign-ups have surged by 30% this month.”
So what is the mistake?
And/and/and - it’s a toddler telling a story
No problem
No recommendation
Now, let’s improve it.
We’ll use a framework created by Harvard University Professor Randy Olson — it’s called the And/But/Therefore framework.
🤝 AND
This is where you set the stage by introducing the context. Share the business question or your initial findings—things that everyone still agrees on.
❗ BUT
Introduce a problem that is relevant to your audience. The “BUT” introduces tension and makes people want to act.
💥 THEREFORE
This is your recommendation. It’s the solution to the problem introduced in the “BUT” section.
With the And/But/Therefore framework, your presentation isn’t a flat line.
Your presentation becomes a compelling narrative.
Let’s now improve the bad example I showed earlier.
Here’s the better version with the A/B/T framework:
🤝 “Our website redesign has led to a 20% uptick in overall traffic AND the average time visitors spend on our site has doubled.
❗ BUT, we haven’t seen the same level of growth in our actual product sales.
💥 THEREFORE, we need to analyze our funnel to ensure the increased engagement leads to more sales.”
This structure creates a story arc. It builds curiosity. It drives action.
The Bottom Line
If your dashboards are being ignored, it’s not because your analysis was wrong.
It’s because your approach was off.
✅ Ask better questions
✅ Involve your stakeholders early
✅ Wrap your insights in a story
These aren’t “nice to have” skills for Data Analysts.
They’re the difference between being seen as a dashboard monkey or a trusted business partner.
That’s the power of communication.
And that’s why we’re here.
Thanks for reading.
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