Data management is improvisation

Data management is improvisation

I was listening to a podcast recently featuring TV writer Rob Long. During the podcast he said (I'm paraphrasing) that, in order to be successful, one needs to learn to improvise, because nothing in life ever goes as planned. One of my favorite sayings is, "If you want to make God laugh, tell him what you're doing tomorrow."

And so it is with managing data. No matter how much we plan, whether it's a new system implementation, a new process, or just collecting a new set of data, what we plan and expect and what actually happens are rarely the same. And sometimes they are radically different!

And so we have to learn to improvise. We have to be flexible enough to react to what actually happened, adapt to it, and continue moving forward. After all, we're seeking success, not perfection.

Wes's Wednesday Wisdom Archives

Asking for more is a good sign…

July 26, 2023

Asking for more is a good sign… A client who had recently implemented a new […]

Take action…

July 19, 2023

Take action… “The greatest wisdom not applied to action and behavior is meaningless data.” – […]

The Rule of 100 and 1,000 revisited

July 12, 2023

The Rule of 100 and 1,000 revisited I’m finding that the “Rule of 100 and […]

You gotta wanna

July 5, 2023

You gotta wanna Long ago I heard a training consultant say you can’t train people […]

Be careful not to overbuy

June 14, 2023

Be careful not to overbuy I recently spoke with an association of ten staff that was […]

When is the best time to clean your data?

June 7, 2023

When is the best time to clean your data? One of the most common questions […]

Do the benefits outweigh the risks?

May 31, 2023

Do the benefits outweigh the risks? As the economist Thomas Sowell points out, there are […]

Painting the Bridge

May 24, 2023

Painting the Bridge According to this article, the Golden Gate Bridge is painted continuously year-round. […]

Maintenance isn’t sexy

May 17, 2023

Maintenance isn’t sexy I remember reading once long ago that one of the reasons our […]

“Will I still have a job when this is done?”

May 10, 2023

“Will I still have a job when this is done? While working with a client […]

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top