Data trust: when two numbers undermine executive decision-making

You probably know that awkward moment: the CEO asks a simple question — “Where do we stand on margin by segment?” — and… two different answers come back.

Same month. Same scope. Two different figures.

From that point on, the discussion shifts:

• strategy is no longer debated,
• data reliability becomes the topic.

This doubt comes at a high cost: lost energy, damaged credibility and slower execution.

The real issue is not the tool

The most frustrating part? This is rarely a tooling problem.

It is a governance issue:

• Who defines the KPI?
• Which data source is the reference?
• Which calculation rule is validated — and by whom?

And when the Board challenges a figure, one question inevitably arises:

Where is the traceability?

No single version of the number, no real steering

As long as you do not have a single, shared version of the number, you are not steering the organisation — you are negotiating reality.

Decisions slow down, discussions drift and confidence erodes.

Data trust is an executive responsibility

The good news is that data trust is not a new IT project.

It is a leadership initiative.

By clarifying ownership, definitions and validation rules, organisations:

• secure executive and Board-level decisions,
• protect their credibility and reputation,
• accelerate strategic steering.

Data trust creates alignment.

And alignment is what turns numbers into decisions.