262: Data Scientist Sebastian Wernicke | Data Doesn’t Convince People—People Do

Sebastian Wernicke is a leading expert in data and AI strategy who has spent more than 20 years helping organizations—from startups to Fortune 500 companies—turn data into real-world transformation. Sebastian’s work stands out because of his core belief that the power of data isn’t unlocked through better technology—it’s unlocked through better thinking. Through his consulting, speaking, and three TED Talks with over 5 million views, he’s helped leaders rethink how they use data to drive meaningful change. His new book, Data Inspired, makes the case that the future belongs not to organizations that are merely data-driven, but to those that build a true culture of inquiry.

In this episode we discuss the following:

• Data doesn’t convince people. People convince people. Sebastian’s fuel savings example captures this perfectly. A 20% improvement felt like a win to Sebastian, but like an accusation to the employee. So Sebastian repositioned it—not as a “big fix,” but as a gradual, step-by-step pilot—making it feel natural and allowing everyone to save face. And an underappreciate tool Sebastian uses to systematically think through motivations and constraints is checklist.
• What especially helps companies make the best use of data is psychological safety. Without it, the highest-paid opinion wins, and the data gets ignored.
• Data is more like an MRI than a clear cut verdict, so it’s important to get people’s perspectives because we can all look at the same data and see a different truth.
• If we want to use data more, we have to understand people better.