by Konstantin Tskhay​

May 21, 2025

Extreme Ownership
for People Analytics Leaders

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Hi again, friends! 👋

A few quick updates before we dive in:

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Lately I’ve been re-reading Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin. Yes, it’s a Navy SEAL book. No, this isn’t another macho metaphor about “storming HR.”

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Stay with me.

What struck me is this: everything they say about battlefield and corporate leadership applies to People Analytics—but most of us don’t act like it does.

In this newsletter:

Five key principles from Extreme Ownership, translated for People Analytics leaders, operators, and advisors. Each one includes a definition, what it looks like in our world, and what actually changes when you apply it.

1. Extreme Ownership

In People Analytics:

You own the downstream consequences of your work—whether it's a misused attrition model, a dashboard nobody looks at, or a stakeholder who "didn’t get it." The moment you default to “they misinterpreted the data”, you've lost the plot.

Common mistake:

Having an ego and attachment to our work makes us blame others or not take full ownership, which results in the results that are not created for the company to win.

When you default to “they misinterpreted the data, " you lose

You need to own the entirety of analytics to truly drive the winning impact. You cannot just walk away and let them win. You need to be in the arena yourself.

And once you are in the arena and taking full ownership, you not only will be a true partner to the business, but also will be able to finally see the impact of your work.

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2. There Are No Bad Teams, Only Bad Leaders

In People Analytics:
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If your team is stuck producing ad hoc reports and decks no one reads, the issue isn’t talent—it’s vision and prioritization. The leader's job is to lead: provide vision and explain why this vision exists.

For people to follow, they need to understand why they are following the process, not just where we are going.

Common miss:​
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Assuming the team should “be more strategic” without equipping them with business context, access, or a feedback loop.
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Too often, we assume that the team understands us and will ask for questions and clarifications if they don't.

The reality is that most teams do not operate in this way.

Be explicit about what you want them to do, why, and how you expect to work together.

Do this instead:
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Stop thinking of your team as not strong enough to win. Instead, believe in their ability and foster their development and grit to deliver outstanding results.

As a People Analytics leader, you set the standard for the team.

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3. Cover and Move

In People Analytics:​
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You are not the center of the story—HRBPs, Talent, and business leaders are. Your job is to remove blockers and help the business run for the win faster.

Mistake​
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Shipping dashboards and reports that do not support the business. People Analytics is a luxury in many organizations and you are a force multiplier, not a cost center.

So act like one.

Do this instead:​
Align on the business mission first. Then ask: What data tools and insights do you need right now to make key decisions?

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4. Simple

In People Analytics:​
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Your complex model could be statistically brilliant. Doesn’t matter. If a VP can’t explain it in one sentence to their team, it’s not useful.

Mistake:​
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Do not overcomplicate your models. Do not overcomplicate your dashboards. Do not overcomplicate your reports.

We often forget about the educational differences we have with different people.

Sure, we learned stats and programming in school.

They learned management.

The purpose of the report is not to showcase your skill.

It's to communicate.

So... Simple and clear will take you farther than complicated and long.

Do this instead:​
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Every output should answer a single question, drive one conversation, or support one decision. Clear is kind. Unclear is unkind.

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5. Decentralized Command

In People Analytics:​
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If your stakeholders need you for every report refresh, you’ve failed. Your job is to scale insight, not hoard it.

If your team has to ask you for every decision, you've failed. Your job is to empower the team to make decisions within their scope.

Common miss:
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Becoming the bottleneck, building beautiful tools that require an interpreter, overengineering access control out of fear of misuse, and asking everyone on your team for permission.

Do this instead:
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Build clarity into tools. Teach your stakeholders how to fish. Create cheat sheets, office hours, and self-serve flows that match their mental model.
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For your reports, allow them to control their work and make decisions and mistakes. But explain to them what outcome you are looking for and why. This will build the right communication.

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Final Thought:​
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People Analytics is leadership.
Not a support function.
Not a passive mirror.

You are helping your org see itself clearly, move faster, and make smarter bets—that’s warfighting in corporate form with a single outcome: to win.

Because no matter what you do, if you are not winning, you are doing something wrong.

Are you acting like the leader your data needs?

Until next time,

K

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Whenever you’re ready, there are 2 ways I can help you:

#1

If you’re still looking to get started in People Analytics, I recommend starting with my affordable course:

​Practical People Analytics: Build data-driven HR programs to 10x your professional effectiveness, business impact, and career. This comprehensive course will teach you everything from building an HR dashboard for business results to driving growth through more advanced analytics (i.e., regression). Join your peers today! ​
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#2

If you are looking for support in your human capital programs, such as engagement, retention, and compensation & benefits, and want to take a more data-driven approach, contact me at Tskhay & Associates for consulting services. Or simply reply to this email!