Darting towards Data Governance: Team Power
Teams are an essential part of life – from school to adulthood, from sports to business. A well-functioning team leads to extraordinary achievements, whether in a local darts league or a data governance team.
The Darts Team Triumph
Consider my local darts team, which recently won the team title, along with individual singles titles. This victory wasn't just about individual knowledge and talent; it was the result of shared goals, a strategy to achieve them, collaboration, strong mentoring, and mutual support. Each of our players’ unique skills, camaraderie and collective effort all contributed to the team's overall success.
Transferring Team Dynamics to Data Governance
The same principles apply to data protection governance teams. Every member of the Team must understand its overall objectives ensuring that they are responsible and accountable for data management and governance. The Team will need a framework for success, including communication and collaboration, and creating and maintaining policies and procedures around data collection, privacy, compliance, integrity and security. And it must provide regular reports to senior management who are ultimately accountable.
Roles, Goals and Data Stewardship
Like in darts, governance team members learn from each other's techniques, and share knowledge, best practices and insights. This knowledge is then used to help build awareness throughout the organisation about data protection and data security, and to educate employees about crucial data protection principles.
Education and Continuous Improvement
Individuals within the team will take on data stewardship roles. In essence they will oversee the entire lifecycle of personal data from collection to deletion, and be accountable for compliance and security at all stages. All team members will support each other, sharing knowledge and expertise to help manage challenges and foster a culture of continuous improvement. And each will have their own individual areas of responsibility including embedding data protection throughout their own area of the business.
Risk Management
Sports and business both carry risks, and the team must take responsibility for identifying, assessing and mitigating them – in data governance, for example through Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs). The team must also develop and execute its response plans so that it knows how to respond if there is a data breach or security incident.
Enabling Team Leaders
Team Leaders are crucial. They are pivotal in flowing down information to their specific areas of the business – in data governance, for example, it’s helpful to have leaders from IT, HR, Marketing, Operations, Payroll and so on. It’s those Team Leaders who will then ensure that everyone in their team understands their roles and responsibilities, and who provide the resources and training so that every individual in an organisation can thrive and contribute effectively.
Conclusion
Effective teams enable the individuals in your organisation to achieve more together than they ever could alone. With a data governance team that fosters collaboration, shared problem-solving and continuous education, your organisation will benefit from strong and highly successful outcomes.
Data Compliant International
If you would like help or assistance with any of your data protection obligations, please email dc@datacompliant.co.uk or call 01787 277742. And for more information about how to meet your Accountability and Governance obligations, please see here.
Data Compliant International
International data protection consultants and DPOs.
22 Friars Street, Sudbury, Suffolk, CO10 2AA
Email: dc@datacompliant.co.uk
Tel No.: +44 (0) 1787 277 742
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