The enterprise culture, which either fights or embraces innovation, requires a big data leader who understands his/her role in innovation or enterprise direction. In addition, the leader must:
• Manage expectations
• Reward behaviors rather than results
• Shield data scientists from the detailed scrutiny of management and investors
• Manage projects
• Communicate well to span the enterprise channels
It is not unusual for various levels of leadership to disagree. Soft skills that stimulate a focus on shared goals and a desire to avoid failure, rather than the disagreement itself, are needed to navigate conflicts within the enterprise and among the big data team members.