Leading with Insight: Managing and Motivating People Using Data, Evidence, and Insights

In today’s local government landscape, leaders are navigating unprecedented levels of complexity, scrutiny, and change. From financial pressures and workforce challenges to shifting community expectations, the need for smarter, more accountable decision-making has never been greater. Yet too often, decisions are still made based on instinct, tradition, or the loudest voice in the room. As Kevan Collier, Strategic Learning and Organisational Development Lead at North West Employers, shared on the Truth About Local Government podcast:

“There’s no such thing as perfect evidence… but it’s about the best quality evidence available to us.”

This quote captures the essence of what evidence-based leadership is all about: not chasing perfection, but striving for rigour, transparency, and impact. It’s about using the best available data, research, and insights to guide how we manage people, shape culture, and improve performance. This blog explores how councils can embed evidence-based practice into their leadership and management approaches moving from reactive firefighting to proactive, insight-led transformation.

Why Evidence-Based Practice Matters Now More Than Ever

The post-pandemic world has accelerated the demand for transparency, accountability, and demonstrable impact in public services. Councils are expected to do more with less, while maintaining trust and delivering outcomes that matter to communities.

Kevan Collier puts it plainly:

“It’s become increasingly important to justify what we do as local authorities… and if we’ve got the evidence to support that, it makes things much easier.”

Evidence-based practice isn’t just about crunching numbers or producing dashboards. It’s about making informed, thoughtful decisions that are grounded in reality not assumptions. It’s about understanding what works, for whom, and under what conditions.

When applied to people management, this approach can help councils:

• Identify patterns in staff turnover and engagement

• Benchmark performance against similar organisations

• Design interventions that are proven to work

• Challenge biases and avoid costly fads

• Build a culture of curiosity, learning, and continuous improvement

In short, evidence-based leadership is not a luxury it’s a necessity. It’s the difference between hoping for change and knowing how to deliver it.

The Four Pillars of Evidence-Based Decision Making

To lead with insight, councils must understand the different types of evidence available and how to use them effectively. Kevan Collier identifies four key sources that underpin robust, evidence-based decision making:

1. Scientific/Empirical Data

   This includes peer-reviewed research, academic studies, and sector-specific reports. For example, the CIPD’s work online management quality offers valuable insights into how leadership behaviours impact staff engagement and organisational performance. While not all councils have access to academic databases, many reputable sources are publicly available and can inform strategic decisions.

   
   

2. Organisational Data

   This is the internal data councils already collect turnover rates, absence figures, engagement scores, performance appraisals, and more. The challenge isn’t just gathering this data but interpreting it meaningfully. Are we spotting trends? Are we benchmarking against similar authorities? Are we using this data to inform policy and practice?

   
   

3. Stakeholder Evidence

   Comparative data from other councils, regional bodies, or sector partners can help contextualise performance. Understanding how similar organisations are tackling shared challenges whether in workforce planning, service delivery, or transformation can offer valuable lessons and avoid reinventing the wheel.

   
   

4. Experiential Evidence

   Observations, lived experience, and practitioner insight are valid forms of qualitative evidence. As Kevan notes:

“Observation is a valid form of qualitative evidence… but we must appreciate the biases.”

While experiential evidence brings richness and context, it must be balanced with more objective data to avoid decisions based solely on anecdote or assumption.

Together, these pillars form a holistic framework for decision making one that blends rigour with relevance, and analysis with empathy.

From Data to Action: Asking the Right Questions

Collecting data is only the beginning. The real value lies in the questions we ask of it. Councils must move beyond surface-level metrics to explore deeper patterns and drivers. Kevan encourages leaders to be curious and analytical:

“Most organisations do exit interviews… but don’t analyse the data or feed it back into decision-making.”

Here are some examples of the kinds of questions that turn raw data into actionable insight:

• What are our turnover trends by age, role, or department?

  Are certain teams or demographics leaving at higher rates? What does this tell us about culture, workload, or leadership?

  
  

• What patterns emerge from exit interviews?

  Are there recurring themes lack of progression, poor management, burnout? Are we closing the feedback loop and acting on what we learn?

  
  

• Are we analysing this data or just collecting it?

  Data without interpretation is noise. Councils must invest in the capability to turn information into intelligence.

  
  

Asking better questions leads to better decisions. It helps councils move from reactive problem-solving to proactive workforce planning. It also builds trust internally and externally by showing that decisions are grounded in evidence, not assumption.

Avoiding Common Pitfalls: Fads, Biases, and Assumptions

One of the most powerful benefits of evidence-based practice is its ability to protect councils from costly missteps. In a sector where budgets are tight and scrutiny is high, decisions must be grounded in more than good intentions or persuasive sales pitches.

Kevan Collier highlights the example of Brain Gym, a programme once widely adopted in schools across England. It promised improved classroom engagement through simple physical exercises but lacked any empirical foundation.

“It looked great and was easy to implement… but had no basis in evidence whatsoever.”

This cautionary tale is a reminder that popularity and ease of implementation do not equal effectiveness. Councils must be vigilant against fads especially in areas like leadership development, wellbeing, and digital transformation where commercial products often outpace the evidence. Kevan also challenges common assumptions around motivation and reward. While financial incentives are often seen as the go-to solution for improving performance, the research tells a different story:

“Giving people more autonomy and decision-making power is often more motivating than financial incentives.”

This insight is particularly relevant for local government, where budgets may limit financial rewards, but opportunities for empowerment, recognition, and meaningful work are abundant. Evidence-based practice helps leaders challenge their own biases, test assumptions, and make decisions that truly drive engagement and impact.

Building a Culture of Insight

Embedding evidence-based practice into the DNA of a council requires more than a few training sessions or a new dashboard. It’s a cultural shift one that demands leadership, investment, and persistence. Kevan outlines four essential ingredients for building a culture of insight:

• Awareness

  Staff need to understand what evidence-based practice is, why it matters, and how it applies to their role. This starts with clear communication and visible leadership commitment.

  
  

• Capability

  Councils must invest in developing analytical skills across the workforce not just in data teams. Curiosity, critical thinking, and the ability to ask good questions are just as important as technical expertise.

  
  

• Systems

  Data must be clean, accurate, and integrated. Fragmented systems, inconsistent records, and poor data hygiene undermine trust and limit the usefulness of insights. Kevan compares this to a jigsaw puzzle with missing pieces without complete data, the picture is distorted.

  
  

• Accountability

  Evidence-based decision making must be embedded into governance, planning, and performance frameworks. Leaders should be held accountable for using data to inform decisions, not just collecting it.

To support this shift, Kevan recommends applying behavioural science principles specifically the EAST framework:

Easy, Attractive, Social, Timely

Making data easy to access, visually engaging, socially reinforced, and timely in its delivery can dramatically improve uptake and usage. Councils should design systems and processes that encourage not hinder evidence-based behaviours.

Three Questions Every Council Should Ask

For councils seeking to embed evidence-based practice, the journey begins with honest reflection. Kevan Collier suggests three foundational questions that can help assess your organisation’s data maturity and readiness for insight-led leadership:

1. Where are we now?

   Do we have an evidence-based process in place? Are decisions routinely informed by data, or are we still relying on anecdote, tradition, or gut instinct? Establishing a baseline is essential to understand current strengths and gaps.

   
   

2. What is our capability?

   Do we have the right people, skills, and tools to support evidence-based practice? Are there champions within the organisation who can lead the way? Councils don’t need an army of statisticians but they do need curious, analytical thinkers who can ask the right questions and interpret data meaningfully.

   
   

3. How do we embed this?

   Is evidence part of our leadership culture and decision-making frameworks? Are we building it into our governance, planning, and performance processes? Making evidence-based practice habitual requires more than enthusiasm it demands structure, accountability, and senior buy-in.

“Senior leaders should be driving decisions through evidence and data… and making it habitual.”

These questions aren’t just diagnostic they’re strategic. They help councils move from aspiration to action, and from isolated pockets of good practice to organisation-wide transformation.

Final Thoughts

Evidence-based leadership isn’t about chasing perfection it’s about making progress. It’s about replacing assumptions with insight, and tradition with transparency. In a sector where every decision matters, and every pound must deliver value, councils cannot afford to lead in the dark.

By embedding data, evidence, and insight into everyday practice, local authorities can:

• Make smarter, more accountable decisions

• Motivate and retain their workforce

• Deliver better outcomes for communities

• Build cultures of learning, curiosity, and continuous improvement

The journey may be challenging but the rewards are profound. As Kevan Collier reminds us, the goal isn’t flawless data. It’s better decisions, made with integrity, clarity, and purpose.

This blog post was sponsored by RPNA, who help local authorities to deliver projects and implement changes efficiently. They offer expertise in areas like leadership, wellbeing, technology, and commercial acumen, ensuring excellent value for money and meeting key priorities.