When the Seattle Seahawks won the Super Bowl, they didn’t do it because of just one factor – a great quarterback or an amazing running back. It was widely considered a team effort, helmed by a visionary coach who worked on developing a strong culture, cultivating the right players and encouraging some activities not typically associated with football like team yoga and meditation sessions.

What can businesses learn from the Seahawks’ example? It’s not about getting one thing right. This is especially true when it comes to analytics. So often companies think that if they just buy the right solution, they will magically increase revenue or profit. Lately, the publicity surrounding the need for a data guru has led some firms to mistakenly believe it is all about getting one of those.

The reality is that making data driven decisions, especially in the era of Big Data, is about getting four things right: People, processes, technology and culture. And while no one person can get the team into the end zone, having executive sponsorship (i.e. a strong coach like Pete Carroll) is critical to assembling the group that can score touchdowns.

As a global consultant for SAS, Aiman Zeid has spent years working with C-level executives promoting and developing strategies to encourage the use of analytics throughout the enterprise.  His book, Business Transformation: A Roadmap for Maximizing Organizational Insights, will be published by the Wiley and SAS Business Series this March.

Photo by Matt McGee // attribution by creative commons