Leadership, Influence & Presenting: Human Skills That Make Statisticians Effective
A conversation with Alexander Schacht and Alun Bedding
The Effective Statistician - in association with PSI
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Show Notes
Why You Should Listen:
✔ Hear my personal reflections on 456 episodes and the evolution of this podcast.
✔ Learn a simple, values-based view of leadership that applies no matter your level.
✔ Discover how to influence people—not departments—and build trust.
✔ See why contextual teaching beats generic “Stats 101” courses.
✔ Walk away with three immediate actions: decide to lead, listen deeply, and invest in your presentation skills.
Episode Highlights:
00:00 – Why Alun is interviewing me for Episode 456
01:57 – What counts as an “episode” and why this milestone matters
03:03 – From estimands to blurred lines across stats/data science
06:10 – My view of leadership: helping others accomplish something
08:08 – Values, purpose, and the “win–win” principle
10:09 – Goal-driven meetings and tying them to vision and values
12:44 – Why you can’t influence a department—you influence people
15:47 – Trust = character × competence × care (as others perceive it)
17:16 – Being known: why personal and departmental branding matters
19:00 – How targeted training builds credibility and influence
23:00 – Presentation skills as a multiplier for all other communication
28:34 – Listening: the most underrated leadership skill
33:00 – My three practical actions to apply this week
35:30 – Closing thoughts and invitation to connect
Resources and Links:
- Stephen R. Covey — The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
- Michael Hyatt — leadership and values-driven success
- John Blakey — trust model (ability, integrity, benevolence)
- Oscar Trimboli — How to Listen
- Toastmasters — practice for public speaking
- How to Be an Artist (book on learning and creativity)
🔗 The Effective Statistician Academy – I offer free and premium resources to help you become a more effective statistician.
🔗 Medical Data Leaders Community – Join my network of statisticians and data leaders to enhance your influencing skills.
🔗 My New Book: How to Be an Effective Statistician - Volume 1 – It’s packed with insights to help statisticians, data scientists, and quantitative professionals excel as leaders, collaborators, and change-makers in healthcare and medicine.
🔗 PSI (Statistical Community in Healthcare) – Access webinars, training, and networking opportunities.
Join the Conversation:
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