Ben Volkwyn, Senior Vice President of Data, Analytics & Research at Triumph, joins Mudassar Malik on Behind the Growth to discuss what it actually takes to turn data from a reporting function into a real driver of business decisions. Rather than focusing on dashboards or tooling, Ben explains why the real shift happens when organizations connect data directly to operational workflows and the decisions people make every day. 

The conversation begins with an unexpected lens: endurance sports. Ben shares how principles like pacing, consistency, and long-term discipline shape how he approaches leadership and building data teams. Just as athletic performance comes from sustained effort rather than one intense session, he argues that building an effective data function is a long game driven by repeatable habits, clear priorities, and steady trust with stakeholders. 

From there, Ben reflects on lessons learned working across industries and markets. Early in his career, he assumed that dashboards would naturally lead to better decisions. Over time, he discovered that what actually drives decisions is trust, speed, and whether insights are tied to someone’s real work. More data doesn’t automatically create clarity either; in many cases, fewer signals tied to a clear decision can be more valuable than large volumes of reporting. 

Ben also explains how leaders can move their organizations beyond the “data equals reporting” mindset. Instead of building more dashboards, he recommends focusing on one critical operational decision and redesigning it around data. When data becomes part of the decision itself—not just a report about what already happened—it starts to compound value across the business. 

Ben explores topics like: 
- Consistency over intensity in leadership 
- Why dashboards don’t drive decisions 
- Data embedded in operational workflows 
- When less data improves insight 
- Turning reporting into decision engines 

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