Data Governance Change Management

Transform your data governance program by mastering the human side of change—with clarity, courage, and a proven model built for real-world impact.

Data Governance Change Management is your indispensable guide to navigating data governance change when you’re between executive mandates and frontline execution, high expectations and limited resources. Designed for mid-level managers and data and business professionals, this book provides an empowering and actionable roadmap for leading successful, sustainable transformation efforts. It’s not just about implementing a new data catalog or policy—it’s about building buy-in, shifting mindsets, and turning resistance into resilience.

At the heart of this book is the ANCHOR Model, a six-factor framework—Aim, Need, Community, Hooray, Obstacles, and Resilience. Unlike traditional change management approaches, the authors designed the ANCHOR Model for data governance professionals working in dynamic, often decentralized environments. You’ll learn how to conduct “data therapy” to uncover stakeholder pain points, align your program with business strategy, recruit cross-functional allies, and celebrate small wins that snowball into big results. With real-world case studies, templates, and exercises, this book is both practical and motivational.

Whether you’re launching a new data governance initiative, advocating for responsible data use, or just trying to shift your team from “data police” to “strategic partner,” this toolkit meets you where you are. You’ll gain skills in change leadership, data strategy, data quality management, and governance communication, all grounded in emotional intelligence and organizational psychology. If you’ve ever struggled to secure executive sponsorship or wondered how to get others to care about your governance work—this book shows you how.

Data Governance Change Management goes beyond buzzwords to give you the language, mindset, and methods to influence without authority and build a data-driven culture that sticks. With increasing demands for data privacy, compliance, AI ethics, and enterprise data literacy, the need for adaptable, human-centered leadership has never been greater. This book is your companion on that journey.

If you’re ready to stop spinning your wheels and start building traction for your data change efforts, Data Governance Change Management will equip you to lead with purpose—and to anchor change that endures.

With this book you get the benefit of the Agrawals’ decades of combined experience leading change. They also draw upon the experience of real data professionals and middle managers and share their insights with you.
Danette McGilvray, Author of Executing Data Quality Projects

The ANCHOR provides a mnemonic and model that can be applied to any program that relies upon strong, consistent organizational change management. And it teaches the model in an accessible manner.
Gwen Thomas, Founder, The Data Governance Institute