Traits of a Great Labor Analyst

A few weeks ago I posted on the merits of hiring analysts on the basis of potential or skill. Later, while discussing this topic with a good friend the conversation turned to identifying what traits actually make up a great labor analyst. While we agreed that no one characteristic was most important, here are some of the common strengths we found as being consistent with the great analysts we have worked with in the past:

Entrepreneurship – Great analysts approach their job as if they were building their own business. Call it being resourceful, call it taking initiative, the very best know where to get information and how to get things done. They look outside the box for new and valuable reporting products and analytical services to offer their customers (be it Finance, Operations, or Human Resources), and develop client relationships that keep their customers coming back. One of the first things I look for when initially working with an analyst is how much difficulty I have competing for their time – if they already have a steady stream of activity being generated by their Property’s Department Leadership then I know that they have a good “business” going.

Personal Skills – A great analyst is adept at building trust relationships with Operations. Let’s face it, from an Operator’s perspective a meeting with the labor analyst if barely preferable to a having root canal work done. Great analysts interact well with others and are skilled in asking questions and leading discussions, as a result they create relationships that are built on a mutual understanding of both fiscal and operational goals. Operators will actually want to partner with them because they trust the analyst to accurately represent the operational environment in which they work, and it is trust that brings about decisions and agreements.

Business Knowledge – Great analysts almost always have a varied background, either from multiple businesses or from having worked at multiple Properties. Never falling into the “this is the way we do things” rut, they bring a larger perspective to the table based on a rich background of operational experience. An observation (and this is perhaps why so many large Casino Companies seem to struggle with labor and operations analysis) – many organizations regard analysis positions as “entry level” and as such candidate are often hired directly out of school with little or no actual business experience. Hmm.

Being “Sharp” – Call them analytical, say they have technical skills, or just refer to them as being really, really smart. Analysts go by a lot of descriptions; I just say that the best of them are known as being “sharp.” Usually the Property GM will label them in this manner, when you hear this term referred to an analyst you know you may just have something. Note – the best analysts seem to be able to discuss technical concepts with Operations without becoming “preachy” or talking down – I have witnessed some of the smartest analysts get nowhere because they wanted to wear their intelligence on their sleeves. Real intelligence knows how to frame a discussion to get maximum value and buy-in. Trust me, the last thing Operations wants is to think that they need to go back to math class in order to understand the message.

Focus – Great analysts have the ability to focus on providing business value. They have a full understanding their organization’s strategic and tactical goals and find new a creative ways to solve business problems with their output. Efficient and effective, no opportunity is lost by a great analyst when it comes to delivering value, be it a report format, a budget review, a training exercise, or just as a meeting participant. Great analysts look through and use seemingly mundane tasks as opportunities to further business performance. They stay on point, never rest on their laurels, and embrace a “what have you done for me lately” attitude in their output.

These are just some of the traits we identified as being present in the great labor analysts we have worked with. How many of these characteristics can you apply to your own analysis staff?