In today’s data-driven world, GIS has evolved from a back-office mapping tool into a core strategic platform. GIS no longer simply supports decision-making—it also propels it. Yet GIS is still often overlooked in leadership discussions and executive strategy sessions. This needs to change.
As someone who has worked in GIS leadership and collaborated with technical teams and executive stakeholders, I have come to believe that GIS is not just a system—it’s a leadership advantage. Organizations that embed GIS into leadership frameworks see clearer trends, stronger collaboration, and better business outcomes, while also offering greater support for their communities. As for those that don’t, they risk leaving powerful insight untapped.
This is a call to action for GIS professionals to lead boldly. It is also a call for leaders who don’t regularly use GIS to recognize the power of location intelligence to drive decision-making.
A Missed Opportunity
In many organizations, GIS is viewed more as a niche technology that creates visually appealing maps rather than a key tool that drives efficiency and productivity. Leadership teams at these organizations may not fully understand the capabilities of GIS or how to align geospatial technology with their strategic objectives.
This isn’t always the fault of organizational leaders. Sometimes, GIS leaders fail to showcase the rich capabilities of geospatial technology.
To address these challenges, leaders across an organization need to adopt a geospatial mindset—one that wholly embraces spatial thinking. GIS provides a lens through which to access that mindset. It enables leaders to see trends and patterns, anticipate change, allocate resources more effectively, and engage with stakeholders meaningfully.
But this won’t just happen naturally. GIS-based leadership must be nurtured, practiced, and aligned with an organization’s vision and mission. Here’s how to do that.
Five Principles of GIS Leadership
Before leaders can transform how GIS is used in their organizations, they must understand what makes leadership effective. The following five core leadership principles become more powerful when connected to a GIS strategy:
- Visionary thinking: See what GIS can do beyond making pretty maps. Consider using it for modeling, forecasting, and gaining deeper insight.
- Emotional intelligence: Build relationships with stakeholders who may not speak the language of GIS but are still impacted by it.
- Clear communication: Arguably the most important leadership skill, it involves translating complex spatial data into compelling, actionable narratives.
- Adaptability: Confidently navigate the rapid evolution of geospatial technology, from cloud-based GIS to AI.
- Collaboration: Lead not only within the GIS team but also across departments, organizations, and governments.
Skills Worth Honing
To lead effectively with GIS, GIS professionals must pair technical expertise with a broad range of leadership and management skills. In addition to having a firm grasp on the latest technology, GIS leaders must be excellent project managers, communicators, and strategic thinkers.
Because GIS projects are often complex and stretch across multiple departments, they require a high level of coordination. Leaders must understand that projects have life cycles, scopes, budgets, timelines, and risks that need to be mitigated. Project management frameworks such as Agile, Waterfall, Scrum, and Kanban provide structure and predictability to otherwise ambiguous initiatives.
Soft skills, though sometimes undervalued, form the foundation of effective leadership—and are discussed in nearly every leadership book and training session. Remember those five principles of GIS leadership? Here are some practical ways to use soft leadership skills to elevate GIS from a support role to a key driver of enterprise innovation and insight.
- Set a vision: Articulate how GIS fits into the organization’s long-term goals. Then help others see that vision.
- Read the room: Use emotional intelligence to navigate interpersonal dynamics and employ authentic empathy to boost team morale—especially when everyone is under pressure.
- Communicate with clarity: Whether speaking with mobile crews or executives, use simple and clear language to translate technical insight into actionable strategies. In most cases, stakeholders have varying levels of technical knowledge.
- Embrace change: Technology, data, and organizational priorities change fast, so be ready to adapt quickly and lead others through rough patches.
- Build bridges: Create strong partnerships across departments, organizations, and sectors to align goals and amplify the impact of GIS.
Leading Forward with GIS
GIS naturally drives innovation. It thrives at the intersection of data, visualization, and decision-making. Thus, true GIS leadership moves organizations forward not just by delivering on projects but also by shaping the future.
GIS leaders need to be willing to drive change, challenge outdated processes, and introduce new workflows. They should encourage experimentation and empower GIS team members and other employees within the larger organization to push the limits of the software and their thinking. Leaders should bring GIS into conversations about digital transformation. They should also help others understand how geospatial data connects to their own priorities, whether those revolve around improving customer service or developing climate resilience.
The days of GIS being a niche tool are over. It is now a business driver that bolsters strategic leadership, operational excellence, and enterprise-wide insight.
A Call to Action
To the GIS professionals: Step up. Don’t wait for permission to demonstrate the value of GIS. Speak the language of leadership. Align your work with your organization’s broader business goals. Showcase how spatial data drives business decisions. And invest in yourself by building your leadership skills alongside your technical expertise.
To the non-GIS professionals: Be curious. Invest time and effort in understanding GIS and what it can do. Start by asking questions about how location-based insight can improve your decision-making. Invite GIS teams to the strategic planning table. Be a champion of integration. GIS is more than a department—it’s a way of thinking!
The future of GIS is brighter than ever if leaders at all levels embrace its potential. That means developing leaders who understand people, platforms, policy, and positions. Organizations that integrate GIS into every level of decision-making are the future. And the leaders of tomorrow will be those who can see spatially, think strategically, and act decisively.
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