How Data Literacy Supports Better Leadership Decisions

Chandra Maddukuri, SVP of Data Science & Revenue Management, has spent 16 years at Extra Space Storage. In that time, he's built a specific definition of data literacy as the ability to ask deeper questions of the data in front of you, rather than accepting the narrative a chart or statistic seems to tell. See what that looks like in practice—and how it shapes leadership company-wide.

What Data Literacy Means at Extra Space Storage

Maddukuri defines data literacy as the skill of interrogating what's in front of you—asking what a visualization or statistic might be leaving out, rather than only accepting it as presented. As he puts it:

“If someone presents data with fancy visualizations or cherry-picked statistics that build a narrative, it’s important to ask critical questions to get to the gist of the problem.”

Extra Space Storage operates more than 4,300 properties, and that scale is exactly why Maddukuri treats data literacy as non-negotiable. A decision based on a flawed narrative can quickly affect thousands of customers, teammates, and properties, making it critical to understand what the data is really saying before acting on it.

Why Leadership Growth Requires Data Literacy

At Extra Space Storage, growing into leadership means building this skill, regardless of function. And the bar isn't necessarily technical mastery, but curiosity. Leaders should have the willingness to keep asking why a number looks the way it does. Maddukuri explains:

"At Extra Space, to grow here it is important for one to either have that skill or develop it. If leaders have that skill, more often than not the best decision gets made."

Data Literacy in the Life Storage Acquisition

When Extra Space Storage acquired Life Storage in 2023, an established brand with nearly 1,000 properties before the acquisition, a major data-driven decision needed to be made. Should Extra Space Storage maintain both brands, the way a hotel portfolio like Marriott keeps distinct labels under one roof, or fold Life Storage into the Extra Space brand?

Most industry leaders—Maddukuri included—instinctively favor dual branding for the market visibility it provides. But the data said otherwise. Testing showed Extra Space's brand outperformed Life Storage's, and the team went with the numbers over the instinct. That's the leadership behavior Maddukuri is really describing. It's not only about analyzing data but also about staying open to overriding your personal bias if the data contradicts your first instinct.

How Leaders Can Build Data Literacy

For leaders looking to improve data literacy on their own teams, Maddukuri breaks this down into three recurring habits:

• Before accepting a data narrative, ask what business problem it's actually answering.

• Being data-driven also means being willing to update your view—the Life Storage decision is proof that instinct isn't always right.

• And the sharpest insight isn't always the most technical one. It's the one that reflects real understanding of the business context.

How Data Literacy Shapes Extra Space Storage's Culture

Maddukuri points to Extra Space Storage's collaborative, data-driven culture as the reason he's stayed more than a decade. For him, a leadership team that can read data well doesn't just make better decisions—it becomes the kind of place people want to work.

That's shown up in how Extra Space approaches talent, prioritizing a mix of high-performing leaders who raise the bar for each other. As he puts it:

"Nice, smart people want to work with nice, smart people—that's what keeps me here."

This article was adapted from an episode of the Inside Extra Space Storage podcast featuring Chandra Maddukuri, SVP of Data Science & Revenue Management. Listen to Maddukuri's episode—and additional episodes—on the Inside Extra Space Storage podcast. And learn more about our current career opportunities and apply today!