Continuing on from The Fearless Business Analyst Part 1:
In our last post we went through the first four qualities that make a FEARLESS Business Analyst
F – Focus on value
E – Empower yourself
A – Adopt Agility
R – Recognise opportunities
In this second post we will go through the remaining 4 qualities:
(5) L – Lead through influence
Business Analysts do not typically have formal authority over stakeholders they work with. However, we are meant to lead and drive stakeholders to make certain decisions. Business Analysts therefore need to learn how to lead with influence. How?
• Build your credibility in the organization you are in – deliver what you say you will deliver on time always!
• Build your knowledge bank by always staying ahead of the curve and researching into latest best practices in the industry you are in. This will enable you to propose solutions that will add value in your organization.
• Refine the art of communication! Business Analysts work with people and deliver solutions for people. Sound interpersonal and communication skills are of utmost importance.
(6) E – Embrace agility
Today’s environment requires organizations to be agile and respond to client needs. Business Analysts are central in helping to ensure organizations build the right solutions for clients. How do we as analysts embrace agility? If we look at the agile manifesto, these are some of the values we can adopt ourselves in our work.
Focus on:
• Individuals and interactions over processes and tools
• Customer collaboration over contract negotiation
• Responding to change instead of following a plan
• Working software over comprehensive documentation
(7) S – Sharpen soft skills
The modern-day Business Analyst needs have to have critical soft skills such as being a trusted advisor, influencer and facilitator! In addition to this, LinkedIn learning published the Top 5 most in demand soft skills of 2020. A close look of these shows how relevant they are for the Business Analysis Professional.
• Creativity
• Persuasion
• Collaboration
• Adaptability
• Emotional Intelligence
(8) S – Seek first to understand
– Steven Covey 7 Habits of highly effective people – Habit 5 Seek first to understand then be understood
How can this be applied to the way we work as Business Analysts?
• Don’t rush to propose solutions! Understand the business problem and need at hand.
• Clearly define business need and problem statement before going into solution mode.
• One of the common pitfall’s stakeholders make is to identify the solution before understanding the problem first. It is up to us as Business Analysts to ensure we identify the root cause of issues and help stakeholders understand this.
In Summary:
F – Focus on value
E – Empower yourself
A – Adopt growth mindset
R – Recognize opportunities
L – Lead through Influence
E – Embrace agility
S – Sharpen soft skills
S – Seek first to understand
We hope these values resonate with you and you will start embracing them in your career!
Contact the Skilled Business Analyst to find out how you can develop in any one of these areas!
Tendai!
BA Instructor / Coach