If you have been following our competencies series, you will probably be able tell how important interpersonal skills are to a highly successful business analyst. Indeed there are yet another two interpersonal competencies to consider this week.
Political Awareness
Whether we like to admit it or not, politics exist in organisations and often times it is sewn into the fabric of the organisation’s existence. It is normal for people to bring a flavour of their emotions, ambitions and insecurities into their professional lives, mostly because they care or are passionate about what they do. For those who do not know what politics means in organisational terms, politics are actions and behaviours involving competition for status or power in a workplace (source: Oxford Languages). Essentially, to get things done, you must understand the politics of the organisation and be able to navigate. This is especially important for the Business Analyst who often needs to facilitate decision making activities. The Business Analyst has to be tactful and be able to walk the line. They must understand the organisational structure, both formal and informal, and be able to pull the right levers in a variety of situations. There are several ways to develop political awareness and position yourself to navigate the political landscape of an organisation successfully. Here are some:
- Understand Personality types and use it as a tool to manage relationships
- Build formal and informal networks that you can leverage to get things done
- Be vigilant – when politics becomes negative be brave enough to neutralise it or seek someone who can
Self Belief
This is an understated but very important quality a Business Analyst must have. It is hugely important because a business Analyst must be comfortable operating and engaging at various levels of organisation. They may be called upon to present an option to a steering group or to executives. The Business Analyst must be confident in themselves and be able to communicate this confidence effectively. We sometimes call this GRAVITAS and we have a blog about that too. It is all about balancing knowledge, purpose and passion while controlling any anxieties that might lead you to doubt or second-guess yourself.
Self belief stems from an inner confidence that you know and understand the situation you find yourself in and that you are capable of navigating it successfully. So what might this look like in reality? There are many more, but here are a few ways:
- Being able to challenge
- Being able to analyse with clarity
- Being able to argue a case for, or against (with factual evidence of course)
- Being able to operate under pressure
Next week we will continue the series by looking at the final set of interpersonal competencies:
- Analytical Skills and Critical Thinking
- Attention to Detail
- Professional Development
What do you think is the most important competency of a Business Analyst? Please share your views. I would love to hear your opinions. Thank you.
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