Category: Personal Excellence

Improving Personal Performance: Influencing Styles and Preferences

February 7, 2022

We have dealt with the topic of influencing in several blog posts but in this “Improving Personal Performance” series, we want to take a deeper look at how we can obtain positive business outcomes through Influence, Conflict Management and Impact. We will start the series by examining different influencing styles, the benefits of each style … More Improving Personal Performance: Influencing Styles and Preferences

“Be yourself, everyone else is already taken” – Oscar Wilde

December 29, 2021

One of the hallmarks of an outstanding Business Analyst or Leader is authenticity. Authenticity is the quality of being genuine or real. You may ask why? Why do I need to be genuine or real as a leader or Business Analyst? Its simple – In your role as a leader, you are dealing with people, … More “Be yourself, everyone else is already taken” – Oscar Wilde

Are you listening?

November 24, 2021

Have you ever found yourself having a conversation in your head while someone is speaking to you? Do you find yourself evaluating what is being said and even preparing a defence or counter-argument even before they have finished talking? Many of us naturally respond in this way which means we sometimes miss opportunities to gain … More Are you listening?

Getting things done!

November 17, 2021

For many of us having a great delivery track record is important. How do we get things done? How do we ensure key decisions are made and followed through to completion? Simple answer lies in one’s ability to influence. Following the three part series on Influence strategies (check the posts out here) I have had … More Getting things done!

WHY?

November 3, 2021

It was Simon Sinek who said “Start with why” when attempting to inspire others to take action. As a business analyst, I have found this concept very useful particularly during the analysis phase of a project or business change activity. The “Why” of a thing is at the very heart of purpose. So whether you’re … More WHY?

POWER OF WORDS

August 11, 2021

Words are singularly the most powerful force available to humanity Yehuda Berg Sometime ago, I was having a conversation with a colleague about how to word some information we needed to communicate. We needed to get an uncomfortable point across to another colleague but struggled to find the right expressions that would create the impact … More POWER OF WORDS

BA TOOLKIT SERIES – Competencies Part 4

July 14, 2021

Today we look at the final three of our interpersonal Business Analysis Competencies. It is worth noting that there are many other skills that could be deployed by a Business Analyst to become successful, so continuous learning and awareness of industry trends is important for maintaining a fresh set of skills. Analytical Skills and Critical … More BA TOOLKIT SERIES – Competencies Part 4

BA TOOLKIT SERIES – Competencies Part 3

June 30, 2021

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 … More BA TOOLKIT SERIES – Competencies Part 3