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Author: Richard Lannon

7 Approaches that Business Analysts Should Use to Get Out and Network

Written by Richard Lannon on . Posted in Articles.

I received a phone call from a peer in another company, asking me if I had ever written anything on how to network.

She mentioned that she had reviewed my blog and couldn’t find anything thing on the topic. They were particularly interested in the idea of business analysts networking and going to events. The sun was out, spring was in the air, and they liked golf—great reasons for getting out of the office.
Their interest got me thinking about the importance of getting out of the office and building a network.

Go with a Purpose

It never made sense to me to go anywhere without having a purpose for being there. As a professional, I have to go to networking events. Because I build a career in the consulting profession, networking has been somewhat mandatory. Honestly, for the majority of these events, I would have rather been somewhere else. That is where purpose comes in. Now when I attend events, I set a goal (nothing big) and focus on how I can help someone else. Try creating a purpose beyond just meeting people, collecting cards and speaking.

Managing Time

I am terrible at setting time aside to attend events. If I don’t mark my calendar with vacation time, long weekends and events, chances are I will forget them. I will work. It is the way I am wired. So I had to learn the skill of looking at my calendar annually and setting time aside at the beginning of the year when I am not available to work. A business associate and friend who’d noticed that I never put time aside, challenged me to book events so I wouldn’t have to be in the office all the time. It’s hard to avoid distractions, but unless you plan your time for when you are going to attend events, there is a good chance you won’t go to them. So set the time aside now.

All by Yourself

We tend to go to professional events with the same people. Your friend at work is going, so you attend also. During the evening or day, you hang out with the same people. Why not go alone? You can add a purpose. For example, maybe you want to meet someone; a decision maker, recruiter or vendor so you can have a private or personal conversation. If someone in your network introduces you to that person, seek that person out and have a conversation without peers around you. More importantly, set yourself up, so you are not always with the same people. Expand your network and make new friends.

Become Part of a New Team

I try to do this when I am going to a professional event. In the introduction, I stated that my peer mentioned attending an Association golf event. This would be a great opportunity to meet new people. I once did this and ended up on a team with two CEOs and a CFO from three different companies. We all had a great time. Throughout my career, they have helped me to connect with a lot of other people. Maybe golf is not your thing. That is fine. There are lots of ways you can become part of a new team. Just be willing to step out there and make it happen.

Be Informed Through Research

If you’re attending an event where you are meeting people, you have a limited amount of time to make an impact. It is important that you be informed about an event before you attend it. This includes checking out the host’s background, the sponsors, the types of people attending the event and determining who you want to meet. Get the information you need from Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and the professional association’s website. For example, I am a music buff; I play the guitar, and I listen to rock stations on Spotify. There was a CEO I wanted to meet. I noted on Facebook that he played guitar for fun and loved to jam with other musicians. So I decided to meet him and talk to him about music. We had a great discussion and created a relationship. You don’t have to research business-only things. Your research should be about finding and sharing common interests. I guess that’s another lesson learned.

Dress for Success

Can’t say I have always liked that term as it means different things to different people. Clothing is such a personal thing. In the context here, I think it has to do with knowing the event and dressing accordingly. I often contact an event’s coordinators and ask what the appropriate attire is for the event. Some events are formal, while others are downright casual. I have done a lot of work in the ICT industry (information, communications, and technology) where the standard of the organizations is a T-shirt, a pair of blue jeans and no shoes. I have to admit I feel at home in these organizations. Periodically I have to wear a suit and play the part. Still, you can find a signature piece to wear; something that creates conversation. Try a unique, colored shirt, or a hat or pin. I am a man of many hats; from baseball caps to fedoras with different styles for different seasons. I initially wanted protection from the sun, but as things progressed, I started to wear different styles. Interestingly enough, they have become conversation starters. I think you can dress for your success and be unique at the same time.

Have Your Coordinates Ready

Years ago (and maybe today) they are teaching to always bring business cards with you to events to give out to people. In my mind, this is very traditional and is important for a certain generation. Now we have so many options when it comes to sharing our coordinates as a means to connect with people. Still, it is important to pre-plan how you are going to share your information with your new friends. First, consider business cards since they still have a place at networking events. Second, if your company is no longer providing business cards, consider having something unique to hand out. If can be small. For example, I am an author, so I carry bookmarks with me that have the 10 Steps of Strategic Planning written on them. You could easily have something like that for your business; a small keepsake to hand out when you need to provide your coordinates to someone. Third, chances are you have your smartphone. Don’t be afraid to get someone’s email or cell number and text them your coordinates. It is the easiest way to connect with people. Follow up quickly and share information.

Final thoughts

Personally, just like a lot of people, I struggle with going to networking events. So I had to create a process around attending events; setting the time aside, going with purpose and being prepared. Sitting in your office all the time is not good for your long-term career and business. You have to get out and meet new people to share information with, get new ideas and have fun. I think the truth is that people want the same things from networking that you want: enjoyment, meaningful conversation and to create relationships. All you have to do is pick your events and go do it. Good luck.
Remember, do your best, invest in the success of others and make your journey count.

Richard.

Strategy Spotlight: Roles, Responsibilities, and Skills – Project Managers and Business Analysts Meet Business Analysis

Written by Richard Lannon on . Posted in Articles. 2 Comments on Strategy Spotlight: Roles, Responsibilities, and Skills – Project Managers and Business Analysts Meet Business Analysis

Project Managers and Business Analysts meets Business Analysis (clarify your perspective)

It still amazes me, after 14 years of speaking, teaching and writing about Business Analysis I still get this question: “What is the difference between a Business Analyst and a Project Manager?” I was teaching a Fundamentals of Business Analysis program for Project Managers when this question was raised. Since the program was focused more on Project Managers, we are using the Project Management Institutes (PMI), Business Analysis for Practitioners: A Practice Guide as a reference.

Related Article:  The Project Manager Vs. The Business Analyst

So here I am with 47 of my new closest best friends having a dialogue about the role and responsibility differences in these professions. The simple answer to this question is the Project Manager is responsible for the beginning, middle and end of a project with initiation, planning, execution and closure whereas the Business Analyst is concerned with the end product and business solution making sure the requirements are met for the key stakeholders.

Here’s the thing: the question being asked is about titles and positions but does not actually ask about roles and responsibilities. For example, as a Director of Operations, you would have the title and a position. In a traditional organization, you might even think you have some authority rights, which in today’s rapid business climate is a bit passé. As Director, you would take on certain roles and responsibilities beyond the position sitting on committees, running initiatives (projects) and even doing Business Analysis work. Maybe at a different level, but you would be.

In reality, Business Analysis can be performed by anyone tasked with understanding the business problem, business opportunity, potential business solutions, implementation of a potential business solution, and measuring project, program or strategic initiative results. So really, Business Analysis is done at all levels and across all departments (strategic, tactical and operational) within a specific context. It gets messy when you seek to place traditional structures around Business Analysis through titles and positions. Unfortunately, a lot of organizations have no choice but to put Business Analysis or at least the

Business Analyst in a box.

Some time ago I was hired as a Program Consultant by a Director of Enterprise Services and the CIO of a large resource company to get ITSM on the strategic agenda of the organization. It meant as a Program Consultant I had to put on a senior Business Analysis hat and get three distinct organizations (utilities, gas, and oil) in two continents to agree ITSM was a good investment for everyone. This was a pure bottom-up initiative where Project Managers would not have been involved since the initiative was not yet approved and funded. The key stakeholders were middle and senior management. Therefore, there was nothing yet to implement. I truly love these kinds of initiatives. Discover if something is a good idea and then, maybe, we’ll bring in the Project Managers.

The program analysis required me to use the soft and hard skills of Business Analysis to determine if service management was a good idea. That meant an assessment and one-on-one interviews with key people to discover their challenges, get their thinking on potential solutions and what the benefits would be before even mentioning the potential solution domain, ITSM. It took 4 to 6 weeks to do.

I reported back to my Sponsor and CIO with a discussion and recommendation we engage key stakeholders from each organization to discuss their maturity levels, what they would like to achieve, the benefits and a develop a set of 6 key recommendations for the executive team. My sponsor approved the next phase of the initiative to work towards building consensus among the management team and the best course of action.

To make a long story short 6 to 8 months later, we got the initiative to the business case stage and presented a business case to the executives and board of directors for approval. From a business standpoint, it made sense to proceed with the initiatives since there was a huge opportunity to standardize and share support services across three distinct organizations. Upon approval, Project Management kicked in. The Project Managers prepared their plans for execution while intermediate to junior Business Analysts joined the team to further flesh out the detailed requirements. In this case, senior Business Analysts started the process, and other Business Analysts completed the process downstream.

In this scenario, for the initiative to get ITSM on the agenda of the organization, I was called a Program Lead and Consultant. The title relevancy allowed me to be categorized within an organization so I could carry out my sponsor’s mandate. From a role and responsibility skill set, I used Project Management and Business Analysis expertise needed to get the job done. For the phase one initiative, we had a project charter and Business Analysis charter blended. This set the boundaries for the evaluation work to be done.

We developed a requirements management plan and a communication plan to ensure we had a path to follow and a means to communicate what we were doing. There was a summary of findings and status meetings, financial evaluations, business case development, and not to mention the one-on-one meetings, interviews, and group facilitations sessions. If you love Business Analysis and Project Management blending at the senior levels, this was a consultant’s dream, a real enterprise initiative working at the senior management and executive levels.

Over the course of my career, I have been a senior consultant and senior Project Manager running small and large scale projects for organizations. The interesting thing is that I have always had to use the Business Analysis skill set in Project Management. I have also been a Business Analyst. In my junior years, I did small Project Management work to get things done.

The big change I have seen is really the change in titles. For me, Project Management has been reasonably stable since the mid 90’s. Business Analysis, on the other hand, has not. I recall a time when I was called a CSR (client service representative). I came to work one day, and I was told my title had been changed to Business Systems Analyst and Coordinator. My job didn’t change at all nor did my pay. Eventually, someone asked me what I did. I told them, and they said, “Oh you’re a Business Analyst.”

Business Analysis is all over an organization. It is not the rightful domain of any one department, group or individual. It is a role, a skill set, and crossing over boundaries to better understand the business need and to come up with creative strategic business solutions to challenging situations. This is a significant difference when it comes to Project Management work of getting it done. Organizations will find Business Analysis being used on agile teams, with process and systems analysts, product managers and owners, Project Managers, requirement managers and a whole host of other places.

I do believe in the importance of advancements in creativity and strategic Business Analysis thinking and abilities. Business intelligent and artificial intelligent will strip away the fibers of traditional thinking, titling and wage structures. Pure talented Business Analysts will rise to the top of a number of organizations where building business brainpower is rewarded. The professional who is willing to master the application of the Business Analysis skill set will rule the future business kingdom while everyone one else will still asking, what just happened. The Business Analyst will already know the answer.

Final Thought – It is not often I write this kind of article, walking the fine divide and complexities of the Business Analyst versus Project Manager’s work. When you are locked in a room with 47 people, and they are all asking the question regarding the difference between a Project Manager and a Business Analyst. What are you supposed to say? Really it comes down to the size of the organization and the many hats you wear. Maybe, the Project Manager asks, is it done yet, and the Business Analyst asks, what solution options are available. The reality is both title professions use the Business Analysis skill-set. You just need to choose which side fits you more naturally.

I suggest you dig deeper and look at the skill set you need to develop for success in your business, career, and life and you will see there is a bit of Business Analysis in all of us. Good Luck.

Remember; do your best, invest in the success of others, make your journey count, Richard.

Strategy Spotlight: 7 Reminders from an Unlikely Place, What Makes for Great Business Analysis

Written by Richard Lannon on . Posted in Articles. 1 Comment on Strategy Spotlight: 7 Reminders from an Unlikely Place, What Makes for Great Business Analysis

Often when working with clients on a strategic business analysis, planning or roadmap engagement I look to see if they are teaming with success.

I learned the importance of this from my time at PricewaterhouseCoopers and then later working with clients across various industries. This was recently reaffirmed, not by a business engagement, but through working with a group of songwriters and musicians. The engagement was to facilitate (share), document (write), integrate (edit), and present (perform) a song to be video recorded for a major sponsor (influencer). The outcome (song) was a tribute to a lawyer, business leader, and musician, whose struggle with cancer became a catalyst for people engagement and a reminder, we all serve somebody. In some way, I believe we can all relate.

Here are the 7 reminders from an unlikely place that makes for great business analysis:

1. Never be the Lone Ranger

I am guilty of this one. Love my independents and autonomy. As someone who is into senior business analysis type work, it is easy to become the lone ranger, trying to do everything yourself. The interesting thing you learn when hanging out with a group of musicians (who are sincere) is everyone has different talents and a contribution to be made. The best part is you are not alone. So don’t be. There is always someone available to help. All you need to do is belong.

2. It Takes a Community

It takes a community to be successful. That means a team. I learned this when I wrote my first book. You think I would have learned it with all the teams I worked on throughout my career. However, no I did not. You see, in my mind, writing a book meant you went off somewhere, in isolation at some remote cabin and the book was magically created. Pouf! When you write a song or a book, you need a team to succeed. It turns out to be the same way for when you write a requirements document. It should become a team effort to make sure it is great. Within the Business Analysis career, we need to break down the barriers of work competition and work together to create successful communities, teams.

3. ‘Cheers’ Had an Important Message

Now, I do not expect you remember the TV show, Cheers. The opening song, Where Everybody Knows Your Name, by Gary Portnoy (https://youtu.be/h-mi0r0LpXo), serves as a good reminder for something we all secretly desire. Most people will recall Norm, one of the main characters. When he walked into the establishment, everyone would yell, NORM. In our profession, there is an opportunity make like everyone welcome. As a professional leader who facilitates sessions, you can create your own ‘Cheers’ opportunities. I have seen it in other businesses, and I experienced it myself.

4. Acknowledgeable Goes a Long Way

During my experience with the group of musicians, the song written was presented. I was just one person among a larger group of people and was asked for my feedback. As an analyst and writer, I cannot help myself but analyze the written words. I had marked up the paper and reluctantly shared with the group. To my surprise, my remarks were well received. Several days later, at another professional event, the writer sat down beside me, leaned over and said he had incorporated my suggestions and the song was better. I was shocked and humbly thankful. My point is being willing to share your thoughts can be intimidating.

Maybe you are concerned about what people think. In business analysis, we are leaders. It is important to acknowledge people on your team for their contribution. Great communities share and acknowledge one another’s contributions.

5. Know What You are Working Towards

This is something I have learned to be extremely important. In business analysis we generally refer to having a clear definition of the problem or opportunity. Ideally, we get this from leadership. However, that is not always the case. The ability to clearly articulate the challenge/opportunity is 150 words or less is not a gift or a skill most people have developed. My Dad had an expression; I have more years behind me than in front of me. He is 95. He has been saying this for a long time. Something I noticed though everything he did was based on not knowing what tomorrow will bring. So he would work towards something. It was the innate understanding and answer to what ‘what’ and ‘why’ (what is the focus, why is it important). Business analysis needs to be focused the same way. It is important to treat things as if there is no tomorrow, so you need to know what you are working towards, why and get it done. It could be your last chance. So don’t have regrets.

6. Believe in Yourself

This last twelve months I had the opportunity to get to know and work with someone who I am sure their tag line is ‘let’s do it.’ We would be discussing an idea and if it made sense, he would say, let’s do it. When I am wearing my business analysis hat, I can be critical, skeptical and candid. Not because I am a negative person but because I am engaged to ‘question everything,’ be factual and present ideas for decision making. There are times I do wonder though if within business analysis we (you) can hide behind our (your) insecurities. Working with this musical group, I was sometimes reminded you need just to put yourself out there, to believe in yourself and allow others to support you. In management consulting I use to have a sponsor who would say, do first and ask for forgiveness later. Sometimes that is all we need to do. It is great lesson learned.

7. Communications is Key

Recently I was in a meeting with a sponsor of a large financial investment organization regarding a senior business analysis contract opportunity. Like anyone else I have to make a living. They asked me what makes a professional successful in business analysis. I told them the story about the former Australia Business Analysis Association now part of the IIBA. They had this door lock diagram I always liked. I still reference it in my business analysis training programs today. The diagram was of a lockset with all the tumblers around it. Each tumbler represented a skill set; facilitation, modeling, financials, decision making, etc. In the middle, where the key is placed to unlock the business analysis magic kingdom, was one word, communications. Whether verbal or written, formal or informal, the key to success is mastering your communications skills. Something I think we can all do better.

Final Thoughts

No doubt the musicians applied the hard and soft skills of business analysis; the facilitation, documenting, integrating, and presenting requirements with a final outcome, video recorded song. In this case, a tribute to an important sponsor (Pearl River), someone who is a connector of people, a supporter, who influenced the lives of many people professionally and personally, and knows how to get things done. A dream sponsor.

It is easy to talk or write about tools and techniques you can use in business analysis. It is harder to communicate those professional and life experiences that make you a better professionally and personally. I love the business analysis career, people development and diversified initiatives with opportunities to incorporate what you learned in all you do. Working with a group of creative people from all walks of life and professions reminded me of the things that make teams great.

When you know what you are doing and why you are doing it, there is an endless opportunity to build your skills. You just never know when you are going to learn something you can apply to your business, career, and life to serve others. In the end, I think that is what it is all about.
Remember, do you best, invest in the success of others, make your journey count, Richard.

Strategy Spotlight: 5 Design and Decision Thoughts that Impact Your Business Success

Written by Richard Lannon on . Posted in Articles.

I believe you can design your business, career and life for your success. You and your business are the architects of your existence.

The total sum of all the decisions you have made. With that in mind, I think you have no choice but to accept or reject the present situation or state of your organization.

Related Article:  8 Things You Must Do to Make Better Decisions

From a business analysis perspective design is rational with explicit reason behind decisions for creating a system, a solution, an artifact. It is the augmented-base that is meant to be a collaborative process addressing problems and providing solutions.

Interestingly design happens in many ways, from what’s perceived to be haphazard, to the intentional. There are many design styles that we can apply to our business. The question, which one is being applied to your business.

Build It and They Will Come Design

Right from the movie Field of Dreams. This sometimes works. There is a vision of success, someone has a gut instinct, they build something and it sells, solves a problem or satisfies a dream. At one point in my career I spent five years within the entrepreneurial incubator space helping business leaders take ideas and determine the feasibility and success likelihood. I witnessed a lot of designs go nowhere. Some were brought to market only to discover that no-one wanted the product. One such business made a 500K error and it hurt. Most of these mistakes are made due to ego and with no one fact checking to see if there is a market for the product. Always check to see if the solution makes sense.

Feather on the Wind Design

This is another movie reference, this time from Forest Gump. We are like a feather in the wind, floating around, we might choose our destiny or maybe it’s a bit of both. I think this is like the unintentional design thinking. You build something or take some action without consideration of what will happen when people try your solution. This is a roll of the dice and maybe you get snake-eyes or things work out. It is all chance – like the feather on the wind. You just never know where you will end up.

It’s Mine NOT Yours Design

I consider this one selfish. You are working in your team and you create a database to track maintenance schedules. A bunch of low level decisions were made. Other teams could use it, but it’s yours and you won’t share. We see this with the endless amount of data that end up in spreadsheets. There are many systems in a business that were created out of a self design need. Generally they solve a perceived isolated problem that really exists with other teams. The key is to get a team using it to improve it.

Creative Innovative Design

I think this is something in business analysis that we seek to use a system to do. Part of business analysis is to answer the question where have we been. It is about documenting and analyzing the past to explore creative innovative solutions for the present and future. From my perspective, it is the fun. For example, in the short news feature, “A Deep Dive” a design company uses on-site observation to watch how people shop in a grocery store. Their purpose is to create an innovative new shopping cart design. An experienced team took on the task. The interesting lesson learned is it’s all about the process. A process that can be used step by step to create a solution based on a business problem to be solved and information from the business worlds’ stakeholders.

Tasks that People Do but No Activities for You Design

Years ago I taught a course in process and model development. The students always wanted to learn how to do a work flow diagram right away. Rarely did the learner know anything about where process modeling came from or process levels and the way systems connect in an organization from a structural perspective. In a basic 5 level organization structure you would learn that there are different process levels and maps used at each level that must link to create an organizational whole. The telecom industry’s business process framework, e-TOM explains this well. In level thinking there is a distinction that can be made between tasks and activities. A team should embrace an understanding of process levels and designs using a combination of models to ensure they are gaining important systems insight to make better decisions and designs.

Facilitated Focus Group Design

In my 3 Day Gathering and Documenting Requirements course I cover some common important skills for the business analyst (Facilitation, Documentation, Integration and Presentation). I spend time on the different methods of gaining insight into the stakeholder’s perspective. Stakeholder focused groups are a great way to generate discussions and a lot of great primary research information for user-based design. I like the terms used in the Atlantic Systems Guild’s Volere Template that addresses the importance of understanding the goals, needs and contexts of the stakeholders (users) to drive design decisions. During a group session you might discover that people use a system to routinely review other’s work to determine how they might do their work. Recently I experienced this myself. I was asked to provide a program outline for a new client using their outline requirements. I needed to see someone else’s work and outline to deliver what they needed. Unfortunately the client did not make it easy since the information was not readily available. During a focus group the issue was raised and we were able to address an improvement we could make. A new function within the system was created from the input of the users.

Final Thoughts

Design and decision making are entangled. You literally can’t have one without the other. I do believe there are different levels of design and the way that items get integrated into the fabric of an organization. I have stopped counting the number of bottom-up projects that I have been involved in where a user created something for their use and over a course of a decade it ended up on the strategic or tactical agenda of the organization. I do think there is a better way to design and make decisions but I also know that people and culture are a big part of the system, the process. Finding standards that work in your team and your organization goes a long way to helping you solve business problems and coming up with great design solutions. If you can identify the design approach that is being taken by an individual, team or organization maybe you can help slide the organization along the continuum of creating better designs and decisions.

Good luck.

Remember; do you best, invest in the success of others and make your journey count, Richard

Strategy Spotlight: 9 ‘E’ Words for the Business Analysis and Professional Development from a CEO

Written by Richard Lannon on . Posted in Articles. 1 Comment on Strategy Spotlight: 9 ‘E’ Words for the Business Analysis and Professional Development from a CEO

Today’s article is brought to you by the letter E.

When traveling on business or I make it a point to meet with business leaders and get their thoughts on a topic. I was in eastern Canada and had the opportunity to have dinner with the CEO of Junior Achievement in Newfoundland and Labrador. This particular CEO is very supportive of Business Analysis, strategic planning and professional development. She recognized the importance of investing in the success of people and the economic environment.

During our conversation I mentioned that I was thinking about writing an article on the “E” words of Business Analysis and professional development. So I asked, “If you could only use ‘E’ words to determine the needs of your organization and the expected outcomes, what words would you use?”

Here this CEO’s response to my question:

  1. Exploration: You need to investigate and analyze your findings to determine what the needs of the organization, especially when you are considering any of solution kind of change. There are areas where Business Analysis should be used to determine decision impacts, especially where people and culture are important.
  2. Expedient: The ability to plan and propose a desired objective and outcome is an important part of the process. It means that your need to ensure that it is appropriate under the present and potential circumstances. Knowing what you want to achieve, the outcomes needed to be successful is what it is all about, a means to an end, if you wish.
  3. Engagement: We all hear this word a lot. In creating change and transition or providing education (another E word) it is a matter of getting people involved. The most successful programs begin before they start. In Business Analysis that means knowing your pre-program and have people participate. Connect people early and you have a chance at greater success. This is part of the whole engagement process that often gets missed.
  4. Educate: This is a word we must include here. It is at the heart of many things we all do. That holds true whether it is to educate ourselves or others. It is a matter of providing training for professionals and leaders to build business brainpower so everyone succeeds. A good Business Analyst learns, understands and uses the principles of adult learning in their work. They do so to positively impact change and achieve outcomes.
  5. Enthusiasm: Lively interest or passion in a topic is contagious. If you have ever been around someone who is enthusiastic in their work you feel it. It rubs off on you. So make yourself contagious in a good way. People will notice and become more engaged.
  6. Experience: People like to feel something when they are engaging with you whether it is through one on one contact, in a meeting, or a group workshop. For example, in requirement gathering workshops don’t be afraid to get people into experiential requirements generation, especially diverse groups. There are many tactics that will allow you to do this.
  7. Experiment: This covers a lot of territory from formal testing to creative thinking. As a Business Analyst, it is important that you try new things and new methods to get people engaged from the beginning to the end. This even applies to testing for quality or for reviewing implementation success. It should be all right to experiment a bit with solutions within certain parameters and guidelines. In change events where training is involved getting people to creatively test a new procedure or system makes a big difference. So find ways to experiment for better solutions.
  8. Entertainment: This one comes from the entertaining model of learning. This is one of those items considered debatable. When you are working with people in a workshop or training session do you provide entertainment. It is important for people to have fun when working through their plans, generating requirements, learning something new or making a change. I have occasionally met someone who said that there’s too much fun during a session and never understood that comment. Often engagement, enthusiasm and entertainment go together. It is fine art of being practical while providing an experience to generate solutions and results.
  9. Excellence: Where would we be without this word in the mix? It is the fact of creating something of quality that can be articulated or measured. It is like Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure brought to you in a performance package, service excellence. Every business leader or team wants excellence as part of the mix. It is the outcome of creating a fact or state where excelling in superiority is required. In Business Analysis it’s a must to strive for excellence. It is just part of providing solutions to business problems or finding opportunities. But it is also part of developing the people around you when you step into facilitation, training and development and transition programming.

A Final Thought:

This article came from the input of a CEO who is out in the world working with business leaders and professionals to build a successful economy. When asked the CEO provided you incredible expectation insight. In this case, we had a discussion of words and how they apply to business, Business Analysis, and training & development. Any good professional and leadership team knows that investing in people pays dividends when it comes to improving the organization. The next time you are involved in an initiative pull out an E word and use it. You never know.

Do Your Best, Invest in the Success of Others, and Make Your Journey Count.

Richard