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In 2022 – What’s your professional mantra going to be?
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I have been accused of being passionate about business analysis. That is a fair assessment. I love what we do as Business Analysis professionals and what organizations are able to accomplish with our skillsets. That being the case, I get very “geeked” when I am able to immerse myself in conversation with those who share my passion. I was recently asked to participate as a panelist for The Global State of Business Analysis: A Year in Review webinar. I shared in a rich conversation with Filip Hendrickx from the IIBA Brussels Chapter (2021 Chapter winner for Community Outreach & Engagement), Yasser Talat from the IIBA Egypt Chapter (2021 Volunteer of the Year for the Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific, and India region), our moderator Susan Moore, IIBA’s Community Engagement Manager, and Moriah Vice, from IIBA’s Marketing team. We shared our global reflections on what we see as new and changing in the business analysis profession both as a result of the pandemic as well as career evolution. If you weren’t able to attend, I strongly encourage you to take a bit to listen to this fun, dynamic conversation.
For me, this was the perfect way to close out my year and welcome a new one. I was able to reflect on the business analysis profession itself – at a more macro level, outside my day-to-day activities as a practitioner. What has changed in our practice since the pandemic started? For my organization? For my Chapter? For my network at large? I was able to appreciate all that we, as a community, had accomplished; and I was equally energized by what lies ahead. (We’ll discuss that in future blog posts.)
The most inspiring part of the conversation came at the very end, when Susan asked everyone for words of advice going into the new year.
- Make a dent! (Filip)
- Have confidence! (Koryn)
- Just do it! (Yasser)
One could argue that these are simple aphorisms; others might parlay them into New Year’s resolutions (if you make them). For me, they are a collective reminder that I need to have the self-confidence (even selfishness) to follow/push my professional goals. What do I want to accomplish professionally this year? What do I need in order to be successful? What training? What networking? What leadership? What support?
Now, what are your professional goals – even mantras – for this year? What can people in our community (Chapter and Global) do to help? Given the evolving economic and distributed work incentives, this really is the year to make things happen. What “dents’ are you going to make?
If you need a first step, join me in mine. The IIBA Brussels Chapter regularly hosts a BA Café on Fridays. This is a freeform virtual meeting – no agenda, no registration – just an enthusiastic group of Business Analysts. This is on my to-do list to attend in January. Join me! Visit the IIBA Brussels Chapter website for details.
In addition, for more on the topic of change and evolution, visit the Events section of the IIBA website to register for the IIBA DC Metro Chapter’s January meeting (Sense and Response – Business Analysis in a Decade of Change). You’ll get further reflections from different panelists on the change they have witnessed as well.
Finally, as always, my reflections are triggered by a single conversation, followed by weeks of “marination.” Many thanks to Filip, Yasser, Susan, and Moriah for their insights and wonderful conversation!
Be Bold features members, volunteers, and Chapters who are taking bold action. If you have a story to tell or a recommendation for future inclusion, please feel free to reach out to communications.director@gcc.iiba.org.
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About the Author:
Koryn Anderson enjoyed a couple of careers before finding her ultimate one. She has been a business analyst for more than 10 years and is currently a Lead Business Analyst at Baird. She is passionate about the BA discipline, has her CBAP® certification, is Past President of the Southeast Wisconsin Chapter, and is the current Communications Director for the Global Chapter Council.