Taking My Knowledge to New Levels
Attending conferences, whether in person or virtually, are an important part of our ongoing career development. There is something special that happens when we attend an industry conference that leaves us feeling energized, motivated, inspired, driven, and engaged. Attending sessions led by industry experts and innovators helps us stay on top of the latest trends, hearing what others are doing in their organization or field can be inspirational and keeps us continuously learning.
Have you ever had a really exciting day at work? A proud or even a frustrating moment that you wanted (or needed) to share with someone outside of your organization? Think of the most exhilarating project you have been on and you wanted to share something special which occurred. You get home and try to explain it to your family, however, they have no idea what you are talking about.
There is something special about the way we think and process information that not everyone understands, or rather appreciates the same way a fellow business analysis professional does.
Attending this year’s virtual BBC Practitioner Chats and networking are great virtual ways to share ideas with peers outside of our organizations. Over the past several years, first attending as a participant and IIBA Member and later as a speaker and IIBA global employee I have been able to experience BBC from two different perspectives. My passion for business analysis and IIBA Chapters culminated for me into my dream job of working for IIBA with Chapter Leaders! My point is that these events are great for learning, networking, and building friendships. I’ve included some of my favorite photos from previous BBC conferences where I had the good fortune to connect with some amazing individuals and felt energized enough to take my experience to new heights by going skydiving the last time BBC was in Las Vegas!
During these strange and unique COVID-19 times we have to adapt and as business professionals, we’ve done this and we continue to share our leadership in helping our communities prepare for re-opening and adjusting to changing market demands and obstacles to overcome, but again as BAs, we’ve got this! This is our year; we are change agents and our world is changing at an extremely quick pace; more than ever it is our moment to shine and share the benefits of analytical thinking. These are just some of the reasons why I am excited about attending BBC 2020. Naturally, as it is virtual – it is going to be different. I am going to miss bumping into people between sessions, however, I am looking forward to the new experience. I am also excited that the sessions are being recording and provided to us – no need to make the big decision of which session we will attend; we can simply watch any sessions we miss later.
In 2015 a group of us (international, first-timers) met on the BBC app prior to the event, by the time we got to the conference we felt like we had been friends for years. Five years later, we are still friends, visit each other on vacation, and often bounce work ideas off each other.
This year I challenge you to join me at BBC2020 Disrupted and connect with colleagues from other organizations and Chapters to broaden your experience. I also challenge you to test your knowledge at IIBA’s virtual Trivia Bowl reception on Thursday, October 21st at 5:40 pm (PST) where you can win great prizes. We also have a great signature drink for you to try – choose from our cocktail or mocktail recipe listed above.
Most importantly, take advantage of this opportunity to grow and elevate yourself, as we elevate our profession.
While anticipation is growing for Building Business Capability, Livestreamed on October 19-23, 2020, if you already bought your BBC Passport, you can start using the conference app to check out the agenda, plan your days, start networking with peers, exhibitors, sponsors, and speakers and much more!
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About the Author:
Developing relationships, discovering solutions, and driving value are Danelkis' main motivators.
Danelkis has 20 years of experience in a variety of industries from non-profits to FinTech and within the Travel/Hospitality sector. She is a Certified Business Analysis Professional (CBAP) with a Bachelor’s Degree in Hospitality Management concentrating on Event Management. She was first introduced to agile in 2007 when she obtained her Scrum certification and has since practiced a variety of agile ‘flavors’.
She has a passion for business analysis and will purposely ask many questions to gain an in-depth understanding of the 'why' behind decisions, and then shares that knowledge with others. She believes that understanding the origin of thoughts and creating transparency leads to stronger relationships and successful outcomes.
Danelkis enjoys volunteering as a means of giving back to her community and has coordinated a variety of mentoring programs. She started as a member and volunteer at International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA) and in early 2018 she joined as the Chapter Operations Manager, Chapters and Membership Engagement.
When she is not working, Danelkis seeks adventures from Scuba Diving to Sky Diving and anything in between.