Business Analysis and Leadership: Influencing Change / Edition 1

by Penny Pullan, James Archer

Overview

21st century organizations, across all sectors and of all types, have to cope with an international marketplace where change is frequent and customer expectations continue to rise. The work of business analysis professionals is crucial if organizations are to succeed and grow. If change programmes are to be successful, stakeholder engagement and situation analysis are vital, and to achieve this, senior business people need to display competence in a range of areas, not least of which include the ability to challenge, lead and influence.

Business Analysis and Leadership is for anyone involved in business analysis working in any organization worldwide, from financial services to charities, government to manufacturing. It takes the reader beyond standard textbooks full of techniques and tools, advising on how to lead and gain credibility throughout the organization. It will help you with the tricky role of working with people from the shop floor to board directors and give readers the confidence to challenge the easy way forward and point out what will really work in practice.

This inspirational book consists of contributions from leading thinkers and practitioners in business analysis from around the world. Their case studies, practical advice and downloadable appendices will help the reader to develop leadership skills and become an outstanding catalyst for change.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780749468620
Publisher:	Kogan Page, Ltd.
Publication date:	09/24/2013
Pages:	288
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

Penny Pullan is director of Making Projects Work. Her clients include Rolls Royce, UK Government, Skandia, PWC, Novo Nordisk, AstraZeneca, Capital One, National Grid, Open University, CAFOD, Save the Children and Christian Aid, across Europe, the Middle East and Australasia. In addition, she's a Senior Instructor in Business Analysis for ESI, a leading training organization.
James Archer is a practising Business Analyst. He was the UK Business Analyst of the Year in 2009 and he is currently leading work to re-design services and processes across three London boroughs and community health.

Table of Contents

** Chapter - 00: Introduction; * Section - ONE: Leadership of self; ** Chapter - 01: Skills for business analysis [James Archer and Kate Stuart-Cox]; ** Chapter - 02: The courage to ask [John Niland]; ** Chapter - 03: The business analyst as a facilitative leader [James Archer]; ** Chapter - 04: Communication for success [Corrine Thomas]; * Section - TWO: Leadership within your project; ** Chapter - 05: Working with the project manager [Suzanne Robertson]; ** Chapter - 06: Dealing with difficult stakeholders [Michael Brown]; ** Chapter - 07: Facilitating groups and individuals [Penny Pullan]; ** Chapter - 08: Discovering the essence of the problem [James Robertson]; ** Chapter - 09: Dealing with problems [Andy Wilkins]; ** Chapter - 10: Visual thinking for business analysis [Penny Pullan and Vanessa Randle]; ** Chapter - 11: Through the stage door: design thinking to refresh business analysis [Tamsin Fulton]; ** Chapter - 12: Business analysis, leadership and agile [Chris Matts and Kent J McDonald]; ** Chapter - 13: The iterative business analyst – increasing insight, reducing waste, delivering value [Melanie Rose]; ** Chapter - 14: Knowledge sharing and analysis with patterns [Allan Kelly]; ** Chapter - 15: Dealing with uncertainty [Ruth Murray-Webster and Penny Pullan]; * Section - THREE: Leadership within your organization; ** Chapter - 16: Operating effectively as a business analyst inside an organization [Simon Edwards]; ** Chapter - 17: Context, climate and culture [Andy Wilkins and Kate Stuart-Cox]; ** Chapter - 18: Global working and virtual teams [Penny Pullan]; ** Chapter - 19: Systems thinking for business analysts leading change [Emma Langman]; ** Chapter - 20: Dealing with power and politics [Sarah Coleman]; ** Chapter - 21: Partnering across organizations [Adrian Reed]; ** Chapter - 22: Strategic thinking for business analysis [Dav Bisessar]; * Section - FOUR: Leadership in the wider world; ** Chapter - 23: Business analysis is a leadership role [Kevin Brennan]; ** Chapter - 24: Becoming a thought leader [Penny Pullan]; ** Chapter - 25: Ethics and fair process [James Archer]; ** Chapter - 26: Professionalization and best practice [Nick de Voil]

Editorial Reviews

"This book is certainly worth bookmarking in the IIBA Online Library. Each part, chapter or opinion piece can be read on its own without losing context, and this provides a convenient text to access when looking for advice."

Maureen McVey

"This book is certainly worth bookmarking in the IIBA Online Library. Each part, chapter or opinion piece can be read on its own without losing context, and this provides a convenient text to access when looking for advice." Read the full review at IIBA.org

IIBA - Maureen McVey

"I can’t recommend this book highly enough. It should appeal to anyone working in the project/programme space. For business analysts ready for the leadership challenge, it should be considered required reading."

Chartered Institute for IT - Dean Burnell MBCS

“It is vital that business analysts adopt a leadership role and this book will provide a valuable resource to enable them to do so.

co-author of "Business Analysis" and "Business Analysis Techniques" - Debra Paul

"This book draws together a diverse set of sources to help a BA to gain a deeper understanding of what it takes to be a change leader from any perspective."

former President and CEO, International Institute for Business Analysis - Kathleen Barret

"This book draws together a diverse set of sources to help a BA to gain a deeper understanding of what it takes to be a change leader from any perspective."

Kathleen Barret

"It is vital that business analysts adopt a leadership role and this book will provide a valuable resource to enable them to do so."

co-author of "Business Analysis" and "Business Ana Debra Paul

"I can't recommend this book highly enough. It should appeal to anyone working in the project/programme space. For business analysts ready for the leadership challenge, it should be considered required reading."

Chartered Institute for IT Dean Burnell MBCS