7 Tips for Success as a New Lead Business Analyst

You have been asked to act as the lead Business Analyst on an important project. Like any new experience, you may have some anxiety or nervousness regarding this new role. 

Here are some tips for success as a new lead Business Analyst from someone who has gone through the experience. Credit goes to Michael Roy for the content of this article.

Understand the Role

• Spend time upfront figuring out the role of the lead Business Analyst in the context of the work effort that you are about to join.
• Do not make assumptions on expectations or the outcome expected. Some experts view the lead Business Analyst as a formal role inheriting many project management-type responsibilities while others view the lead Business Analyst as an informal way of steering people in a common direction. There is no consensus.
• Work with the manager who assigned you to this role (Project Manager or Business Analyst Manager) to understand their expectations, their interpretation of the role. Ask the question “What is your definition of success for this role?”

Set Team Expectations Upfront

• Spend upfront time with assigned Business Analysis resources on the team to reach a common understanding of roles and responsibilities.
• Recognize that Business Analysts have an independent streak and often are used to steering their own ship.
• Avoid describing a responsibility with the words “participate” or “contribute”; such ambiguity invariably leads to future conversations.
• Recognize that team members have different experiences and viewpoints on what tasks and deliverables are necessary to be successful. This is a dialogue, not a monolog.

Communicate Openly and Transparently

• Take guidance from our Agile brethren by communicating openly and transparently. There is no mystery here; good leaders are good communicators.
• Motivate and inspire people through clear communication.
• Build trust through direct and open communication; do not be afraid to share difficult messages. Do not be afraid of the difficult conversation.
• Remember your actions communicate a message; the message that you communicate verbally and the actions you follow should be in accord.

Lead by Example

• Show what you expect by taking the lead by example approach. Taking the role as a lead Business Analyst should not preclude being an active participant in the project. 
• Build trust by sharing your experience in the trenches and how you adjust from the initial gameplan
• Don’t be afraid to ask for help; illustrate that no one has all the answers and that we rely on each other for success
• In Michael’s experience, successful lead Business Analysts are the ones that engage directly and share in the accountability for the deliverables.

 Accept when you are wrong

• Accept that as a lead Business Analyst you will not be perfect. You will not get everything right at first and will make mistakes along the way. Your success on this project is dependent on how you handle mistakes and failures.
• Take ownership of the mistake
• Keep calm; handle failures with grace and humility

Know when to keep Silent

• Avoid the temptation, as a new lead, to micromanage contributors on the team. Know when to keep silent. Setting guidelines by communicating expected outcome is acceptable. Paying excessive attention to how a resource does their job is counterproductive and leads to conflict.
• Do not undermine the authority and credibility of a Business Analyst during elicitation sessions by intervening to steer the outcome into what you expect; use offline time to guide, coach, and mentor resources.
• Remember that individuals will feel dis-empowered and not trusted to complete their work completely when they encounter excessive involvement by their supervisor or leader.
• Knowing when to keep silent and when to intervene is not always straightforward for the new lead Business Analyst. If in doubt, reflect on your need for control weighing it against the need to develop and grow the team.

Apply Servant Leadership

• View your role on the project from the lens of a servant leader. Put your team first and yourself second.
• Listen first and practice empathy. Acknowledge the perspectives of other before asserting your viewpoint
• Understand the obstacles faced by the Business Analysts when facing their deadlines.
• Distinguish between obstacles they can solve on their own and the ones that need assistance; provide the support needed by removing those obstacles
• Use persuasion and influence to set direction; resist dictating a process
• Applying servant leadership is more than knowing when the keep silent and avoiding micromanagement. It means being vocal and active while serving the needs of the team.