Values Driven Career Planning. Ryland Leyton.

Transcription

1 Values Driven Career Planning Ryland Leyton

2 About Ryland Ryland Leyton, CBAP, PMP, is a business analyst, speaker, educator, Agile coach, and technology translator. He has worked in the technology sector since 1998, starting off with database and web programming, gradually moving through project management and finding his passion in the BA field. Ryland is passionate about strong analysis practice and prefers Agile environments where possible. He has built both Agile and waterfall SDLC processes for development teams, customizing each one to the challenges facing that particular client group. Ryland is an active member of the Atlanta Chapter of the IIBA, speaks at local and national conferences, and serves as an Agile coach and educator. His early experiences as a developer have been advantageous when serving as the bridge between business and technology groups. He is well positioned to understand the needs of disparate teams all striving to ensure business success from their own point of view. Ryland s book, The Agile Business Analyst has received excellent critical reviews. Recently, Ryland has extended his hobby of improv comedy to create distinctive learning experiences for teambuilding, Agile, and BA professional development. Ryland is employed in Atlanta by Slalom Consulting. ( 2

3 A Local Partner with Global Scale Slalom Consulting 2015 A business and technology consulting firm with more than 3,400 consultants across 17 offices in North America and London. 3

4 Our Offerings We design, build, and implement strategies and systems to help our clients solve their most critical business challenges.

5 Goals for today To take a few moments and consider what we will be doing in 2016 to advance our careers and build our skills. Build a connection between your: Personal values Career goals Self-assessed skills Action plan for this year.

6 Context of career in our life Our career, like any large topic, touches many parts of our lives. Career It s worth spending the energy to develop career management skills. Health Family Sometimes you have to choose which thing to focus on. Spirit Friends & Hobbies

7 Why think about values? 7

8 ONE: Identifying your values

9 Exercise: What are your values? Pick four to six items that are meaningfully important to you. If you don t see what you re looking for, write it in. These are values as examined through the lens of the workplace. 5 minutes to think about this

10 How would I know these are your values? What practices & actions do you take because of your values? Is anyone willing to share an example?

11 TWO: Identifying your goals

12 The profession of business analysis What kind of BA do you want to be? Business focused Technology focused Business rules analyst Agile specialist Or something else that is uniquely yours! Where do you see your career going? Where do you want it to go?

13 For your consideration: The environment and world of work DOMAIN Professional trends Organizational trends Industry trends Economic trends FOOD FOR THOUGHT & EXAMPLES What tools, skills, experiences are becoming standard/desired/exceptional in my profession? How is my profession changing? Who are leaders in my profession? What are they doing? How is your organization changing over the next 1-2 years? What opportunities & challenges does this present you with? What do these trends mean for you? What industry are you in? could you be in? what industry do you want to be in? How is your industry changing? What do the directions mean for you? Is the economy speeding up or slowing down? How does this impact your industry? What opportunities is this creating, or closing for you? QUESTION: What do these trends mean you ll need to grow & nurture your career?

14 Conceptualizing high-level career goals Goals can relate to obvious things INCOME JOB TITLE STATUS, PRESTIGE Goals can relate to not as obvious things LIFESTYLE Travel, job stress, stability SPECIFIC SECTOR WORK Banking, constr., gov t CONNECTION TO VALUES Working with nonprofit or socially-oriented group

15 Something to think about Conceptualizing your goals strictly from the things I ve labeled obvious may constrain your possibilities. I want to become a bank president! Conceptualizing your goals from the less obvious things may provide more options than you think. I want to have work I enjoy every day, with people I think are great, which is financially rewarding. versus On Monday I get to go to work I love to do!

16 Pyramid concept Employable as highly paid BR consultant 5-10 years Competent to teach Business Rules and Fact Modeling Serve formally as a mentor or coach B2T Certification Complete Second B2T course 3-5 Years Next year Improve my attitude Find specific jobs I d like to work towards having Complete first B2T course Attend IIBA meetings This year Fact Modeling Skills Business Rule Skills Teach Workshops

17 Pyramid concept Are your long and short term goals aligned? What needs are most pressing? What is most important? What is most achievable and immediate? What fits your mid-to-long-term goals the best? Are there any opportunities you have now that may disappear?

18 Exercise: Filling in our goals Fill in a items in the pyramid, at whatever level you are able to do so. Try to tie things together, but don t obsess about it. This is a tool, not a contract.

19 THREE: Making your action plan

20 Business Analyst Self Assessment from B2T Use this to perform a for-real and only-for-you assessment of your skills. What are you good at, and not so good at? Use the self-assessment form to consider your identified strengths & weaknesses. STRENGTHS How will you show these are strengths? If talking to a new employer what can you say about these things? Are your strengths aligned with your overall goals? Can you use your strengths as differentiators? WEAKNESSES What would help you eliminate this drawback? How would you show a prospective employer that this area is not a problem for you? Are your weaknesses holding you back from anything in your overall goals?

21 Now, about where you work today Consider your current workplace in the context of your own goals & values. Pursue goals that align with the company s goals You ll get more out of your goals & accomplishments You ll be more interested in your work Your company will see you more positively If there is nothing in your workplace that aligns with your own interests. why are you there?

22 Exercise: Skill Self Assessment Identify your strengths and weaknesses from your B2T assessment. Connect these to your Goals. Brainstorm a tactical action you can take. These can become SMART goals in your PMP & IDP, but they don t have to meet that standard yet.

23 One final thought about exploration and discovery Go look online for jobs you d like to have. Do you meet the requirements for the job? Are you OK with the salaries that are offered? Interview people who occupy those kinds of positions. Does it match their expectations? What do they like/hate about the position? How did they get the job? What does their day look like? Interview people who hire for those kinds of positions. What do they look for in an applicant? Can you get a copy of an anonymized resume for a successful hire in the past? How does your resume compare with theirs? What accomplishments and skills do you need to be successfully hired for this kind of position? (Think Gap Analysis.)

24 Brief review of today Values Identified what is important to you in your workplace Goals Considered industry, business and economic trends & impacts Identified near term, mid term, and long-term [X] goals Assessment Looked over the B2T Business Analysis Self Assessment Considered our strengths and weaknesses Action plan Identified steps you can take in the near future This session was fast! Go through this again at home. Remember to go through the B2T Assessment!

25 Bibliography & Additional Resources Get Hired, by Paul C. Green, Ph.D. Zen And The Art Of Making A Living, by Laurence G. Boldt What Color Is Your Parachute? by Richard Nelson Bolles

26 Hey what was that about your book? The Agile Business Analyst: Moving from Waterfall to Agile Sold on Amazon.com, or direct from me. Signed copies available today at the conference. Order 5 (or more) copies directly from me and I ll do a 2-hour Q&A session with your team. In person if you re in or near Atlanta. Contact me a RylandTheBA@Gmail.com or RylandL@Slalom.com