Joseph Kucic

A great business analyst learns the business and integrates themselves into what can be done to improve the business. Only when you operate with this mindset can to achieve the best results. Don’t just do your job. You need to examine every inch of the business and when appropriate offer recommendations even if not within your current scope. Sometimes the best solutions come from thinking outside of the box. If you have been given licensed to work in an area then you need to absorb everything that you can learn whether or not you can immediately applied that information. Great analysts know as much or more than the leaders and managers of the business. Develop these technical skills now so that as you grow this becomes automatic.

When you engage any vendor on a product development effort it’s best to tie product performance (features and timelines) to vendor payments. No payment should be made without a corresponding milestone being met in the contract that provides you the right of acceptance. Also ensure that the work is being done for hire and all rights to the product is assigned to your company. In addition, ensure that the vendor will not be allowed to made any similar product for themselves or their other customers. Include in the contract performance penalty clauses and right to terminate for any reason. Reserve the right to inspect all work on-site at any time. Also include requirements to limit where the work can be done and by who (W-2 employees).

Communications on a construction site is about safety. If you don’t have coordinated communications on who is doing what at all times then someone is going to get hurt or killed on the job site. This needs to be fixed immediately. Call a meeting with all trades, engineers, superintendents, subcontractors and get it straighten out. You should have a RACI chart. It is an absolute requirement to keep communications about activities and requirement changes up-to-date and communicated daily at the GC/CM meeting and the various Superintendent meetings. Second, failure to communicate can lead to extra costs and/or rework. All requirement changes need to be acknowledged in writing by all parties (including non-impacted groups).

Wait, are you part of vendor management? Then it is also your failure but just the vendors. Why did you let it happen? What could you have done differently? What will you do different going forward. This inward reflection is critical to preparing yourself for the meeting with the vendor. If I want the vendor to improve then I need to be open and communicate about myself first. Then, ask whatever could I have done differently Only after these items are covered can we have a honest and deep conversation with the vendor to address what can be done differently. Start by asking for their own assessment and recommendations. You may be surprised by the feedback and answers. Agree how you both will mutually help each other.

I am 100% supportive of giving junior staff sketch goals, but it is super essential for them to present to the client/customer directly. Presenting internally is nice (kiddie gloves) but lacks the true development nature with honest feedback. In addition, having them present to a critical audience will boost their own self-belief in themselves (riding a bike without training wheels for the first time). After they have followed you 20 times, give them one challenge for the next week. Keep doubling it each week. They will make a mistake, which is more important than getting a ride. Teaching how to deal with failure is also vital to helping someone grow.

If you want to develop great talent, you must be very committed. Regular check-ins are wrong. The word junior means that you need constant interaction/feedback (i.e., at least once a day) with the junior business analyst. Developing people is a touchy sport and requires extensive time and patience. If you don't have the time and are not interested in developing new talent, please do yourself a favor and not hire a junior. Perhaps you need to be an individual contributor rather than a leader. Leadership is problematic not because it requires talent in an area but rather because it requires a willingness to understand others and find ways to make them excited and enjoy the development experience.