As Business Analysts we take a broad, holistic and objective view of business situations.  Or rather, we like to think that we do, but have we been kidding ourselves all of this time?  Are we really ‘objective’, or is there a danger that we are just as insular and silo’d as those business stakeholders that we criticise so intensely?   Is it possible that we resist change just as much as those poor front-line workers whose processes we change and whose IT systems we overhaul?

You may have heard of the SARAH curve (Shock, Anger, Rejection, Acceptance, Hope) but have you ever thought that YOU go through it too?

In this informal and interactive session, David Beckham puts a mirror up to the BA profession and reflects on his own career (and life!).  He’ll explore how growing isn’t just about assimilating new knowledge, capabilities and attitudes.  It’s also about letting things go.   He’ll discuss how sometimes it’s necessary to let go of:

– Expertise
– Specialism
– Alliances
– The need to be right
– The need to be liked by everyone

David will give practical tips and tricks for ‘letting go’ and dealing with change in our BA careers.  There will be live Q&A throughout the session, so please come prepared with your own questions.

About the Speaker
David Beckham has spent his career working in Financial Services, initially at Norwich Union then subsequently with Aviva. His career began in policy administration then moved into IT and he has been a Business Analyst in different guises since 1995. A founding member of the Business Analysis Practice he later had two terms as the Practice Lead. He worked on numerous large change programmes and was heavily involved in building the capability of Business Analysis within the organisation over the last decade. He has regularly presented at the European BA Conference and has had several articles published on Business Analysis topics. Despite being diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease in 2010 at the age of 43 David continues to be a passionate advocate of the profession and the benefits it gives to organisations everywhere. Since 2015 David has regularly spoken on the positive power of change both on a professional and personal basis. David left Aviva in 2019 after 33 years to start his own consultancy.