BA Rocks!

We have all worked in project teams with vastly different stakeholders. This is challenging as we all think, act, make decisions, listen and want information differently. We therefore need to understand how our stakeholders want to communicate in order to ensure our requirements analysis is effective. This means that as BAs we need to recognise the different styles of behaviour and adapt our style to the audience we are communicating with.

There are many behavioural styles models and most stem from a sales focus to help salespeople better understand customer needs. Most of these types of behavioural models are very generalised and try to explain a very complex thing (behaviour) in an easily digestible form .

I have been using Ron Willingham’s Integrity Selling Behaviour Style Model recently as it is an easy way for me to remember to adjust my style to suit my stakeholder and by knowing my own style or behavioural preference, i can make sure that i compliment rather than clash with my audience or team members.

Like all of these types of models are very generalised and try to explain a very complex thing (behaviour) in an easily digestible form. Essentially this behavioural style model looks at a person’s orientation towards process vs results and their need for recognition vs need for security. This divides behaviour into four main styles:

• Talker - outgoing, friendly and easy to approach. They are process orientated and need recognition therefore may find making decisions difficult as they don’t want to disappoint anyone.
• Doer - people who get it done, are action orientated and decisive. They are often pressed for time and make quick decision once they have a grasp of the key facts as they are achievement orientated.
• Supporter - easygoing, steady and dependable. They are often slow to make decisions as they are detailed minded and want predictability and security. They are risk adverse
• Controller - Very logical and may appear reserved. They crave facts and information and are very analytical and organised. They will make decisions only after careful consideration as need to get it right is more important than the need to be quick.

Many of my stakeholders have a very different style to me.  I am a “Doer” and a “Controller” so I can be very analytical and results focused so I need to be mindful of bring people along with me rather than trying to push to hard as this is not going to work with my largely “Supporter” risk adverse audience.

It is important to know your own style and use the strengths of this style to communicate to your audience and adapt your style to the different stakeholders you will encounter on a project. When I am working with other Doers, it is great, however it is important to have a mix on a project team so diversity ensures we don’t end up with “group think“. There is no particular style that is better than the other nor one that as BAs we need to adopt in order to be successful. The style to adopt will be contextual and situational so be flexible and think about your audience so that your communication will be effective.