Introduction:
Business Analyst and CEO are two positions in a business environment. There is a difference in rank in these positions followed by a difference in salaries. The topic suggests a career change or maybe a promotion from business Analyst to CEO as they are closely related.
Career change is opted for by many workers but Business Analyst to CEO is not a career change but it is upgrading your career. Business Analyst and CEO are both different but linked positions. If one wishes to go through this journey, they have to develop skills like leadership, management, collaboration, and teamwork. Business Analyst to CEO is a path that is practically done after having relevant industry experience, education, and certifications. Out of these skills leadership tops because CEO is a leader and official representation of any organization. CEO of Mode Analytics is one such example.
How Business Analysts and CEOs are different?
Before we discuss the depth of the topic it is important to know the terms Business Analyst and CEO.
Business Analyst:
The business Analyst is responsible for maintaining cooperation between the IT structures and business development. They use the study of data analysis to implement their job. They also work with the financial department by providing new ideas leading to higher revenue. Business Analysts are required to have strong communication skills, especially interpersonal communication, problem-solving skills, and organized working. They should also have a fair knowledge of the ongoing technology.
CEO:
CEO, abbreviated as Chief Executive Officer, is the head of any organization who reports the progress of the company to the directors. The task of the CEO merely depends on themselves whether they want to participate in the projects or just guide the employee about it. A CEO shall possess amazing leadership skills because they are supposed to lead any company and all the success or failure will fall into their names. A CEO shall be able to adapt to a friendly environment so that employees will work wholeheartedly.
Factors affecting the journey of business analyst to CEO:
- Experience: All business analysts who wish to expand their careers should have vast experience in the business sector. They should know about the working of various departments and working on different types of projects. Their experience will help them evaluate the responsibilities of a CEO which will serve as a positive point.
- Education and knowledge: Along with their current education, these business analysts should know about technology and IT. They shall enhance their education with new courses and degrees, short degrees usually. They should read about the recent developments in the business world and about their fellow companies so that they can improve their own company’s progress while being the CEO.
- Certification: There are a few recommended certifications that will help advance your career being a business analyst.
- PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PBA)
- IQBBA Certified Foundation Level Business Analyst (CFLBA)
- IIBA Certified Business Analysis Professional (CBAP)
These certifications not only enhance professional skills but also tend to make your profile better than others in your sector.
Skill set requirement:
If we look at the journey of a business analyst to a CEO, they need to master in few skills to be eligible for the position of CEO.
- Hardworking: It is very important to have a strong dedication to achieve something. CEO is a very important and high position, it is important to let others know that you’re dedicated to working and would do anything to get that position. One may have to work a few extra hours without any excuses, they’ll have to serve a lot more time than usual.
- Leadership: For the position of CEO, leadership is that one skill without which it wouldn’t be possible to take up this responsibility. Business consultants do participate in group meetings but they are not leading the conversation most of the time. And here leadership doesn’t only mean giving orders but delivering the orders with customer satisfaction. Hence leadership is the key skill to be learned to get hold of the position of CEO.
- Communication: In any business sector, it is communication that results in the success or failure of any deal. Business Analysts have strong interpersonal communication but for the position of CEO, group communication and sometimes mass communication skills are required. Hence they need to excel in communication probably a different type of communication. CEO has to converse with their employees, have some external communication with other business giants, and address a few events. Hence, business analysts who do have communication skills already, need to upgrade those skills to a higher level.
- Collaboration: As already mentioned CEO is not only supposed to lead but they have to take the whole team together forward. They need to listen to the opinions of every employee and make a mutual decision. Business Analysts do have this role and responsibility as well; all they’ll be needing is to lift their skills to some other situations.
Apart from these the other soft skills that can stand out are presentation skills, listening skills, questioning skills, negotiation skills, conflict-building skills, and innovative thinking skills.
Example of Business Analyst to CEO:
A person named Derek Steer, CEO of Mode Analytics has shared his journey of how he being a business analyst emerged as the CEO of this organization. According to him, the CEOs are initially supposed to figure out ways how to let their product excel in the market and business analysts already have skills like problem-solving and analytical thinking which helps them to carry on with this thing effectively. The sales part was something that he had to learn thoroughly because business analysts don’t come with those techniques. It included listening skills and understanding problems. Apart from this, business analysts enjoy favorable situations as they come across situations where they need to persuade clients and make them understand the situation in which business analysts do have a fair experience. Derek Steer throughout his experience aimed at how feasible it is for somebody from an analyst background to take up the position of CEO.
Conclusion:
The article has briefly covered the aspects of the journey from business analyst to CEO. The difference between a business analyst and CEO is mainly in position, rank, and duties. The skills of business analysts that make this path a little feasible are problem-solving and analytical thinking. These skills are what make this possible to say analyst to CEO. The skills mentioned include communication, hard work, collaboration, and leadership along with education, experience, and certifications. The article also includes the views of a person who had successfully managed to be a CEO as a business analyst.
Frequently Asked Questions:
- Do business analysts and CEOs have the same salaries?
As already mentioned CEO is the top position in any firm hence their salary is the highest out of other employees.
- Is it easy to become CEO for those with having analytics background?
It is not easy. One needs to have experience, education, and a skill set but it is relatively favorable because of analytic thinking and problem-solving skills.
- Is there any particular degree required for being CEO?
The education of any CEO candidate should be relatively high like Master depending on their domain of organization. A business degree is often encouraged.
