How can you develop analytical skills as a senior-level professional?
Analytical skills are the ability to collect, process, and interpret data, solve problems, and make decisions based on evidence and logic. They are essential for senior-level professionals who need to handle complex and strategic challenges, lead teams, and communicate effectively with stakeholders. However, analytical skills are not static or innate; they can be improved and refined with practice and feedback. Here are some tips on how to develop analytical skills as a senior-level professional.
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Asha Kanta SharmaManager - Finance & Accounts @ Opendoors Fintech | Financial Accounting
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Ambrish MishraData-Driven IT-Business Analyst || Aspiring Data Analyst || Prompt Engineer || Power BI ||
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Thom WilliamsReporting/Analytics/Metrics Leader ◆ I Transform “Messy Data” into Actionable Information and Insights
Before you can analyze anything, you need to have a clear and specific understanding of what the problem is, why it matters, and what the desired outcome is. A vague or poorly defined problem can lead to irrelevant or inaccurate data, faulty assumptions, or misguided solutions. To define the problem, you can use tools such as the 5 Whys, the Fishbone Diagram, or the Problem Statement to identify the root cause, the scope, the impact, and the criteria for success.
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To enhance analytical skills at the senior level, attend advanced training and workshops, seek mentorship, take on cross-functional projects, familiarize yourself with advanced analytical tools, stay updated on industry trends, develop strategic data governance, incorporate big data analytics, participate in critical thinking workshops, collaborate with data scientists, participate in decision simulation exercises, conduct benchmarking and competitive analysis, lead analytical initiatives, establish performance evaluation metrics, encourage peer collaboration, maintain a continuous feedback loop, and join advisory boards or professional networks related to analytics.
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Enhancing analytical skills at a senior level involves continuous learning, problem-solving, adept use of data, critical thinking, collaboration with diverse professionals, effective communication, seeking mentorship, and networking. By focusing on these areas, senior professionals can sharpen their analytical abilities, leading to informed decision-making and substantial contributions within their field.
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As a senior-level professional, the development of analytical skills is crucial for effective decision-making, problem-solving, and strategic thinking. Strategies to enhance these skills include combining continuous learning, practical exercises, and a commitment to improvement. Continuous learning: Staying abreast of industry trends and advancements is essential. Attend workshops, and conferences to acquire new knowledge. Commit to lifelong learning and embrace new technologies and best practices to remain relevant in a rapidly evolving professional landscape. 2. Problem-Solving Exercises: Regular engagement in problem-solving exercises sharpens analytical abilities. Tackle real-world challenges within your organization or industry.
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First and most important step is to understand and define the problem, without clearly stating the problem if we start looking for solution. We will end us with irrelevant or inaccurate solution, understanding and defining the root cause is extremely crucial in order to analyze and find the solutions.
Once you have defined the problem, you need to collect relevant and reliable data that can help you understand the situation, test hypotheses, and evaluate alternatives. Data can come from various sources, such as surveys, reports, interviews, observations, or experiments. You need to organize and categorize the data in a way that makes sense for your analysis, such as using tables, charts, graphs, or diagrams. You also need to ensure the data quality and validity, such as by checking for errors, outliers, biases, or inconsistencies.
The next step is to apply analytical methods and techniques to process and interpret the data, such as using statistics, logic, reasoning, or models. You need to look for patterns, trends, relationships, or anomalies in the data that can help you answer questions, generate insights, or support arguments. You also need to be critical and skeptical of the data, such as by questioning the sources, methods, assumptions, or limitations. You should also compare and contrast different perspectives, scenarios, or solutions to find the best fit for your problem.
The final step is to communicate and present your findings and recommendations to your audience, such as your boss, clients, or colleagues. You need to tailor your message and format to suit the purpose, context, and expectations of your audience, such as using reports, presentations, dashboards, or infographics. You need to highlight the key points, evidence, and implications of your analysis, as well as the rationale, benefits, and risks of your proposed solution. You also need to be clear, concise, and persuasive in your communication, as well as open to feedback and questions.
Developing analytical skills is an ongoing process that requires constant learning and improvement. You should seek feedback from others who can offer different perspectives, insights, or suggestions on your analysis, such as mentors, peers, or experts. You should also reflect on your own strengths and weaknesses, as well as the outcomes and impacts of your analysis, such as by using tools such as SWOT analysis, After Action Review, or Lessons Learned. You should also update your knowledge and skills by reading, researching, or taking courses on relevant topics, such as data science, critical thinking, or decision making.
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Se tratando de TI, feedback é altamente necessário. Existem constantes mudanças e devemos acompanha-las. Tive um problema, numa empresa anterior, onde o responsável da TI decidiu limitar o uso de alguns softwares. Acompanhei de perto, vendo que o impacto nos usuários era grande, trazendo muita resistência a ferramenta Opensource e também, a falta de recursos da mesma, em relação a outra, que tinha o licenciamento limitado pela empresa. Consegui reunir os usuários e fizemos uma pequena reunião, vimos a queda de produtividade e o impacto direto. Depois de tudo isso, foi decido a volta do software anterior, porém foram adicionadas mais licenças e isso resolvia o problema, diminuindo o tempo ocioso, que a mudança anterior causou.
The best way to develop analytical skills is to practice and apply them in real-world situations, such as projects, tasks, or challenges that require data analysis, problem solving, or decision making. You should look for opportunities to use your analytical skills in different contexts, domains, or levels, such as by volunteering, taking on new responsibilities, or joining cross-functional teams. You should also challenge yourself to tackle complex and ambiguous problems, as well as to explore different approaches, methods, or tools for your analysis.
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Muitas habilidades, podem ser usadas em times diferentes e durante uma conversa, você pode influenciar outros times a mudança, contribuindo também com o network de carreira. Às vezes, voluntariar-se para aconselhar em outros projetos, poderá trazer conhecimentos preciosos e esses serão usados durante a trajetória. Com o sistema de chamados por exemplo, no caso do TI, você pode ajudar a influenciar outros times de outras áreas, ensinando como registrar e captar demandas ou até mesmo, identificar problemas recorrentes, que acabam sugando recursos ou até mesmo mão de obra. O desafio bem lido, pode lhe presentear com a solução.
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How can you develop analytical skills as a senior-level professional? I would tackle this for all professionals with data literacy. Here is the prevalent definition for data literacy: ability to read, work with, analyze and argue with data. I would add to this definition the outcome: timely and actionable insight that is used by the business. This implies senior leaders must be able to ask the right questions, ensure the organization has the right resources, and delivered insight is applied.
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Eu gostaria de compartilhar um pouco de uma experiência pessoal: Acho muito interessante, o uso de metodologias e armazenar constantemente históricos, para aprendizados futuros. Porém, acredito que soluções possam ser mais simples do que imaginamos. Estamos lidando, a maioria das vezes com o ser humano, temos que aprender a nos comunicar com mais clareza e nos colocar no lugar do outro. Nem toda situação é um cabo de guerra, é interessantes fazermos os 2 lados ganharem e construir uma parceria, gerando benefícios mútuos. Analisar a causa raiz do problema, dar valor e acreditar no seu colaborador, delegar funções e acompanhar o andamento delas. Descentralizar, para evitar que haja um buraco na organização.
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