The Business Analyst as an unconventional leader

Early in her career, a senior manager left Nojood Classen with an important word: to be able to lead others, you need to lead yourself. Through mentorship programmes, project leadership and life itself, she has continued to arrive at new realisations about leadership, with and without the title.

This session seeks to empower attendees to see the leader within themselves and carry that with them into any room.

Key Takeaways

• Seeing yourself as the first follower helps reveal what kind of leader you are.
• Diversity is reality, and acknowledging this sets the stage for great leadership.
• Psychological safety is a requirement for effective leadership.
• Expecting people to be the best versions of themselves, not a cookie-cutter version of a role, unlocks better outcomes.
• Recognising weaknesses can be a catalyst for growth and connection.

About the Speaker

Nojood Classen is a Senior Business Analyst at Entelect with experience across multiple industries, bringing a blend of business insight, analytical thinking and technical curiosity to every project. She has a strong interest in both the technical and interpersonal skills that drive successful outcomes, regardless of the domain.

Beyond her professional experience, Nojood’s work as a volunteer end-of-life doula and her qualification as an ADHD coach have strengthened her ability to navigate complexity, communicate with empathy and engage effectively with different stakeholders, allowing her to approach projects with both strategic thinking and a deep understanding of the people behind the work.