I want to tell you about my time as a protégé and all the benefits that I experienced. Have you ever been in a mentoring relationship? As a protégé, you will garner wisdom and knowledge by learning from your mentor’s valuable experience. I hope my experience will encourage you to tryout the IIBA Mentoring Program.

My mentor is a Certified Business Analysis Professional (CBAP). She works for an oil and gas company in downtown Calgary. She is a busy wife and mother. However, she was never too busy to respond to an email or a text or get together for lunch. She was always willing to share her vast experience, provide insight on any tasks and help navigate my current projects.

I felt valued and appreciated her time and wisdom. I felt her caring mannerism with the way she took time to correspond to my queries no matter how often or insignificant they might have been. The well thought out and timely response definitely made me feel important. Although as with any good reationship, I respected her time and the boundaries that we had set up. Our arrangement was to communicate via text and email. I respected the valuable time she was willing to share with me and made every effort to be punctual and be on-time. I never missed a meeting.

As her protégé, I wanted to display a desire and willingness to learn. I was eager to meet goals and overcome challenges. Together, we explored new ideas and any suggestion that she provided. I was always open and willing to receive her feedback. As I pursuid my personal growth and development, I frequently reached out for guidance, new learning opportunities and asked questions

During our relationship, I was able to prepare for one of my more difficult exams, my CBAP. Since obtaining my CBAP certification, I was also able to pass my Project Management Professional certification (PMP). Later, she contacted me once she had heard about my new acreditation. First, she congratulated me, then she asked me about my experince and how difficult the exam was. The protégé was now able to impart some knowledge to the mentor.

Since being invloved in the IIBA Mentoring Program, I have now taken on the role of mentoring others that are striving to become certified business analysis professionals - giving back as I was given. I share the tools and wisdom I was given by my mentor with my apprentices. Although I am mentoring others, I still rely on her wisdom and suggestions to this day.

I hope that you have enjoyed hearing about my valuable experience while being a protégé. I would encourage you to either become a protégé or a mentor. I know how beneficial both sides of the mentoring relationship can be.

Thank you,

Reg Cracknell,
President

Some of the Value Quantified

1. Cost: Usually, private institutions that provide BA coaching in Calgary charge between CAD $4600 to $7725 for a BA certificate, CAD $3000 for a 12-week Business Analysis Program, CAD $5000 for a 24-week Business Analysis Program, CAD $700 for a BA boot camp, etc. While the IIBA-Calgary chapter offers BA coaching free of cost. 

2. Time: IIBA - Calgary mentors are willing to provide mentorship in in-person and online modes and are flexible to accommodate and work according to the protégé's schedule. 

3. Scope: IIBA - Calgary mentor's primary focus is the BA field which makes the mentorship sessions productive. However, mentees are free to ask any professional questions/advice. 

4. Resources: IIBA - Calgary mentors have extensive Canadian BA experience and can provide end-to-end coaching related to the Business Analysis field.

Benefits to IIBA - Calgary Mentees

• Non-tech professionals gain an understanding of the Business Analysis field. 
• An alternative to costly classroom training/coaching. Unlimited hours per month to ask for advice and work with another BA.
• One-on-one free learning experience. Gain from the knowledge and experience of a more experienced member.
• Increase confidence and knowledge of IIBA standards, tools, and ethics.
• Increase confidence and knowledge of the BABOK® Guide competencies.
• Receive practical advice on BA artifacts/deliverables/scenarios.