The Process Improvement Mistakes That Analysts Make
From Business Analysis Live! by International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA)
April 14, 2026 · 47 min · Season 5 · Episode 7
About this episode
The episode discusses common process improvement mistakes made by business analysts and the underlying reasons for resistance to change within organizations.
Process improvement sounds straightforward—until resistance, culture, and people dynamics derail your best intentions. In this episode, I’m joined by Tawana Gardner and Julia Benford, two seasoned Lean Six Sigma practitioners who have been there, done that when it comes to process improvement. We talk about the most common process improvement mistakes business analysts make—and why they happen. We dig into real-world stories from inside organizations, where change isn’t resisted because people “hate change,” but because of fear, past trauma, unclear ownership, and missed conversations. Together, we talk about what it really takes to improve processes without alienating people: empathy over expertise, influence over authority, and meeting teams where they are—not just following the leader’s orders. If you’ve ever wondered why a process clearly “needs fixing” but no one seems ready to fix it, this conversation is for you.🎙️Episode Highlights• Why resistance to change isn’t what it seems• Common process improvement mistakes analysts make• The hidden impact of organizational culture and past change trauma• Finding (and empowering) real subject matter experts• Lean Six Sigma tools…
People in this episode
Guests: Tawana Gardner, Julia Benford
Topics covered
- process improvement
- business analysis
- Lean Six Sigma
- organizational culture
- change management
- empathy in leadership
Keywords
- process improvement
- business analysts
- Lean Six Sigma
- organizational culture
- change resistance
- empathy
- leadership
- subject matter experts
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: International Institute of Business Analysis
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