SOMEONE RECENTLY POSTED A QUESTION to the BA community at large to the effect of identifying 'universal skill-set' for a Business Analyst. A variety of responses were received in the public forum, some of which (including mine) were chosen under the 'good answer' category. At the outset, the field of business analysis is far too wide, spread-out and pan-industry to have a single set-of-skills. However, in terms of 'universal' skill-set for analysis in business, a certain personality traits could contribute to the arsenal of an effective Business Analyst. A Business Analyst is a management consultant in the making, and IMHO, basically you need a balanced personality between the ears and having: common-sense ability of seeing the Big (macro) picture in smaller (micro) details neutrality of judgement (having the effect of 'being' external) poly-point-of-views, with negotiation skills stakeholder management with the ability to provide (respective) 'view