SWOT Analysis

A very useful tool to be used as a manager or leader is a SWOT Analysis. Many workshops and certifications I have participated in highlight and recommend utilizing a SWOT Analysis as a key ingredient in large and small projects as well as planning for long term strategies such as your vision.

 

Let me share a little with you to get you started (“I Power Seeds“).

 

SWOT stands for:
Strengths,
Weaknesses,
Opportunities, and
Threats

 

A SWOT analysis allows you to examine your organization’s internal and external elements that define successes and challenges. As you use a SWOT analysis, you ask and answer questions to generate meaningful information for each category or element to identify a competitive advantage. The analysis will assist you to move forward and effectively begin to strategically identify key areas of growth in order to create a plan for future development.

 

Frequently Internally-Related
•  Strengths
•  Weakness

 

Frequently Externally-Related
•  Opportunities
•  Threats

Strengths:  characteristics of the business or project that give it an advantage over others


Weaknesses:  characteristics of the business that place the business or project at a disadvantage relative to others

 

Opportunities:  elements in the environment that the business or project could exploit to its competitive advantage


Threats:  elements in the environment that could cause trouble or issues for the business or project

 

The degree to which the internal environment of the company matches with the external environment will be realized by the outcomes of the analysis and ensuring there will be a strategic fit. By analyzing a SWOT, you (and other stakeholders or decision-makers) should consider whether the project or business objective is attainable. If the project or objective is not attainable, then you must select a different project or objective (or revise them) and repeat the SWOT process.

 

One way for you to try a SWOT Analysis yourself can be to identify:
•  3-5 strengths of your organization
•  3-5 weaknesses of your organization
•  3-5 opportunities of your organization
•  3-5 threats of your organization

 

Then create a visual of your SWOT Analysis using a web 2.0 tool or creating one in PowerPoint. Here is an example of one I did to give you an idea. Also notice the relevance of the colors.

 

SWOT Analysis Sample

 

Here is another example from Competitive Futures:

SWOT Analysis Sample

 

Also check out MindTools for additional templates and information.  Here is one of their templates for SWOT:   SWOT-Analysis-Worksheet-MindTools

 

Please comment or offer feedback, they are always encouraged and welcomed.

 

I hope you enjoy this tool and experience the insights it can provide to you and your team, business or organization.

 

 

Leave a Comment

Popular Posts

leadership-lighthouse-bulb

Leadership Thought

This thought was passed along to me to think and consider my efforts with those who resist change or something that I firmly believe in – continual service improvement.  

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Treat A Man As He Could Be

“Treat a man as he is, and he will remain as he is. Treat a man as he could be, and he will become what he should be.” Ralph Waldo

Management Is About Getting Things Done

Management is the art of getting things done through people.Mary Parker Follett   In simple terms, management is about getting things done through other people. Of course we know being

cultivating-culture

How You Made Them Feel

Why did I begin this journey? The main thought I had while completing my ITIL Practitioner Certification, there were so many frameworks, management, and leadership topics and thoughts and I