SWOTs up?

Consultants are well known for their love of 4 box models.

One of them is the trusty SWOT we use to explore the characteristics of a product, place, industry or even a person, in terms of what is going on internally (strengths and weaknesses) and what is going on externally (what is viewed as opportunities or threats).

Upping the ante, is this version.   

Although it has no snappy acronym, its power is in the words it uses to stimulate different emotions and thinking.  It feels more engaging, inquiring and courageous. It uses 4 simple stirring questions...

• What are we most passionate about?
• What do we most struggle with?
• What are we curious about?
• What are our fears?

As a group I worked with in Dubai last week discovered, they are not easy questions. But by posing them, little by little a team can open up, reveal their vulnerability and transform how they communicate.  The value is when we don’t confine ourselves to the boxes – but explore all 4 questions from both internal and external perspectives. 

Using the tool will not only stimulate content to feed into your strategy discussions but will serve to enhance your team’s connectivity and understanding.  

It’s a win-win.

Sources: adopted from Nilsson, W  and Paddock T (2014) Social Innovation from the Inside Ou thttp://www.ssireview.org/articles/entry/social_innovation_from_the_inside_out