Where Are We Now?

This is Strategic Planning Question #4. Check out our intro video
to the idea of SWOT.

Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats: The SWOT analysis for “Where Are We Now?”

We were working with a driven and passionate entrepreneur on a Strategic Planning Retreat with her team. She is a fast-paced, no-nonsense, high-D personality. Before I had even interviewed her leadership team, she was naming the priorities for the coming year and starting to lay out the plan.

I pushed back gently, “It seems like you already have all the answers. Have you pulled any input from your leaders while building this plan?”

“I am sure they will see it like me,” she replied. She had zero input from the team at that point. Frequently these high-D, fast-paced entrepreneurs aren’t good listeners. I know because I am one. I also knew it was wiser to deflect than to try to engage her head-on.

“You are probably right. If you trust us and the process you hired us to do, why don’t we see what comes out of the SWOT assessment? Are you open to going in a different direction if better/more important ideas come to the surface?”

She said yes. Guess what happened.

Better ideas came to the surface, we built the strategic plan around them, and the team had a banner year.

XM Truth: Business owners, you don’t have a monopoly on the best ideas.

Learn how to ask good questions, encourage healthy debates, and create better solutions with your team. Download a self-directed SWOT assessment and spend an hour or two with your team answering the question, “Where Are We Now?”

You are probably closer to your next breakthrough than you imagine.