Have you ever done a SWOT analysis on YOURSELF?
Typically, SWOTS—strengths, weaknesses (internal), opportunities, threats (external)—are done for business efforts, if a company does them. Yet, they can also be used to provide powerful personal insights.
By creating a Self-SWOT analysis, you can identify the most critical factors you need to achieve your desired success.
- Think about all your Strengths. Maybe you are really good at motivating your team. Possibly, you are a numbers person and can see untapped opportunities to maximize revenue. Or a passionate teacher?
How are you using your strengths? Are they being maxed out?
- Now look at your Weaknesses. Improvement areas. Areas you need to grow … and/or places where you should consider delegating. Do you tend to procrastinate? Are you letting the stress of hitting your goals get the best of you? Do you have a hard time saying no so you spread yourself too thin?
How are your weaknesses sabotaging your potential? How can you minimize them?
- On to Opportunity areas. These are skills, tools, knowledge, connections, whatever or whoever can help you get to your goals. Is an area of opportunity leveraging your network? Or planning out your day more efficiently? Are you spending too much time outside of your zone of genius and feeling burned out?
What can you do to catapult areas of opportunity?
- Now the scary one … Threats. What do they look like to you? These are things that can derail you from success. Things where what you control is your response to them, whether taking actions in anticipation (ex: pipeline of recruits) or actions post-occurrence (ex: pausing before responding).
What is the biggest external threat/danger standing in your way of success? What actions might you take to minimize the threat?
Once you’ve completed your deep dive, evaluate it. Look at your strengths and opportunities to chart out a course of action. Being aware of your weaknesses and threats provides you with insights to expose areas to shore up or avoid.
Take advantage of a self-SWOT analysis and jump-start your momentum going into the new year.
For an engaging sales meeting, print this out and share it with your team. Give them a few minutes to start their own personal SWOT and follow up on it in 1:1s.