SWOT Analysis may very well be the solution to your problems of feeling lost, unproductive, worried about the future, and the general struggle that inevitably arises on the road to personal development. It is quick to carry out, reliable in terms of changing your perspective, and effective in getting you the results that you desire.
11 comments:
This isn't a bad idea. It's not especially novel; it's an old tool, and even that tool isn't particularly distinct from other, similar tools. That being said, lots of people are struggling with a sense of helplessness and lack of direction as everything remains shut down fromt the pandemic, and this is one of many tools that might help with those feelings. The author correctly identifies that the SWOT style analysis' main benefit is that it lends itself well to actionable plans, which is what feels out of reach for many people right now. Is it going to solve all your problems? No. Might it help you feel a little more in control right now? Sure, probably. If you don't already have some sort of reflection and self-analysis tool in your playbook, this is probably a good time to think about making that habit. This method is as good as any.
SWOT Analysis seems like a very good starting place if you are overwhelmed with the current state of things, or feel like you are paralyzed by indecision. The presentation of the overall article and some of the word choice seems like it is presented too much like a “magic cure all productivity boost,” but I think there is some real truth to be had in the advice, even if it is presented with a rather sensational tone. I think that the apparent flexibility of the method is quite fascinating; it seems like it can be used to analyze at any scale, from personal and minute to company-wide goals. Without having to flex the method/strategy itself a whole lot, it can be applied to a wide range of situations and issues that arise, and after that I think the challenge comes in from having to actually draw useful conclusions from the analysis and then put them into action.
I think that this is a very interesting way for anyone to get to know themselves better and work to improve their skills as a professional and a person. The four categories: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats, is a very good way to organize questions that we routinely ask ourselves without even thinking about it. It is a very easy, quick way to "zoom out" on what is immediately facing you moment to moment. I also like the way that this provides a concrete set of goals which then can evolve into a plan of action whether that be working on some of the things you marked in the weakness collum, or jumping on an opportunity that you have been waiting for the right moment to take advantage of. This is also a really great way to work to be more self-aware and recognize patterns and habits that you have, want to break or want to develop further.
I first heard of a SWOT analysis in my Global Business class last year, in which I had to do one on a business plan for a group project. It was tedious and time consuming but ultiamately informed us on a better course of action for the hypothetical new business. I didn't consider it in terms of an individual, but considering the fact that many artists are freelancers, it makes total sense. We have to market ourselves. Considering the 'big picture' and how you fit into it could allow you to make some changes that are not necessarily visible if you're just focused on getting through the day. I guess quarantine could also be a good time for this, but I want to be careful to not go overboard with this obsession with productivity in a time of stress and uncertainty. Regardless, doing this analysis could be helpful if you are feeling uninspired in your current career path.
I have never heard of this kind of analysis, but I really like it and will probably be utilizing it in the near future to analyze my adjustment to my current living and working situation. A lot of people really like self analysis, and I am definitely part of that group, so I think it is interesting to introduce the idea of bringing business analysis into our personal lives. When you think about it, keeping yourself functional and happy is somewhat like running a business for all of the reasons that the SWOT analysis tries to summarize. We all have strengths, weaknesses, and individual personal factors that can put us at advantages or disadvantages in any particular situation. Being truthful with yourself and genuinely wanting to grow is important to making sure that you are being your best possible self, and I think that doing this kind of self analysis is important at a time like this to keep track of how you are functioning in this new world environment.
I think one of the hardest things we as people have to do is self assess. It’s difficult and uncomfortable to face things in general especially when it comes to facing your weaknesses and criticizing yourself, even though it really shouldn’t be. Something that I’ve always struggled with was ‘selling myself’ or making myself look good. It always made me uncomfortable to say things that I liked about myself because most of the time there weren't very many things I could proudly say that I like about myself. In job interviews it is an essential skill to have which is why I think SWOT and self assessment is important, no matter how uncomfortable it may feel. If I don’t know how to vouch for myself or if I can’t tell my interviewer why they should hire me or why I;m good for the job, then they won’t believe that I want the opportunity as much as I let off.
The thought of graduating from college and trying to establish my career in a similar economic climate as the climate of 2008 is terrifying. Theatre has always been an industry that thrives in a booming economy because spectators have the money to support artists and culture. Ever since our world has been flipped upside down because of the Coronavirus the future for young adults is an uncertain thought to have. This SWOT analysis may not be the most revolutionary idea I have read, it does allow some peace of mind by evaluating your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. A way of thinking that has helped ease my mind during these times is the fact that everybody is in the same boat. In this situation, nobody has a leg up on another person because the nation is essentially holding all non-essential businesses until control can be established with the virus. Finally, the SWOT analysis can be a little problematic when it comes to the threat category since the job industry I am trying to break into is so competitive in the first place.
This type of analysis seems like a good way to analyze yourself and your situation to determine future courses of action in a somewhat objective way. Certainly the idea of breaking things down into positives, to be nurtured, and negatives, to be dealt with, is helpful in situations that seem overwhelming by separating the entire situation into smaller, completable tasks. I think where they could be less helpful would be in situations that you can’t necessarily do something to change, such as the current pandemic. An obstacle would be along the lines of ‘can’t leave the house or get a job or go to school’ and there’s not necessarily a course of action there other than ‘make the best of it, wait it out, and learn what you can online’, which is what we’re doing already. I do think, though, that in more normal situations taking the time to sit down and analyze how it can be improved is certainly useful.
In my entrepreneurship classes I have learned a lot about how to effectively use a SWOT analysis in business ventures, but I have never fully thought about it as a way to benefit my personal life, productivity, and perspective on life. Whereas making a SWOT analysis for an entrepreneurial venture, you are analyzing all parts of your idea and trying to figure out the best parts (strengths), the worst parts (weaknesses), the parts that you can use as an advantage over your competitors (opportunity), and the parts your competitors can exploit (threats), when you do a SWOT from yourself you are looking introspectively at yourself, your desires, and your productivity is. It allows you to zoom out (as the article says) while also zooming in, as paradoxical as that sounds and can be helpful. I think I am going to try to use the SWOT analysis method in this way and see if it helps spark new motivation for me during this crazy quarantine time.
As an avid fan of the good ol' legal pad and pros and cons list, I really like the idea of a little self-analysis like this. I'm a huge, huge fan of trying to be self-aware and trying to understand the reasons for my feelings, etc., so I am not at all opposed to the idea of utilizing this tool as an assessment for myself. I do think it's interesting that this is a tool traditionally used for business??? I like this kind of innovation. It's always cool when you take a tool meant for one thing and find a way to apply it to another effectively. Anyway, I do think this analysis is especially helpful for right now because my motivation is pretty shot. Being able to assess my strengths and weakness and potential obstacles would be a great way to formally evaluate myself. In my experience, admitting these things out loud or on paper makes a huge difference than simply knowing it in your head.
This type of organizational tool is not exactly revolutionary, but it does seem to effectively break down a task or situation into manageable pieces. So much of the time when I feel overwhelmed or unfulfilled it is because I can not see the forest for the trees. The pandemic really taught me one of the most important things and that is to take care of yourself. Part of this self care is being self reflective and mindful about my situations. I have learned that it is okay to be unhappy with what you are doing as long as you can find fulfillment in other aspects of life which requires a mindfulness approach. I will definitely give this tool a try, it may take some practice to see how it can be applied at both a broad and narrow approach and see which one works better. Overall I really liked this article and how it explained the ins and outs of the technique.
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