SWOT SQUARED: A tool for planning a stellar future

By Matt Lehrman

Social Prosperity Partners

The SWOT analysis is a well-known and highly valuable tool in strategic planning. The acronym reminds leaders to analyze their organization in four ways:

• Strengths — What do we do better than others?
• Weaknesses — What could we improve (or what should we avoid)?
• Opportunities — What ideas deserve to be explored?
• Threats — What might interfere with our plans?

The S and W assess internal factors, O and T external ones. Often visualized as four squares, this simple but effective analysis has been in wide use for decades. In my own strategic planning work, however, I add a second set of “SWOT” questions that complement the familiar four.

• What Is SACRED? — Before we map out a vision for the future, what essential aspects of our organization do we agree must be protected along the way?

• What Would Be WONDERFUL? — What can we accomplish that would make a real difference to our audiences, stakeholders and community?

• What Are We OVER? — What beliefs, practices or projects are we ready to replace?



• Who Should Be on Our TEAM? — Who shares our objectives and values, and how can we connect with those communities and organizations?

The next time someone asks what SWOT stands for, tell them “Sacred, Wonderful, Over, Team.” Who knows? It might be the start of a great collaboration.

Adapted from a column originally published on ArtsJournal.com.