The SWOT analysis is one of the easiest and best-known decision-making tools. Leaders and managers employ this method frequently, but it can be used by anyone. Here is an explanation of what a SWOT analysis is, when to use one and how to write a good SWOT analysis. I have also included a worked example.

What is a SWOT Analysis?

SWOT is an acronym that stands for: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats.

The SWOT analysis was developed by researchers at Stanford University, following a study in the 1960s. The study looked at various Fortune 500 companies and found that there was a difference between an organisation’s set strategic priorities and what was actually done. The study also revealed that the problem was not poor employees, but rather a lack of clear objectives. Therefore, SWOT was developed to give staff a clear understanding of a business or project.

Why is SWOT analysis effective?

The SWOT analysis is one of the most important and popular tools for decision making and strategy development. This is because of its:

• Simplicity – it is simple to learn and quick to use
• Clarity – it focusses on the key issues and aids clear communication
• Flexibility – it is applicable to individuals and organisations.

Having a coherent strategy is vital to any organisation, and equally, self-awareness is critical to personal effectiveness. But you need to be able to understand and communicate these things clearly. This is why SWOT analysis is such an important tool.

When should you use SWOT analysis?

The SWOT analysis is best used to:

• Improve situational awareness
• Develop strategy
• Identify and refine actions and goals
• Improve self-awareness (for an individual or team)
• Reflect upon a completed project or activity

The SWOT analysis was designed for organisations but it can equally be used by individuals. The SWOT process identifies crucial internal and external influences within a given situation. Therefore it gives us a snapshot of where we are and is excellent for situational analysis.

SWOT Template

The most common way to present and consider the SWOT approach is as a matrix. Here is an example template:

How do you do a SWOT analysis?

Do you want to know how to do a SWOT analysis? Don’t worry; it’s easy! Just follow these steps.

Step 1: Create a SWOT table:

The SWOT matrix is set out thus:

• Strengths and weaknesses are usually listed in the first row of the matrix; S and then W. These relate to internal factors.
• Opportunities and threats are external issues or circumstances. These create the second row; O and then T.
• In this layout, the first column, strengths and opportunities, signify the positive or helpful factors
• The second column, weaknesses and threats, are the potentially negative or harmful issues

SWOT Analysis Template Layout

Step 2: Brainstorm

Next, brainstorm as many different considerations as you can under each heading.

Here are some questions to help you:

Strengths (internal/personal):

• What are your/your team/organisation’s key skills, areas of experience or expertise?
• Can you define your USP (unique selling point/proposition)?
• What are your core values? What do you love, enjoy or prioritise?

Weaknesses (internal/personal):

• What do you not enjoy doing?
• Where have you failed or fallen behind the competition?
• What skill gaps do you have?

 Threats (external/circumstantial):

• What circumstances are most troubling you?
• Who is your major competition?
• Which challenge is the most important right now?
• What is the worst thing that could happen to you/your organisation?

Opportunities (external/circumstantial):

• How can you leverage your present situation?
• Who/what could most help you right now?
• How is change providing new openings?

Step 3: Prioritise

Now prioritise the lists; work out which are the top three to five things in each quadrant.

Whether you are using it as an individual or as part of a team, keep it simple and high-level; that is the systems greatest strength.

Step 4: Analyse

Look at each item in turn and consider the actions you could take. Here are some questions to help:

• How can you play to or maximise your strengths?
• What personal development goals, people and processes can help address your weaknesses?
• How can you exploit, expand or multiply the opportunities?
• What control measures do you need to put in place to limit the threats?

Now look for further relationships that you can identify across the columns, rows and diagonals.

Remember that weaknesses are often a reflection of strengths. For example, if you have a strength in that you are very good at coming up with lots of ideas, or you are a business with lots of products, a weakness might be that you find it hard to focus on just one of them.

Similarly, look at the flip side of external factors; you may find that threats can also provide opportunities. For example, a competitor could actually be a potential partner.

A failed project is always an opportunity for learning. From your analysis, how could you use that learning and pivot the idea, or re-purpose the team?

SWOT Analysis Example

Here is a short example using personal strengths and weaknesses:

SWOT Analysis Example

First looking at the strengths I recognise that I am quite task-focused. This means I am a good planner and show determination when seeing a project through. Moving across to the right quadrant I have noted a related weakness. Because I am task-focused that means I am quite future-orientated. The downside of this is that sometimes I can forget to be content in the moment or to celebrate the success of achieving something before moving on to the next goal.

Then looking at threats I have noted down that there is increased competition in my industry, with more people entering the market all the time. This threat does lead to an opportunity in the bottom left quadrant. I have the chance to refine my USP (unique selling proposition) in order to stand out from the crowd.

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Example analysis

It is more likely that I would list more items under each heading before continuing, but for the sake of simplicity let’s do a little analysis on what we already have.

How do I maximise my strengths and minimise the impact of my weaknesses? There are a few options I could consider under the ‘3 Ps’:

• Personal development: I could attend some training to improve my mindfulness and being ‘present’
• Person: find or employ someone else with a complementary skill set whose strengths/weaknesses are the opposite of my own
• Process: put some time in the diary to be more reflective on a daily basis and plan ahead to celebrate after achieving a goal

When considering the threats, I cannot control new people entering the market but I can work out how to best serve, and therefore retain, my existing clients. The opportunity of refining my USP becomes a strategic task, something that is going to require more work delving into why I do what I do, how that makes me different, who I can best serve and what extra benefit I can bring. The other items that I list in the strengths quadrant will help to develop that USP.

Making a plan from your SWOT Analysis

The ‘Right Questions’ format is an excellent way to examine this issue and so if this is something you want to pursue further then I recommend that you read my post on What are the Right Questions for Decision Making and Strategic Planning?

What is a vision statement? A vision statement is the capturing of a dream. This is important as dreams can be powerful things if we choose to make them a reality.

“All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes, to make it possible.”

T E Lawrence

William Wilberforce had a dream of a world where people were not treated like possessions and his work ended the slave trade in the British Empire. Henry Ford had an impassioned idea of a motorcar that would be affordable for the average family and he designed the Model T Ford. Edmund Hillary dreamed of climbing the highest mountain on earth and he and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay were the first men to stand on top of Everest.  Tim Berners-Lee dreamed of a way of freely sharing information and knowledge to people all around the world, he went on to invent the World Wide Web.

The Right Questions Picture Photo Tool

A vision is a picture of the future, so it is no great surprise that when we think about a tool in the Right Questions Framework we think about a picture or photo. Pictures are evocative, they help us envision where we want to go or help us remember where we have been.

For example, how many times have you looked at a photo that has led to you booking a vacation? This is why tourist brochures, travel books, and holiday booking websites have so many glossy images. When we see a picture of a beautiful location, we can start to picture ourselves in that landscape. Our imaginations construct stories of what we might do and where we might go.

Effectively we envision a better future, one where we are enjoying ourselves, and that in essence is a vision. If you wrote down a description of the pictures in your mind, then you would have a vision statement for that trip. In the same way, when we dream of a better future for ourselves, and capture that in writing, we have our own vision statement.

From dream to destination

When a vision stops being a daydream and instead becomes a destination it becomes a powerful thing; something tangible that we can work towards.  This idea of destination and vision is the next part of the Where in our questions.

“Begin with the end in mind”

Steven Covey

A true vision or dream stirs the heart; whether it stems from desire for a particular future or from dissatisfaction with the present it should be evocative and engaging.  The vision paints the picture of a better future, it brings to life the dream of a new reality and creates a language that describes an alternative paradigm.

Our vision may be able to be expressed in various ways and may not even be completely clear at this stage.  Because of this breadth it becomes the framework, the bigger picture that contains all we are and all we are passionate about.

Developing clarity of vision

Don’t worry if you do not feel you have a clearly defined vision immediately; the degree of clarity varies between people and is also likely to change over time.  We do not all have a Damascus road experience or a Dr Martin Luther King speech to draw upon.  Our vision is much more likely to be something that develops with time, like a slowly developing Polaroid picture.

There is also a different clarity that comes with distance.  When we look out over a landscape the foreground is in sharper detail than the middle distance.  Often we can only make out the outline or silhouette of things in the far distance.  In the same way, we should expect to have more detail about the next steps we are taking than the end goal.  Even a visionary like Bill Gates could not imagine all the shapes and sizes of computers that are used in our homes.  So you too don’t need to have all the detail to be successful.

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A great example of a vision statement

One of the best examples of a vision statement or talk is that given by President John F Kennedy, in his speech announcing the intention for the US to put a man on the moon. It is a vision that that is audacious but achievable, inspiring, achievable and measurable.

The visionary road

Working towards the dream is like being on a journey. If our destination is the top of a mountain then as long as we can see it – even just in outline in the distance – we can set off.  We can concentrate on getting closer first and then, as we progress, we can develop the detail we need to get to the top.

This is why, whatever our journey, it is good to continue to ask and answer The Right Questions at regular intervals. As we go through this process and record the answers we can see the vision statement develop and the dream being refined over time.

Think about your dreams. What is your better tomorrow?

How do you write a vision statement?

There are various exercises that you can use to spur creativity and I recommend that you have a go at all three of the examples below as they help to develop vision from three different time perspectives: a day, a year and a lifetime. You can spend as much or as little time on each exercise so why not take a few minutes to have a go at one now.

1 Day: My Perfect Day Exercise

Write a description of your perfect day. This should be a day that includes an element of ‘work’ however that is defined, to capture your ideal vocation (not just vacation!)

Be as specific as possible. Think about:

• What do you see when you wake up?
• How do you feel?
• Who is in there with you at each stage of the day?
• Where are you and what are you doing at each stage of the day?

1 Year: Dream Exercise

Now think beyond your perfect day to an ideal future. Picture yourself in 5 or 10 years time and write down:

• Where are you?
• What are you doing?
• How do you feel?
• Who is with you?
• When is this happening?

Add as much detail as you can; use your senses to describe the scene. Now reflect on why this is such a good dream. What makes it attractive? How can you communicate that dream to others?

1 Life: Eulogy Exercise

A eulogy is a speech that someone gives at a funeral. What would someone say at your funeral? Who would give the speech?

It can seem a bit morbid but writing your own eulogy can be a very powerful exercise. It helps to focus on the idea of legacy – what is the impact you have had on the world and the lives of others?

After you have done that, can you work out what you would have written on your grave stone?

If you want some ideas and to see how powerful a good eulogy can be then read this one of Steve Jobs written by his sister:

A Sister’s Eulogy for Steve Jobs – New York Times

“Where there is no vision, the people perish”

Proverbs (KJV)

Putting the vision statement together

Once you have done all three envisioning exercises you can either keep them as three separate writings or you can bring together the themes in one overarching vision statement. Once again, I recommend doing this as you will find new connections and the dream will become even more vivid in your mind. Draw upon your five senses, and describe what you feel as well as what you see in the vision.

This is important as the more powerfully you picture your dream, the more likely you will make it a reality. This is the psychology of visualisation that is discussed in the related post, How to Turn Goals, Visions and Dreams Into Reality With Visualisation.

What is the difference between a vision and mission statement?

A vision statement generally captures the long term dream, something that might take a life time (or more to achieve). It is often written in evocative language using metaphors and picture language that engages the heart and emotions.

A mission statement is more a definition of success. It is generally more pithy that a vision statement and likely to be framed in the slightly shorter term. You can find out more by reading What is a mission statement and why do I need one?

What do you want to do? What does success look like?

A mission statement expresses what we are striving for; it should be a clear and concise statement of what success looks like.

So, what is your mission?

People certainly seem to be on a mission as everyone seems very busy most of the time. Even when you ask people how they are doing, the common response is often, “Things are very busy at the moment!”

It’s almost a badge of honour in a culture that values work so highly. We all want to feel valued, and if we are a busy person then people are likely to respect us. Right?

But there is a problem with just being busy. Busyness is often superficial. I have worked in offices where there is a huge amount of activity, but precious little impact or effect. Equally, you can be putting in lots of effort and making seeming progress, but if you don’t know where you are aiming for, all that work could be taking you in the wrong direction.

“It is not enough to be busy. So are the ants. The question is: What are we busy about?” 

Henry David Thoreau

So being busy is not enough; it counts for nothing if there is not some deeper purpose.  Thoreau recognised this and this is why mission is so important. We need to know exactly what we are trying to achieve. It’s fine to work hard, as long as you are also working smart. Make your efforts count.

Mission inspiration

I have always dreamed of stepping somewhere no one has ever been before.  This desire fueled a fascination with the stories of adventurers (but especially polar explorers) such as Ernest Shackleton and Sir Ranulph Fiennes, and I have devoured many an inspiring biography.  But the more I read, the more I was frustrated by the feeling that it had all been done.  The big firsts; the continent crossings, poles, peaks and circumnavigations, had all been done. So, where did that leave a budding pioneer?

Frustrated but not completely put off I continued to look at possibilities and became a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society. This provided me with a wonderful archive, lectures and events to further provoke me.  It was about this time I read an article on places that were still to be properly explored. This includes Greenland, which has still hundreds of summits that do not have recorded first ascents.

This was enough; the dream grew in clarity and now I had a defined goal, a mission: to be the first person to the top of at least one of these peaks in Greenland.

Defining success

With the measure of success now defined within the vision I was able to plan more effectively.  The next few years were spent building up mountaineering and ski touring skills in various parts of the world and developing experience in arctic conditions.  Much of this was done with my wife, who by that time was caught up in the same dream. So by the time we left for Greenland, we felt as fully prepared as we could be and confident that, conditions permitting, we could achieve our goal.  And we did. During the expedition, we scaled six hills that no one had ever been up or skied down before.

Standing on the highest peak in the area, drinking in a breathtaking landscape and reflecting on the incredible fulfilment of a dream, was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. The mission had been accomplished.

The importance of mission

I learnt the true importance of a mission statement whilst in the army.  For any military task, there will be a set of orders, often long and detailed, which tries to plan for every foreseeable eventuality.  But there is an old army phrase that “no plan survives contact with the enemy”, in other words, something will likely come up that you did not expect and that will challenge your plan.  Whereas the plan may have to change, more than likely the mission will stay the same.

“No plan survives contact with the enemy”

Military saying

For example, you may be ordered: “to capture the enemy position on hill 321.” You may have planned to go on a direct route up the hill.  When you are on the hill you find your route blocked by a minefield.  Your plan changes but your mission does not.  The position still needs to be captured – that is the measure of success – but the plan needs to be adapted.  Because of the chance that a situation may force a change in approach, it is critical to have a good mission statement.  It is the most important part of the plan.

In a set of military orders, the mission statement is repeated so that everyone can remember it. This means that, even if they forget other parts, they can take their own initiative to complete the mission.

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The Right Questions Mission Tool: The binoculars

A mission statement is a clear articulation of what success looks like. That’s why, when thinking about this ‘what’ question in the Right Questions Framework, it is binoculars that come to mind.

I often take binoculars with me, even if I am just out for a local walk. It is amazing how much extra clarity a good set of optics can give you, bringing what is far away, into sharp, detailed focus.

A good mission statement achieves the same thing. Where a vision statement gives the big picture and the grand dream, the mission statement gives the focused, well-defined endpoint.

Constructing a good mission or success statement

A really good mission or success statement should be memorable and measurable.  To make it memorable keep it short.  Less than twenty words is a good start, if you can manage less than ten words so much the better.  When constructing the mission statement start the sentence with ‘to’; this gives the phrase an intentional feel.

A success statement is measurable in as much as you know definitely if and when you have achieved it. For example, the mission, “to be the best chess player in the world,” is measurable.  You know when you have played and won the tournaments to be ranked as the world number one.

As well as the ‘to’ clause, you can also have a secondary ‘in order to’ part of the sentence, for example, a pro tennis player’s mission might be: ‘to rank as the number 1 seeded player in order to be the best tennis player in the world’.

These secondary clauses can be useful for teams or team members constructing mission statements. It ties their mission to the higher intent or mission of the organisation. This can be really helpful in capturing the overall purpose. It links their work to the overall success of a project.

You have probably heard the story of the traveller who comes across some men at a building site. They are masons, shaping stone blocks. When he asks one what he’s doing, he gets the reply, “Chipping away at this rock all day; it’s hard work.” But then he comes across another, doing the same work, and asks the same question. The man replies, “I am building a cathedral!”

This is the difference of understanding the purpose of whatever task, goal or mission we have. Linking it to the overall mission provides motivation and perspective. The stone mason’s mission might then be: ‘to shape these stones to the best of my ability in order to build the most beautiful cathedral on the planet.’

What is the difference between a vision and a mission statement?

The short pithy nature of the mission statement sets it apart from the vision statement. The vision statement is likely to be longer and more evocative but less definitive.  Therefore the things are similar and complementary. But don’t worry too much if you find the subtle differences confusing just now. There are a variety of opinions on what makes a mission, success or vision statement. Ultimately the thought process we go through is more important to us than the exact definition.

To apply the idea of a mission statement you have to define what it means to succeed.  This is not as easy! Especially for a large organisation. But the best thing to do is to give it a go, create a rough draft and then refine the statement as time allows.

So, why not have a go now and draft your personal mission statement? Use the instructions above, have a play with the wording and then leave it for a day or so and come back to it and have another go. It might take a few iterations but this way you can craft something succinct yet powerful.

You can read more about this process in How Many Mission Statements Do You Need?

How Many Mission Statements Do You Need?

How are we going to get to where we want to be? How do we create a project plan to achieve our goals?

Once we have developed a strategic framework it is much easier to make a successful project plan. So let us recap on how we bring together the strategic planning: at the beginning we identified the where; the beginning and the end of the journey.  We defined success in the ‘what’ so that we definitely know when we have arrived, and we have also established ‘why’ we are setting off in the first place.  The where, what and why provides us with the strategic framing for our project plan.  Now we need to choose a route and also work out what we are going to take with us; what resources we will need.  This is where we come on to the ‘how’, the method by which we achieve the mission; the goals and activities that measure our progress towards our desired outcome.  Combined with answering the ‘when’, ‘who’ and ‘which’ we can come up with the plan we need to employ in order to achieve the overall vision and mission.

Let us put this all together with the aid of a story.

Planning to achieve a life goal

I mentioned previously the expedition to Greenland that I undertook with my wife to make some first ascents of a group of mountains on the east coast.  For the planning of the expedition we used all we information we had at our disposal, although the maps and aerial photos showed very little in the way of real detail.  But these coupled with some knowledge gleaned from an expert on the area meant that we were able to identify a way to approach the hills, find a likely spot to make a base camp and select some peaks that we could attempt while we were out there.  These peaks each became a goal in their own right and we now had the outline of a plan.

Once out in Greenland we were able to confirm physically the scalable peaks in the area and work out a more detailed climbing programme that suited our available time, our ability, and the weather.  This itinerary was designed to build towards going up the largest of the hills in the area.  I had spotted the peak on the photo back in the UK; but now that I could see the mountain in three-dimensions I was able to identify some potential routes to get to the top. I knew these could be explored yet further when we got close enough to ‘rub our noses up against it’.

From plan to reality

From what I had observed I could see that the climb would break down into several natural stages: the approach to the mountain, a traverse of a plateau, the main climb and achieving the summit, and then recovering back to our camp.  Each stage had a planned duration and had milestones we set and measured our progress against. This all helped to keep us on schedule.

By the time we were in striking distance of the summit we were tired, the going was hard and the temperature had dropped significantly.  At this point the measure of progress reduced from milestones to ‘I will take ten more steps and then rest’.

“How do you eat an Elephant? In lots of very small pieces.”  Anon

This was how we achieved our aim and how I fulfilled my dream: one little step at a time.  I am happy to say we got there and back again safely and during our two weeks in that region of Greenland we ‘bagged’ six first ascents.  It was a truly successful expedition.

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The key to planning success

This story holds the key to planning any great venture.  A dream powered by passion turns into a mission.  We then start to plan ‘how’ we are going to achieve that mission and break it down into goals.  Each of these goals is further broken down into smaller stages; milestones are set and the nearest steps are planned in the greatest detail.

This is an important point: the detail of the project plan or strategy depends on our proximity to the goal. If we start with too much detail – for events too far in the future – we will find the situation will inevitably have changed. By the time we get there, the detail is unlikely to work out.  Therefore it is better to remain flexible and adapt. As new information comes to light, and as we get closer, we can then plan in ever greater detail.

Breaking the plan down

It is like breaking down a landscape into the near, middle and far distance.  When we look out from our starting point we can naturally see the near ground with more clarity. We may even be able to identify the exact path we want to take.  As we strain our eyes towards the horizon we cannot hope to have the same level of detail. So we have to keep our long term plans broader in scope.

The near, middle and far could be measures of proximity, as they were for me in Greenland. But they could also be time-horizons such as 6 months, 2 years and 5 years for a business plan.  We will look at this a little more under ‘when’ and timing.

Planning to several stated horizons, with varying levels of detail, helps us to strategize comprehensively. It helps to maintain plans that are both simple and flexible.  With our goal in mind, there maybe two or three routes that we could use to get there.  We choose the best course and then we plan for this strategy to the required level of detail.

The most important question in a project plan

The amount of detail we need is dependent upon the task. But, what is essential, is that we have broken down our goal to the extent we know exactly what to do next.  We need to be able to answer the question: “what is the one most effective thing that I can do right now to effectively take me towards my goal?”.

In this way, we can make the next few steps very clear and achievable; even if the overall goal seems daunting.  If we fail to break things down properly then our more audacious goals will evade us. We know exactly what we need to do next. That is where the detail lies.

“Prior Planning and Preparation Prevents Poor Performance.”  Military saying

Choices. We have so many choices. But what is the best choice? How can we make sure we are doing the right thing? Can we ensure that we are choosing the right way and the best course of action?

One of the biggest challenges of decision-making is generating, assessing, and then choosing from among the different solutions there are to any given challenge. This is why for most decisions we use heuristics – simple rules of thumb – to avoid the extra brain power needed to make decisions. In neurological terms, we save load on the pre-frontal cortex by using automatic routines saved and accessed through the limbic system.

But we can’t always do that. Often, we are faced with a new or more important decision where we cannot entirely rely on previous experience. That might be buying a car or property, changing jobs, or just working out what to do in our free time, but if the choice has a large impact on time and money then we are likely to spend longer considering our options. Working out the best course of action (or “COA” in military parlance) is therefore a critical element of effective decision-making.

Asking the right questions to improve your decision

This stage of the decision-making cycle is all about considering options. By this point, we should have already established why we want to do something, what exactly we want to achieve and where we want to end up. Considering courses of action is about choice, we use the interrogative “which” within The Right Questions Framework. In other words, we are answering the questions:

• Which options (courses of action) are available to me?
• Which risks and opportunities will impact my decision?
• Which is the best course of action?

This phase can be further broken down into several steps. To help make the best choice we want to:

1. Brainstorm multiple options
2. Refine several courses of action
3. Assess the courses of action
4. Identify obstacles and risks
5. Decide the preferred option

This can be remembered with the acronym BRAID.

Having made the decision, we then move on to the next phase of decision-making where we develop the plan (and answer the how, who and when questions). But for now, let’s examine the four steps outlined above.

Brainstorming your options: questions that will help you

When facing an important decision, it is generally a good idea to brainstorm multiple ideas before narrowing down the options. This is an important phase as it can unearth new ways of approaching a problem and can free us from certain assumptions. If we restrict ourselves at this stage to what we think is just sensible, affordable, or realistic then we might miss out on important opportunities or insights.

For example, when I am coaching people, I often get them to answer a set of questions that explore multiple ways of looking at an issue. These might include:

• What do you think you should do?
• What is the logical thing to do?
• What would someone you respect do?
• What do you dream of doing?
• What would you do if resources were not a problem?
• What would make you happy?
• What would make you sad?
• What would you do if you could turn back the clock?

Brainstorming with a team

When I go through this process I prefer to do some thinking on my own first. I would recommend that any team starts by working as individuals first, even if for just a few minutes. This means everyone is fully engaged with the process and you avoid group-think. The team then benefits from two different levels of creativity; the personal and the team dynamic. If you start with the whole group it is likely that some of the individual ideas will be lost.

Once you have drawn some initial observations on your own you can address the challenge again in a team environment.  Other people will always bring an alternative view of a problem. So, I would recommend involving at least one other person in the thinking. Even if they just act as a sounding board of your ideas it will bring diversity to your thinking.

Lateral thought and forced association technique

You can also use lateral thinking techniques to generate ideas. One of the simplest lateral thinking techniques, and one I use when I am stuck for ideas, is the Forced Association technique. This method involves getting a set of random words or pictures and then linking them to the problem. This psychological hack forces our brain to create new neural pathways, linking otherwise associated packets of information in our neocortex. These new mental maps literally expand our minds to think of the problem in new ways and explore new solutions. If you want some help getting the random data then you can use free websites such as randomwordgenerator.com or  randomwordgenerator.com.

For example, I am trying to think of what I want to do in my summer holidays. I used randomwordgenerator.com to give me a random word and it gave me ‘morning’. By thinking of the word ‘morning’ along with the idea of ‘vacation’ my brain starts to prompt questions such as:

• What do I like to do in the morning?
• Where would I like to wake up in the morning?
• What would the perfect morning look like?

I am also flooded with pictures and memories; the sun coming up over a mountain as my feet crunch through frost-crusted snow, the smell of great coffee in an Italian café, the snuggly feeling of waking up in fresh hotel linen (knowing that I don’t have an alarm forcing me to get up). Suddenly I am full of ideas of things I want to do! And that is just one word and a few seconds of thinking.

I recommend having a play with the technique, even now for something you must do today. And if you are interested in exploring more techniques, then I recommend reading Lateral Thinking by Edward de Bono.

“Sometimes the situation is only a problem because it is looked at in a certain way. Looked at in another way, the right course of action may be so obvious that the problem no longer exists.”

Edward de Bono

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Generating courses of action

Once you have brainstormed a long list of potential options, the next step is to refine this list down to a few preferred courses of action. Using the heuristic of The Rule of 3 I generally recommend three courses of action which can be developed in outline and inform a decision.

You could prioritise your list from the options using your intuition and what feels like the best option.

For example your intuitive options might be:

1. What is the most exciting option?
2. What is the most sensible option?
3. Which is the scariest option?

Alternatively, you might want to apply some rationale to the selection of your courses of action. One simple way to come up with three courses of action is to look at resources. You might ask:

1. What is the option if money is no object?
2. What is the option if time is no problem?
3. What is the option if people and skills are no problem?

Example of 3 Generic Courses of Action for projects and tasks:

When making a business or project plan then there are some other questions we can consider to create courses of action. For example:

1. Which course of action best fits what is most likely to happen?
2. Which course of action represents the worst possible situation?
3. Which course of action allows for the swiftest outcome?

Answering these questions allows three courses of action and outline plans that reflect

1. The logical plan (most likely)
2. The contingency plan (worst case)
3. The fastest effect plan (which is often the riskiest or costliest)

These questions work well when dealing with a critical (time-dependent) issue, so if these questions don’t suit (for example if money rather than time was the most important factor) then you could also ask:

1. Which is the most elegant (gold-pated) option?
2. Which is the simplest (silver) option?
3. Which is the cheapest (bronze) option?

Once three courses of action have been selected then the next step is to explore a simple outline plan for each. To do this we answer the questions:

• How will we achieve the goal (what are the necessary milestones, tasks, or steps)?
• How will this course of action be resourced?
• When could or should each step be achieved?
• Who can help or support each activity?

At this stage, we are not doing detailed planning so the answers to each of these can be simplified.

It is worth noting that this technique tends to favour business plans rather than personal plans. If you would like another way to prioritise your courses of action, I would recommend seeing which ones align most with your values (be that your personal values or organisational values). Using principles also helps us assess our three courses of action so we will explore that in the next section.

Assessing the courses of action using values and principles

Once we have three courses of action (with outlined plans to check their feasibility) the next stage is to assess them against each other and come up with the chosen course. As previously, you can just use your intuition to make the choice, but you may also want to apply some further logic. If you do have an initial gut feeling about which one you like, then make a note of it. Our intuition is based on our experience and preferences – so it is certainly worth considering – but it is also subject to our biases so it is worth noting to avoid subconscious bias subverting our decision-making.

My preferred way of assessing courses of action is by scoring them against a set of principles or values. To start, I will generally create a matrix, listing the courses of action on one axis and then the principle on the other. I then fill in the grid, scoring each course of action against each value out of 10. I then create a total score for each per the example below.

	Principle 1	Principle 2	Principle 3	Total Score
Course of action 1	(Score 0-10)
Course of action 2
Course of action 3

There is no limit to the number of principles you want to employ but for simplicity, I would not recommend any more than 7-8.

The principles you choose are dependent upon the decision. You might want to use your personal values if it is a choice that most impacts you, such as a change of career. If you are making a business decision then you may want to use your organisation’s corporate values. Equally, there may be a set of specific principles you want to apply. For example, in an investment decision, you might want to employ principles from an expert such as Warren Buffet. It is worth taking a little time to make sure you have the most appropriate precepts to score your courses of action against.

Assessing courses of action with opportunity and risks

An alternative or subsequent way to assess the course of action is considering opportunity versus risk. It might be that risk was considered as one of your principles but if not then it is worth thinking about now. Identifying and assessing risk is a subject in itself but for each course of action, it should be relatively easy to identify the top 3-5 most significant risks.

These risks should then be weighed against the overall opportunity. As with risk, it might be that your chosen principles best summarise the opportunity of a given course of action. If not then consider the potential pay-off, in time, money or quality, for each course of action. Then you can weigh the risk versus the reward. For example, sometimes it is riskier to move quickly on a decision but the payoff – in terms of cumulative gain, time saved or first mover advantage – might be a risk worth taking. This is effectively a simple cost-benefit analysis of your courses of action.

Making the right choice (and better future decisions)

Finally, having assessed the courses of action you can make your choice. Depending upon which course of action scored the highest or had the best balance of risk versus opportunity, you can now commit to that option.

Having made the decision, you can then go on to more detailed planning. You will likely find that your new plans will also incorporate lessons from the other options you looked at. For example, you might well keep the worst-case or contingency plan up your sleeve just in case something goes wrong. Equally, you might have a plan that has stages that incorporate further decision points, dependent upon the balance of risk and reward. As the plans develop, you will discover that the thinking at this stage is not wasted.

Going through this process of creating and assessing courses of action has a further benefit. The formal process forces us to think deeper which will reinforce any learning points for the next decision. Recording the process, and the final choice, also allows us to go back and measure how effective our decisions were. We will not always get things right, but this reflective process will help improve overall decision-making. Decision-making is a skill like any other and for effective learning, we need to be able to reflect on what we have done.

Picking the best course of action

So, if you have options and want to make the best-informed decision follow these BRAID steps:

1. Brainstorm multiple options (be creative)
2. Refine courses of action (down to 3 ideally)
3. Assess the courses of action (against principles or values)
4. Identify obstacles (and mitigate the risks)
5. Decide upon the best course of action (make the choice)

And one final tip, think about when you want or need to make the decision. It is easy to prevaricate, put off a decision, or miss an opportunity entirely. Setting a deadline and creating a timeline for your decision-making helps to avoid these outcomes. Depending upon the impact of the decision you might want to spend 5 minutes or 5 hours thinking through your choice, but as productivity experts will tell you, the best starting point is assigning time to make the decision, as that is a task in itself.

So, what decision do you need to make and when? If you can’t make the choice now, then take a few seconds to schedule time in your diary. And if you want some further advice on the steps to take then check out A Blueprint for Better Decision-Making.

“Opportunities multiply as they are seized.”

Sun Tzu

Are you wanting a book to inspire your work this year? Searching for a lovely executive gift? Wondering what pogonophobia is? Then check out the Book of Job by Dale Stafford.

It felt like Christmas all over again – or maybe better – because the package I received, containing a limited edition of The Book of Job, was so lovely I almost did not want to unwrap it. My name and address were handwritten in attractive sweeping strokes, the package was encapsulated in crisp brown paper, and all this was sealed with red wax and tied up with red and white string. I felt special just getting it. And there was more! Inside there was a letter, once again sealed with wax, and the book enclosed in patterned paper. So now I am feeling like it is Christmas and my birthday too. Once inside the wrapping the book’s lavish gold edging glistered at me; beckoning me to open it.

The attention to detail, already evident in the packaging, continues throughout The Book of Job. One example of this is in the language as The Book of Job is written in an Old English style (or perhaps ‘Ye Olde Style’) with lots of ‘thee’ and ‘thou’, ‘hast’ and ‘canst’. I thought this might make the book less accessible (as I am more likely to speed-read business books) but the more I read, the more I was disarmed by the approach.

Content and style

I was also won over by the subject matter of the first page. The title runs “In the beginning was the word and the word was ‘Where?’ This immediately struck a chord with me, as in The Right Questions this is the first question that I pose too.

The book goes on to draw a parallel between the biblical character of Job and what we experience in our own job. The Bible story of Job is terrifying and inspiring in equal measure but Dale uses it cleverly to frame her book. There is an underlying theme throughout the book about turning challenges into opportunities as summed up in the quote on page 135:

“When a problem doth land on thy doorstep, it is opportunity that doth knock at thy door.”

This principle, underpinning the narrative, gives a very uplifting tone to the book. It is not a preachy how-to book about success, but rather a book of wisdom inspired by successful people. Therefore I feel that – although the book is penned in a fun way – the serious message of reframing the way we think about ourselves, others, life, work and success, is all the more powerful.

For me this meant that as I read through the book I found that Dale was speaking to the converted; I agreed with the points she emphasised and increasingly enjoyed the way she illustrated them.

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Recommendation

The Book of Job is full of quotes, anecdotes, humour and insights that make it a pleasure to delve into; whether you chose to read it cover to cover or just dip in from time to time.

This is an excellent gift, especially for your friends in business, but you may not be able to resist treating yourself to a copy! Witty and engaging as well as beautifully constructed and designed, it is a pleasure to receive and to read. Well done to Dale Stafford on creating something so unique.

Oh, and by the way, pogonophobia is the fear of beards. One of the many things I learnt from reading the book!

Dale Stafford is the author of The Book of Job and founder of The Principle Department. You can find out more about her and her work at www.theprincipledepartment.com

Buy the Book of Job from Amazon.co.uk

Buy The Book of Job from Amazon.com

I am hoping to address three main questions in this post: What is a Mind Map? Why should I use Mind Maps? And why are Mind Maps so effective? In the next post, I will then cover how to create a Mind Map and look at some of the best software options for Mind Mapping.

What is a Mind Map?

Mind Maps are a form of non-linear notes developed by Tony Buzan. The term ‘Mind Map’ is actually a trademark of his company. While conducting a study, Buzan realised that whether it was a genius like Leonardo de Vinci or a college student who was achieving high grades, many successful people did not take linear notes. Rather they had free-flowing scribbling’s full of illustrations, keywords and connections. Combining this discovery with his knowledge of psychology and memory systems, Buzan was able to develop a system of non-linear note-taking. He developed a system that anyone could learn: the Mind Map. Although not strictly the same thing, some people refer to Mind Maps as Concept Maps, Spray Diagrams or Spider Diagrams.

Why should I use Mind Maps?

I first came across Mind Maps when I was preparing to do an intensive course where I knew I would have to learn a lot of information very quickly. In Tony Buzan’s book, Use Your Head I came across the chapter on Mind Maps, and this intrigued me enough to get his book on Mind Mapping.

Having devoured the book I took to the system very quickly. I have always been someone who has doodled all over my work and now I had found something that embraced and encouraged it; I was a convert! Mind Mapping was engaging and fun, and I was so enthusiastic that I immediately taught one of my friends how to create Mind Maps too. We both put our new Mind Mapping skills into practice on the course and promptly came first and second in the class for the theory exam. I was now doubly sold on the system.

Since adopting their use I have used Mind Maps for planning essays, taking notes in lectures, for brainstorming ideas, for visual facilitation in workshops, and more besides.

Why are Mind Maps so effective?

There are some basic principles behind Map Maps that make them such powerful tools. Using images as well as words is seen as engaging both your creative and logical attributes. This is seen as engaging both left and right brain activity and pictures are particularly good at representing whole concepts. As the famous phrase goes: a picture paints a thousand words. Pictures are also better for recall and memory. The use of colour, codes, symbols, highlighting – and anything else you need to bring your notes to life – is encouraged. Arrows and lines are also used to show relationships. In this way, you can create connections between various concepts. You can also group related ideas together.

The discipline of keeping the notes to one page means that the finished product is an efficient summary of a subject. Equally, having to summarise each section of a Mind Map in a single word or picture forces you to actively engage your mind. This is in contrast to just scribbling things down by rote. This avoids the problem highlighted in this quote:

“Lecture: a process where the notes of the professor become the notes of the student, without passing through the minds of either.”

Mindmapping Software

That’s it for now. I will cover how to create a Mind Map in the next post and also cover some of the best software options.

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In the last post, I wrote about what Mind Mapping is and why it is so effective. In this post, I will cover how to create a Mind Map and discuss some of the best Mind Mapping software that is available. This will help if you want to make Mind Maps on a computer or another device.

How do I create a Mind Map?

It is very simple. Start with a blank piece of paper in landscape (rather than portrait) orientation. Draw an image in the centre that sums up the subject of the whole mind map. Now create lines that branch out from the central image for your main subheadings. Use one word or image per branch and keep the length of the branch to the size of the word or picture. Use larger sized letter, lines and images towards the centre of the Mind Map and let them become smaller as they fan out.

I have created a Mind Map and turned it into a video presentation (on iMindMap) that sums up the basic principles and techniques of Mind Mapping. This will give you an idea of how a subject (such as the content of this post) can be summed up successfully with Mind Mapping.

You can access the video via The Right Questions YouTube channel or watch the embedded film below.

What is the best Mind Mapping Software?

I started off just drawing Mind Maps freehand but I now also use software too. I love the absolute freedom of freehand Mind Mapping. But now – more often than not – I have my computer on me rather than a notepad. Software options are also good for sharing Mind Maps. Hand-drawn Mind Maps can be harder to read and there is never a copier or scanner to hand when you need one. With software-based Mind Maps, it is very easy to save, reproduce and share Mind Maps that are legible and look professional.

iMindMap

Some Mind Mapping software, such as iMindMap (now replaced by Ayoa) also have cloud-based backup and collaboration tools available on their premier products. This is a very useful addition when using Mind Maps in a business context. I have found iMindMap very easy to use; within ten minutes of downloading it, I had produced my first Mind Map. There is an example below showing a Mind Map that I created about The Right Questions.

VideoScribe

I now make my videos using Videoscribe. As you can see from my YouTube channel (The Right Questions), I incorporate many of the principles of mind mapping in how I create these videos. The software is easy to use and I enjoy creating content with it. If you would like to try have a go yourself then you can have a free trial by just clicking here:

Try Videoscribe

What do you dream about becoming or achieving? Did you know that there are powerful tools in psychology and physiology that can help you succeed with your vision?

I think I can safely say that most of us, if not all, daydream from time to time.  Daydreaming can be a pleasant distraction but there is a more productive side to where our thoughts may wander. Firstly, of course, there is the fact that we generally have some underlying desire for the things we daydream about.  Therefore these dreams can give us clues to the things we aspire to; what we value and where we would like to be. But there is an important psychological element to dreaming too.  That process is called visualisation.

“I dream of painting, then I paint my dream”

Vincent Van Gogh

What is visualisation?

Visualising something can actually make something more real, opening neural pathways and awakening muscles in preparation for action. Dwelling upon something in our mind’s eye can help us achieve our goal more effectively.

This concept, known as ‘Creative Visualisation’, has had a huge impact on professional sports.  Mental preparation is now seen as just as important, if not more important, than physical training.

One of the most cited examples of the scientific evidence for this approach is that of the study carried out by Russian coaches and scientists prior to the 1980 Olympic games.  They took four groups of world-class athletes and gave them training regimes that reflected:

1.  100% physical training
2. 75% physical training, 25% mental training
3. 50% physical training, 50% mental training
4. 25% physical training, 75% mental training

Amazingly it was the fourth group that demonstrated the greatest improvement.  Even though they were training for a physical event, the less mental training involved in the training, the less the improvement.  Thereby the Russian team had proved the key link between the psychological and physiological; the effect of visualisation, particularly on our muscular and physical actions.

How to visualise something effectively

The technique is applied beyond sports. It is widely used in performance coaching for individuals working in any and every field of endeavour.  Visualisation is just as useful in preparing for negotiation or an interview as it is for a race. It is something that all of us can utilise at some level, as the principles are actually very simple.

The key to good visualisation is to employ as many senses as possible while you are picturing something: imagine you can not just see, but also hear, taste, smell and touch the things in your dream.  Turn up the senses to the max: make it vivid, loud, and as tangible as possible.  You can also speak out what you see or write down a description of the vision. This helps to further solidify the dream in your mind.

The power of positive language

The use of language is another important tool and one that has been appreciated for hundreds, if not thousands of years.  If you look at the religious disciplines of meditation, prayer and reading scriptures you can see how the vocalising of ideas, with the view to changing our actions, is sufficiently important as to be embedded in many cultures across the globe.

The idea of ‘affirmations’ is similar to mantras and meditations. They are just phrases we repeat out loud – spoken in the present tense but regarding something in the future – whether that someone we want to be or something we want to achieve.  It is important that you genuinely believe you can achieve your goal when you are speaking it out but if you find that hard you don’t worry. Your confidence should grow as you continue to picture and verbalise your dream over time.

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Positive body language and physiology

It is also worth noting that as the mind has an effect on the body, so the body has an effect on the mind.  Our bearing, the way we hold ourselves actually has an impact on our mental state.  Think about basic body language, for example crossing one’s arms.  This is generally seen as a defensive stance, reflecting a defensive mental state.  You may have just been criticised and subconsciously you may adjust your position and take this stance without noticing it.  But, if you are mindful of your position then you can affect your mental state.  If you choose to stand with your arms crossed your mind is likely to become defensive. But, if you think about your stance, uncross your arms and take on a more open posture, you are more likely to respond positively to the criticism.

Here is another example.  When we see someone standing up straight looking people in the eye we perceive them to be a confident person; maybe a leader.  If we see folk who are slouching and avoiding eye contact we are likely to think they are shy. If they are acting strangely we might even think they are shifty or untrustworthy.  No one feels confident all the time. But we can make a positive impression, no matter how we are feeling if we control our bodies. By pulling our shoulders back, standing tall and looking directly at people we can appear confident. This will not only project strength but also it will actually put you in a more confident frame of mind.

The following TED talk by Amy Cuddy explains some more about this phenomenon:

“Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that all was vanity; but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dream with open eyes, and make it possible.” 

T E Lawrence

Whether you work on your own or in a large team you will inevitably develop some processes to help you with your work. The problem is few people know how to develop a new business system or how to create a process flow chart to illustrate what they want to happen.

Systems, procedures and processes (when working properly) help us to be efficient in achieving our goals. They can help us save time and money as well as assuring quality or reducing risks.

Many systems in businesses are things that will evolve organically – without much real planning – but there will also be times when something is not working well and you will need a more formal approach to improve an existing process, or to create a new one.

Here I will demonstrate how you can use The Right Questions to analyse a procedure and develop a new system. We will also look at how to create a process flow chart.

To help explain the application of The Right Questions format I will use the example of a hotel case study. This is simplified but based on some actual work I did with a hotel business.

Where are we now and where do we need to be?

First, we look at our present situation. What is the present workflow and what is the problem that has been identified the means a process is needed?

Let use the hotel example to explore the question. The hotel receives new bookings on a daily basis and needs rooms prepared and cleaned every day too. Here the challenge is that the manager who takes the bookings is not the same one that manages the cleaners. But the cleaners need to know to prepare the rooms. Therefore there needs to be a communication process in place so that everyone knows what to do and when.

So that is the situation, how about the other side of the question: where does the hotel want to be in terms of service?

Ideally, all of the rooms should be cleaned and prepared so that guests feel welcome when they arrive. The team should be happy too because everyone knows what they are doing without having to ask.

What does success look like?

Next we need to define what we need to achieve. In the case of the hotel we have identified that:

• Customers need to feel that they are getting a good service
• Therefore they need clean rooms when they arrive

So, our mission statement or definition of success for this process could be:

‘Rooms need to be cleaned (on time and to the correct standard) in order that guests feel welcome.’

Why do we need the process?

From the situation, we should be able to draw out some reasons behind the process. In the case of the hotel we can identify the following values that relate to what we are doing:

• Customer service – making sure the guests are being looked after
• Effective teamwork – people know what to do and when
• Efficient management – the managers do not need to be interrupted or intervene over little details

How does the process work?

Now we can look at the steps or activities that have to take place for the process to work. One effective way to look at these tasks is using a flow diagram or flowchart. In a flowchart, you can break down the process into key component parts. This can include any decisions that might affect the outcome.

Using the hotel example this might look like the flowchart on the right.

Now we have identified the current steps in the process we can analyse it better. Now we can see the workflow we can start to ask questions like: are there any steps missing? Are there any shortcuts that could be created? Where are the problems?

In terms of problems, processes usually fall down at the interfaces; the places where a job passes from one party to another. This is something we will come back to.

When do the steps of the process need to take place?

As well as establishing all the tasks that need to take place we also need to work out when they need to take place. Which tasks are time-critical? What are the deadlines?

Now we have the flowchart it is easier to work out the time needed for one single task. We can now create a timeline alongside it with any deadlines or decision points that are critical to achieving the aim.

In the hotel example, bookings and the preparation of rooms is a daily task. It is simple to work out how long each task takes but complications arise around other time issues.

Firstly bookings can come at any time. Secondly, the deadlines here are created by the arrival of guests. But some guests may arrive in the morning, others in the afternoon or evening. Thirdly, staff are not all on duty at the same time. So, there is no single moment in the day for communicating what needs doing.

Who is involved in the process?

Each step should be assigned to a party. That person or team needs to own that task and make sure it is completed so that the next step can be completed by whoever takes over. Once again, breaking down the process into a flowchart makes the identification of these parties much easier. Responsibilities and expectations for each stakeholder can now be specified.

For the hotel example different colours have been used in the flowchart to highlight the different people involved in the process (Manager 1, Manger 2, the Cleaners and the Guests).

Which different ways can we achieve the aim?

There will be different ways to solve a problem so it is worthwhile taking some time to look at the options. Going through this process with the team, or whoever will be affected by the process, is an excellent way to engage people with the change. It will help them to understand the need for the change, take ownership of it and also help to generate new and creative ways to solve the problem.

By identifying the exact steps and interfaces where a process is not running smoothly it is possible to hone in and propose alternative solutions for each activity where things aren’t running smoothly.

In the case of the hotel’s workflow, it has been seen that sometimes Manager 2 is busy with another urgent matter and cannot create the list of rooms that need to be prepared. Equally, there can be a problem if Manager 2 is not around when cleaners have a question about preparing the rooms. The third challenge is that Manager 1 is not always informed when a room has been prepared ready for a guest.

Now the exact problems have been identified new solutions can be proposed. Is there a software solution that can inform everybody as soon as a booking has been made? Could there be a noticeboard or whiteboard in a common area where all parties can update the details about the rooms? Could roles be rearranged to make things run more smoothly?

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Experiment with options

Generally, there is no one right answer to making a process work. It will often take the trialling of different options to find the one that works best. Also, processes need to change. The growth of a business or changes within a team could mean that a system needs to be reviewed.

One very important lesson is that processes, systems and structures within an organisation are just a means to an end; not the end in themselves. Large institutions often forget this and their processes can grow to become the driving force within the organisation. This should never be the case. Systems should always be checked, challenged and improved. They are only ever truly efficient if they are effective; they are only effective if they are helping to achieve the overall mission.