This Month's Three Things
1. Consider a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis with your team to help with strategic planning.
Brainstorm the strengths inherent to the team, the internal weaknesses limiting performance, the opportunities present, and the external threats to success.
Ask:
- What do we do well?
- What are our unique capabilities?
- What obstacles do we face? What resources are limited?
- What’s possible if we get this right? What’s the best-case scenario?
- What if others beat us to market? Where might we be surprised by competitors?
Consider possibilities for action. Vet with a larger team and act.
2. Try the Minute Manifesto to gain clarity on who you are and what matters to you.
For each of the following questions, handwrite or type your answers. Write continuously for five full minutes on each, and do not edit as you write. Represent yourself accurately—don’t sugarcoat or be overly critical. This is for your eyes only at this point.
- Who are you?
- What have you done?
- What do you believe in?
- What do you stand for? How are you uniquely qualified to contribute?
Wait at least one full day and then edit what you’ve written. Remove anything that doesn’t feel fully authentic, striving to reduce the content by half. Repeat after waiting at least one more full day. Share your results with a trusted advisor, and ask them to be objective in their assessment of you. Edit once more based on their feedback. Synthesize what’s left into a succinct statement about yourself.
3. Consider what will move the needle to get you (and your team) from where you are, to where you want to be.
- Establish weekly check-ins to get updates on progress and stumbling blocks.
- Review strategy regularly and course correct as needed. Schedule time in your calendar to do this.
