The Strategic Goals Grid, an Alternative Framework to SWOT Analysis

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One of the most popular Strategic Planning tool among executives is the SWOT analysis (or SWOT matrix).  However, sometimes assessing the organization’s Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats is not enough to set the direction for the planning process or to implement Business Transformation.

An alternative framework to SWOT analysis is the Strategic Goals Grid (SGG).  The SGG gives planners a different perspective to view the organization, the direction it has taken, the course that the collective wisdom of the organization wants to take, and to set goals.  SGG is an extremely effective overall Organizational Analysis tool for senior leaders responsible for Planning, Strategy Development, Transformation, Growth, and Profitability.

SGG is a 2×2 matrix, fashioned by examining the “Yes” and “No” answers to 2 critical questions:

• Do you want something?
• Do you have it?

The combination of the “Yes” and “No” answers to these questions define 4 basic categories for goals and objectives:

1. ACHIEVE – if you want something you do not have, your goal is to obtain it.
2. PRESERVE – if you want something you already have, your aim is to keep it.
3. AVOID – if there is something you do not want and do not have, your goal is to avoid it.
4. ELIMINATE – if there is something you do not want but have, your goal is to get rid of it.

These 4 categories of goals—ACHIEVE, PRESERVE, AVOID, and ELIMINATE—constitute the Strategic Goals Grid when drawn on a 2×2 grid.

The Strategic Goals Grid can be used to facilitate discussions and to record and communicate the results of such discussions.  Individuals can complete the grid separately and then compare, discuss, and integrate their individual efforts into a consolidated matrix.

SGG can be employed for kick-starting the Strategic Planning process in 3 progressive steps:

1. Visualize and Document
2. Coalesce
3. Synthesize and Align

Let us dig a little deeper into the individual framework steps.

Visualize and Document

The 1^st step in formulating the Strategic Goals Grid is an individual exercise, which takes about 15 minutes to accomplish.  The step entails taking input from all relevant participants of the Strategy Development workshop.  The activity requires from the participants to write their responses on individual copies of the Strategic Goals Grid.  The participants record their input regarding the critical questions of what to ACHIEVE, PRESERVE, AVOID, and ELIMINATE.

The question, “What do we want to eliminate?” is very effective in triggering group discussions on any issues that exist across the organization.  The question, “What do we want to avoid?” focuses the group’s discussion to anticipated issues and/or threats to the organization.

Coalesce

The 2^nd step is a group activity, where the strategy development group engages in an exercise in which individual responses gathered during the first step are shared with the participants.  The individual responses are projected on a large screen and recorded on a computer.  Using one quadrant at a time, the group evaluates the list and repeats this process for all quadrants.  The list of individual responses becomes the collective wish list or the collective wisdom accrued over a period based on realities faced on-ground.

Synthesize and Align

The 3^rd step is also a group exercise that entails rationalizing the responses gathered in the previous steps through discussion and analysis.  The list is carefully scrutinized and trimmed considering the objectives for the future.  These objectives are aligned with the priorities and values embodied by the organization.  The list of individual responses are refined and a consensus is developed on the finalized list.

Interested in learning more about the Strategic Goals Grid, its utilization, benefits compared to SWOT Analysis, and how to populate the grid? You can download an editable PowerPoint on the Strategic Goals Grid (SGG) here on the Flevy documents marketplace.

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