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To survive in the highly competitive and dynamic corporate world, an individual has to keep thinking about their growth. Personal, as well as professional success, is more likely if one has the right tools in place.
The best way to start the journey of self-development and professional character assessment would be a personal SWOT analysis.
SWOT analysis is not a new concept. Every marketing or management student would have heard about it. During a SWOT analysis of yourself, an individual has to evaluate their Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. SWOT analysis can be carried out by both individuals and organizations. By investing some time and taking the right approach, a personal SWOT analysis is a great way to begin solving any problem, no matter how straightforward or complex.
When Resham has a problem, she looks for a piece of paper or opens the “Notes” application on her phone. In four squares or under four sub-heads, she writes down: what her strengths are, what could be her weaknesses, what are the opportunities in front of her, and what are the obstacles she has been facing. This is a personal SWOT analysis example.
SWOT Analysis Of Yourself
The process for a personal SWOT analysis of yourself is pretty straightforward. To derive the issue that needs addressing, one needs to first analyze the situation.
Articulating the question in precise words helps one understand the depth and gravity of the problem. If an individual wants to solve a complex problem during a SWOT analysis of yourself, it might be beneficial to break the problem down into smaller, bite-sized portions. This step helps in prioritizing the order in which the problem needs to be attacked.
After the problem has been clearly defined, one can proceed with a personal SWOT analysis by writing down their strengths. These strengths can be put down in the descriptive style or concise bullet points. One needs to assess which of their skill sets can be applied to the problem at hand. If you are planning to conduct a SWOT analysis of yourself, write down the strengths which you believe are unique.
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Personal SWOT Example: Strengths
Some of the personal SWOT analysis examples may include Expertise in the problem area, soft skills like communication or creative thinking, resources like time or money or personnel, etc.
The next step in a personal SWOT analysis is writing down the weaknesses. It is crucial to be honest about this, and not think of it as some sort of condemnation or judgment of oneself. The weaknesses derived in a SWOT analysis of yourself are not absolute.
You can think of them as hidden opportunities. Having a clear idea of one’s weaknesses allows one to plan and solve various issues that may arise due to a lack of resources.
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Personal SWOT Example: Weaknesses
Personal SWOT analysis examples of weakness may include lack of specific skill sets or education, lack of practice or experience, lack of resources, etc.
The next step in the personal SWOT analysis would be to write down the opportunities and threats. In a personal SWOT analysis, one can identify the effective ways to resolve a problem by looking at things that are working in one’s favor and those that aren’t.
Study any advantage you can capitalize on and any obstacles that will necessarily need to be overcome as you go about dealing with the issue. It is imperative to be honest while undertaking a SWOT analysis of yourself. If it is done dishonestly, many personal SWOT examples suggest the whole process turns out to be futile.
Harappa Education offers an online course called Interpreting Self that helps you understand yourself better. It puts you on course for personal SWOT analysis so you can conduct a SWOT analysis of yourself.
With the integrated framework called ‘The Johari Window,’ one can gain insights about their relationships with oneself as well as with the people around them. The Johari Window Model categorizes relevant information and trust factors in four boxes:
1. Open Area, which is known to oneself as well as others
2. Hidden Area, which is known to oneself but not to others
3. Blindspot, which is known to others but unknown to oneself
4. Unknown Area, which is unknown to both oneself and others
Once the individual can grasp which area they need to be working on, they can choose and apply their social responses accordingly. A very useful tool during personal SWOT analysis, the Johari Window can assist in assessing how much an individual can trust other stakeholders.
Explore topics such as Self-Esteem & How to Know Yourself from our Harappa Diaries section and accomplish your goals in life.
