next »

[science_expat]

[I've been spending too much time on the dark side...]

Clearly.

Thanks, all. I've just re-read the thread and started on the matrix.

I'm not doing a particularly good job on the strengths - what kind of things can you say about how wonderful your group is?

[scotia]

I'm not doing a particularly good job on the strengths - what kind of things can you say about how wonderful your group is?

Do you have external people you can ask for perceptions of strength? For example, visiting scholars: why did they choose to come? Friends you are going to run into at conferences - can they identify three strengths in return for a pint next time you meet up at scientific meeting on terribly interesting topic? At my former U were often astonished at the very good reputation of our department among outsiders - but when they explained why it made sense. Being on the inside every day meant we were aware of the problems and downplayed the positives.

As a starting point you might try to identify particular areas of expertise - particularly if they have been identified as world class. Do you have specialists that are in demand for talks/services? They could also be regarded as a strength. Do you have a unique degree program that your research feeds into? .......

[science_expat]

I'm slowly getting my head around this and have part of the matrix filled out. As I understand it, strengths and weaknesses are staff/internal while opportunities/threats are non-staff/external.

Where do things like retirements fit in? Is the fact that poorly performing staff are soon to retire a strength or an opportunity? (I would guess the latter.) And is the possibility that the one highly performing member of a research group could be poached a weakness or threat?

Thanks!

[scotia]

The potential poaching is a threat - it may or may not happen. If you had only one star performer and the whole department could fall if s/he left that would be a weakness.

At the moment the retirements have not happened and/or you may not be able to recruit the staff you want so they cannot be a strength, but they offer you an opportunity.

[science_expat]

The potential poaching is a threat - it may or may not happen. If you had only one star performer and the whole department could fall if s/he left that would be a weakness.

At the moment the retirements have not happened and/or you may not be able to recruit the staff you want so they cannot be a strength, but they offer you an opportunity.

That makes sense, thanks.

I've truly gone to the dark side...

[scotia]

The potential poaching is a threat - it may or may not happen. If you had only one star performer and the whole department could fall if s/he left that would be a weakness.

At the moment the retirements have not happened and/or you may not be able to recruit the staff you want so they cannot be a strength, but they offer you an opportunity.

That makes sense, thanks.

I've truly gone to the dark side...

When I worked in industry I had to sit through hours of this stuff when Marketing came to visit. And people wonder why I took a big pay cut to become an academic.......

[science_expat]

Makes sense to me.

Commiserations on the hours wasted but at least you can help one struggling fellow academic!

[professorgb]

If stuck on figuring out strengths. Use Appreciative Inquiry. There are some good articles you can find and brief books that explain it. My experience with SWOT is that half of folks cringe at the idea and the other half sort of knows about it but find it not useful and confusing. Start from an analysis of what works, what it is being done well. Ask, what would happen if we were to disappear from the map? Who would miss us? These sort of questions get everyone on board rather than the at times forced notion that SWOT analysis will be the core of strategic planning. It is not (my opinion). But, when yo use the sort of questions that Appreciative Inquiry asks, people start trusting more the process. Otherwise the SWOT photo becomes a "pretend" since self interest creeps in. My two cents, sceptic as well as pragmatic.