SOAR Analysis

Comment l'animer

1. 1

   Set the appreciative frame (10 min): explain the Appreciative Inquiry philosophy — that this session will build from what works, not catalogue what doesn't. This is not naive optimism but a deliberate strategic lens.

2. 2

   Strengths (15 min): ask 'What are we best at? What resources, capabilities, and achievements are we most proud of?' Use a 'peak experience' prompt: 'Think of a moment when this team or organisation was at its best — what made that possible?' Capture on sticky notes.

3. 3

   Opportunities (15 min): ask 'What external trends, market shifts, or unmet needs could we uniquely capitalise on given our strengths?' Focus on genuine possibility, not just the obvious. Push for specificity: which customer, which trend, which window?

4. 4

   Aspirations (15 min): ask 'Who do we want to become in 3–5 years? What would extraordinary success look like for our customers, our team, and our community?' Encourage ambition. This is not a planning box — it is a vision box.

5. 5

   Results (15 min): translate aspirations into measurable commitments. Ask 'How will we know we've achieved this? What specific results would tell us we are on track — and by when?' Convert each major aspiration into 1–2 observable outcomes.

6. 6

   Integrate across quadrants: look for the golden thread — where do your strongest Strengths point toward the most compelling Opportunities and Aspirations? Highlight the strategic themes that emerge.

7. 7

   Prioritise and commit: identify the top 2–3 strategic priorities that best leverage the SOAR logic, and assign ownership and a next action to each one.

Conseils

• The shift from SWOT to SOAR is partly psychological. Brief participants clearly upfront — some will expect (and prefer) a problem-first conversation. Acknowledge this and explain why you're choosing a different approach.

• Aspirations is the most important and most under-served quadrant. Give it real time. Vague aspirations produce vague strategies.

• In the Results quadrant, push for leading indicators, not just lagging measures. 'Grow revenue 20%' is a lagging measure; 'increase trial-to-paid conversion to 35% by Q3' is a leading one.

• SOAR works particularly well in the early phase of a strategy cycle. SWOT may be more useful later for risk analysis once the direction is set.

• For large groups (20+), run SOAR in parallel breakout groups and then synthesise common themes in plenary.

Variantes

For a team health variant, focus the Aspirations quadrant on team culture and ways of working rather than market outcomes. For a personal development context, SOAR works beautifully as a coaching or career planning tool with individuals. Combine SOAR with OKR Planning to translate aspirations directly into objectives and key results.