I am planning a SWOT party and want to share the idea with all of you. Do you want to do something new? Are you considering a new business, new job, starting a family, moving, writing a book, creating a new policy at work, starting a non-profit, planning a special event? And are you ready to start dipping your toe in the pool of going public with your new idea/plan? I am dealing with that right now, I have an idea and I am ready to hear some opinions. I am going to do one of the things I do best – throw a party. A kind of “Coming Out” party and I am calling it a SWOT party.
I have a new keynote presentation and an idea for a new business group. The speech is written, I have practiced it and I think it might be valuable for listeners.
The business group is a new twist on the idea of a mastermind business community done a whole new way. I have thought out the basic details, curriculum content, format, ideal clients, etc.
What I know for sure is that many of my biggest mistakes have come from thinking I have poked all the holes and thought it all out on my lonely island without getting outside eyes on the decision. I learned my lesson – get some opinions and some different expertise on the topic before you jump off the cliff.
I will invite a small number of people. These people must only be those I trust and who I know will not BS me. I will not invite those people who may give me the opinions they think I want to hear. Just those who I know will not betray my vulnerability and will tell it to me straight.
We will have a nice dinner and a bit of wine. Not too much wine, but just enough. Then I will give the keynote presentation and gauge the reactions of a small room. Next I will describe the business community that I want to create. I will be somewhat detailed in the why, who, how, what, when & where of the group. I may have some flipcharts and/or a powerpoint if I need some help getting the message across.
Then the most important step will be doing a SWOT analysis with my intimate trusted group of invitees. I will ask them all to help list the Strengths and Weaknesses (these are internal and things that I control Like what I am good at or not good at, my current reources and/or connections, etc.), as well as the Opportunities, & Threats (the uncontrollable outside forces like the economy, or the size of the market, etc.) of each of my newest endeavors.
I am so excited for this evening. One of the other things I have learned is the “forest for the trees” and “sitting to close to the TV”. When this is something you care deeply about and you have created it, you may not have the proper perspective about it. So many times I have been able to see solutions for others but I am sitting to close to the TV to see the forest for the trees in my own life. I want all those not sitting in my forest or not too close to my TV to shed some light on my plans.
Good luck with your own SWOT parties, please write me to tell me how it goes.