1. SOAR
versus
SWOT
Ed Lisoski, Ph.D.
President
Lisoski Leadership Consulting
January 24, 2012

2. Welcome!
What We’ll Cover Today
• SOAR –
Strengths, Opportunities, Aspirations, and
Results – a positive focus on business
improvement.
• Our choice to make an impact- in our
organization, with others and most
importantly – in ourselves.
• Methods and tools to refocus ourselves & our
organization on what we do best!

3. A little about me -
• A Little about Me -
 Human Resource Manager – ETHICON, a
Johnson & Johnson company in San
Angelo, Texas.
 Adjunct Faculty member at Angelo State
University, Northeastern University(Boston), and
University of Phoenix.
 Ph.D. from Capella University, 2009.
 Married 35 years, 2 children, 4 grandchildren.
 Hobbies & Interests – writing, exercise, and
daydreaming!

4. Now – a Little about You
• Just one Question –
• What do you do?

5. Is that Really all you Do?
The Star Thrower Story
Vision without action is merely a dream.
Action without vision just passes the time.
Vision with action can change the world.

6. The Difference You Make Today
• Who are the “Starfish” that you impact?
• What are some of the differences you make in
what you do?
• What do these individuals say about the
impact you make on their tomorrow?
The Impact You Make on Tomorrow

7. SOAR versus SWOT
• SWOT • SOAR
 Strengths, Weaknesses, Opp  Strengths, Opportunities, As
ortunities, Threats pirations, Results
 Competitive mindset  Collaborative mindset
 Strategic improvement on  Strategic improvement built
weaknesses on strength & vision
 Management-focus on  Leadership–focus on what
areas to improve. we do best!
 Tactical action plan  Visionary based action plan
 Focus on limitations  Focus on possibilities

10. SOAR Exercise
• Break into groups of 6-8 per table
• Each table to select a scribe who will capture
responses on the flipchart. After each
question is answered summarize with 2-3 key
themes.
• Each table to select a spokesperson who will
share the outcome of the discussion.
• 15 minutes per concept, 4 concepts in all.
• Five minutes for each team to share key
learning's from their table with the group.

11. Strengths: What can we build on?
• What are we most proud of as an organization?
• What are our strengths that make us unique?
• What is our proudest achievement in the last 1-2 years?
• How do we use our strengths to get results?

12. Share with the Group
• Spokesperson(s) at each table share
summary of table discussion with the group.
• As we hear each presentation, consider:
• What can I do different when I get back to
work?
• What can we build on?

13. Opportunities: What are our stakeholders asking for?
• What are the top 2-3 possibilities where we should focus
our efforts?
• What are possible new products, services, or processes?
• How can we learn to see challenges as opportunities?
• What new skills do we need to move forward?

14. Share with the Group
• Spokesperson(s) at each table share
summary of table discussion with the group.
• As we hear each presentation, consider:
• What are our clients asking for?
• What do they need?

15. Aspirations: What do we care deeply about?
• Reflecting on our Strengths & Opportunities – what are
we deeply passionate about?
• What strategic initiatives – projects, programs, processes
– would support our aspirations?
• What is our most compelling aspiration?
• What is our vision for our future?

16. Share with the Group
• Spokesperson(s) at each table share
summary of table discussion with the group.
• As we hear each presentation, consider:
• What can I do different when I get back to
work?
• What do we care deeply about?

17. Results: How do we know we are succeeding?
• What meaningful measures best indicate we are on
track to meet our goals?
• What would a results dashboard look like-3-5 indicators-
that provide feedback to us and our stakeholders?
• What resources are needed to implement our most vital
project(s)?
• What are the best rewards to support those who drive
toward achievement of our goals?

18. Share with the Group
• Spokesperson(s) at each table share
summary of table discussion with the group.
• As we hear each presentation, consider:
• What can I do different when I get back to
work?
• How do we know we are succeeding?

20. “We live in a world of possibilities
. . . when we believe it,
we’ll see it.”

21. KEY CONCEPTS:
• Believe it and you’ll see it.
• Recognize abundance.
• Look for possibilities.
• Unleash your energy to fix what’s wrong.
CONTINUED . . .

22. KEY CONCEPTS:
• Ride the changes.
• Take yourself to your edge.
• Be your best for the world.

23. BELIEVE IT
AND YOU’LL SEE IT.
• Commit to the results you’re looking for.
• Find ways around obstacles.
• Have high expectations.

24. RECOGNIZE ABUNDANCE.
• Acknowledge all that you
have to work with.
• Broaden your definition
of winning.
• Look for ways to
work cooperatively
with others.

25. LOOK FOR POSSIBILITIES.
• Focus on opportunity,
rather than scarcity.
• Find what’s working.
• Keep looking for the
next possible answer.

26. UNLEASH YOUR ENERGY
TO FIX WHAT’S WRONG.
• Connect with a
positive vision.
• Believe that solutions exist.
• Focus on what is right
with the situation.

27. RIDE THE CHANGES.
• Realize that change
is possibility.
• Learn to live with
uncertainty, yet
act with confidence.
• Challenge the order
in your life.

28. TAKE YOURSELF
TO YOUR EDGE.
• Trust yourself and create your own future.
• Follow your edge wherever it goes.
• Move beyond your best.

29. BE YOUR BEST
FOR THE WORLD.
• Act with service and grace.
• Make a contribution through action.
• Talk about your successes to discover
your dreams.

30. Thoughts?

31. What are you attracting in your life?

32. “I attract to my life whatever I give my
energy, focus, and attention to, whether
wanted or unwanted. “
Michael Losier, 2002
Author
Law of Attraction

33. You have heard of -
• Coincidence
• Fate
• Karma
• Luck
• Meant to be
Is life really just a “roll of the dice?”

34. You observe what
you have
and receive
in your life
Positive or negative You create
energy enters behaviors, either
your life positive
or positive
You attract
or repel what
responds to your
behavior

35. So what do you do?
• Identify what you desire
• Create positive behaviors
• Allow it to happen

36. NEGATIVE/POSITIVE WORD CHOICES
• What are the words we use?
• Are we really using the language of words
to our best advantage?
• What we think and how we think – leads
to what we feel – which leads to what we
do.
• And what we do attracts
events, people, communication that is
attracted to our language and actions.

37. INCREASE POSITIVE BEHAVIORS
• Think - what is it I really want?
• Clearly state what is desired.
• Express those desires in your language:
- I’ve decided to….
- I’m excited at the thought of…
- Its great to know that…..
- More and more I…..
- I love how it feels when I….

38. ELIMINATE DOUBT IN YOUR LANGUAGE
• Believe it and you’ll see it.
• Recognize abundance.
• Look for possibilities.
• Unleash your energy to fix what’s wrong.
• Ride the changes.
• Take yourself to your edge.
• Be your best. Not just the best in the world…..
but for the world.

39. The Eagle & The Wolf
There is a great battle that rages inside me.
One side is the soaring eagle.
Everything the eagle stands for is good and true and
beautiful, and it soars above the clouds. Even though it dips
down into the valleys, it lays it's eggs on the mountaintops.
The other side of me is the howling wolf.
And the raging, howling wolf represents the worst that's in
me. He eats upon my downfalls and justifies himself by his
presence in the pack.
Who wins this great battle?
The one I feed!
Author unknown

40. CLOSING COMMENTS
• We discussed a lot of concepts today -
- Possibilities…
- Potential…
- What we can be versus what we are..
• Some may still feel that the change required is
simply not possible.
• If you have some doubt, then consider this
closing video clip of the Power of One – a true
story on how one person exercising their right
of choice can make all the difference…

41. THANK YOU FOR THE PRIVILEGE OF
SPEAKING WITH YOU TODAY!
Ed Lisoski

42. Questions?

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