How to Compile the Info needed for a Personal SWOT Analysis?
To conduct an accurate and very specific personal SWOT analysis you’ll need to consider the following:
Determine your strengths: What advantages do you have that others don’t? What do people say you do better than anyone else? What skills and experience do you have that make you unique?
Be honest about your weaknesses: You’ll need to confront your weaknesses and understand your threats otherwise the results won’t be able to guide you accurately. What tasks do you avoid because you don’t feel confident doing them? What are some of your negative work habits? What do other people see as your weaknesses?
Capitalising on your opportunities: Is there a way you could create an opportunity for yourself by taking advantage of one of your strengths or by eliminating one of your weaknesses? Is something happening in your organisation in the future that could be an opportunity for you?
Learn how you behave in different situations: Analyse yourself in numerous situations to get a full view of your strengths and weaknesses. Take note of how you act at work, compared to home and in social situations, and why you act differently.
Know how others view you: Ask various people to get a full view of your strengths and weaknesses. The more information you have about your own behaviour the clearer the direction the SWOT analysis can give you about your future and where you need to improve. You should ask your partner, family, friends, co-workers and boss to get an accurate overall understanding of how others see you.
How you can benefit from a personality test: Complete a personality test to further improve your understanding of yourself. Personality tests provide insight into the human psyche, for example how you respond in certain situations, how you prefer to conduct yourself. By understanding yourself, you can foster an environment that is best suited to you based on your personality, allowing you to become a top performer.
The Enneagram, for example, refers to the nine different personality types. Each represents a worldview and archetype that resonates with the way people think, feel and act in relation to the world, others and themselves. You can take the free test here.