How? Start from Your Strengths

In the previous topic you made clear to yourself, or to the organisation you’re involved with, what contribution you want to make to the world. In this and the next two topics you will get more information about how you want to do it. By what means and in what way do you want to bring your purpose into the world? We chose to divide the content into three topics, because there are different aspects to it:

  • Start from your strengths.
  • Which values guide you?
  • Your Unique Value Proposition.
source: pixabay.com

We start with your unique strengths, either those you have as an individual or those the organisation has for which you will be doing the exercise. Why? Those who are highly driven to give something beautiful to the world are often willing to do a lot for it. And sometimes forget themselves, and are willing to go outside their own comfort zone. This is admirable but not always smart in this hectic world. For the sake of your own self-care, we recommend starting from your strengths. It will all go a little easier and it’s a lot more fun. And besides, the world deserves our best, right? So therefore: start from your strengths!

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source: pixabay.com

There are different ways to determine your strengths. Below we present two exercises that map them out and link them to a business context at the same time. Don’t be put off by the business language – hang in there and soon you will be speaking it, too! You will also help build the bridge between entrepreneurship and social work.

1. SWOT- Analysis

A SWOT analysis is a business tool that analyses strengths and weaknesses combined with opportunities and threats. The SWOT analysis includes an internal and external part:

  1. Internal: an understanding of one’s organisation. What are the strengths and weaknesses?
  2. External: an understanding of the market in which the organisation operates. What changes are occurring? What are the main developments? What effects do they have on the organisation, divided in opportunities and threats?
source: wikipedia (click to enlarge image)

  • If you want a clear explanation on how to use this tool, watch this 5 minute video on “SWOT- analysis: How to perform one for your organisation.”
  • If you want a more comprehensive explanation, you can watch this 15 minute video.
  • If you want to make a personal (individual) SWOT-analysis: watch this entertaining video and answer the questions (6 minutes):

2. Treacy & Wiersema

According to Treacy and Wiersema, there are three different value strategies that organisations can employ:

Operational excellence (process focus)
The company offers relatively good products or services at low prices by managing processes and costs well. The entire process from purchase to delivery is optimised. Due to low costs one can choose to keep the price low or use a high margin. The fast food chain McDonalds is a good example for that.

source: urlogistik.co.id

Product Leadership (product focus)
The product has the highest priority, the quality of a product often goes hand in hand with technology and innovation, as well as market trends, for example the Apple Inc. Corporation.

Customer Intimacy (customer focus)
With customer intimacy, the organisation focuses on the wishes of the customer. Usually it does not have a standardised product range. A good relationship with the customer is central, the organisation always wants to know exactly what the customer wants and responds to that.

Value strategy example (following Treacy & Wiersema)

With these value strategies organisations can add value and distinguish themselves. According to Treacy and Wiersema, an organisation must be superior in at least one of these value strategies, but the other two must also score sufficient.

You can also look at this scheme to check where the strengths of your business are situated.

If you want to learn more about this model, look at this 7 minute video where Treacy & Wiersema’s value strategies are explained.