LEAD PEOPLE WITHOUT TITLE

Leading people without a title is a challenge. Leadership has nothing to do with the title on your visiting card or by the size of your office. Leadership is not about how much money you make, the clothes you wear or the vehicle you drive. Leadership is a philosophy. It is an attitude. It is a state of mind. It is a way how you operate your people in your department. And mind you, it is available to each one of us. No matter what you do within an organization.

Robert Joss of Dean of Stanford Graduate School of Business – "By leadership I mean taking complete responsibility for an organization's well-being and growth, and changing it for better. Real leadership is not about prestige, power or status. It is about responsibility." He says LEAD WITHOUT TITLE.

Being a leader isn't about being liked. It is about doing what is right. Treat your people well and they will treat your customer well. Help people get to their goals and they will happily help you to get yours. Being a good human doesn't mean that you don't need to be strong and courageous when required by the circumstances. Extraordinary leadership is a balance between being tender yet tough, compassionate yet courageous, part saint and part warrior, friendly yet firm.

All that the best leaders really care about being fair, doing what's right and getting results. Do the right thing rather than doing the popular thing. The best thing to do is generally the hardest thing to do. Kindly remember forever. Make the tough decisions. Speak with candor. Let people who are not performing or under performing know when they are not performing.

I can give you an example. While I was in Delhi, the handle of one my luggage broke and I gave it to the dealer from whom I purchased it. I felt that I'd have to pay for the repair. Most of the dealer / businesses put their clients or customers through so many hurdles if you haven't saved the receipt. Any dealer would say as to what is the proof that you have got this luggage from me.

When I explained the dealer about the handle of my luggage, the individual at the counter-without any hesitation – apologized for the problem I faced. He stated that you will have your luggage repaired and it will be in a fine condition within a period of 3 days. No questions asked, no receipts asked. No hassles. No issues. Just an excellent service, with a good and genuine smile.

This gentleman showed his true leadership. He quickly diagnosed the problem, assumed personal responsibility and made the right decision. Part of the solution versus part of the problem. And he vowed her customer in the process. He was not the owner. Not the supervisor. Not a manager. Just a leader without title.

WORLD HISTORY FACTS ABOUT INDIA

1. India never invaded any country in her last 1000 years of history.
2. India invented the Number system. Zero was invented by Aryabhatta.
3. The world's first University was established in Takshila in 700BC. More than 10,500 students from all over the world studied more than 60 subjects. The University of Nalanda built in the 4 th century BC was one of the greatest achievements of ancient India in the field of education.
4. According to the Forbes magazine, Sanskrit is the most suitable language for computer software.
5. Ayurveda is the earliest school of medicine known to humans.
6. Although western media portray modern images of India as poverty striken and underdeveloped through political corruption, India was once the richest empire on earth.
7. The art of navigation was born in the river Sindh 5000 years ago. The very word "Navigation" is derived from the Sanskrit word NAVGATIH.
8. The value of pi was first calculated by Budhayana, and he explained the concept of what is now k! nown as the Pythagorean Theorem. British scholars have last year (1999) officially published that Budhayan's works dates to the 6 th Century which is long before the European mathematicians.
9. Algebra, trigonometry and calculus came from India . Quadratic equations were by Sridharacharya in the 11 th Century; the largest numbers the Greeks and the Romans used were 106 whereas Indians used numbers as big as 10 53.
10. According to the Gemmological Institute of America, up until 1896, India was the only source of diamonds to the world.
11. USA based IEEE has proved what has been a century-old suspicion amongst academics that the pioneer of wireless communication was Professor Jagdeesh Bose and not Marconi.
12. The earliest reservoir and dam for irrigation was built in Saurashtra.
13.Chess was invented in India .
14. Sushruta is the father of surgery. 2600 years ago he and health scientists of his time conducted surgeries like cesareans, cataract, fractures and urinary stones. Usage of anaesthesia was well known in ancient India .
15. When many cultures in the world were only nomadic forest dwellers over 5000 years ago, Indians established Harappan culture in Sindhu Valley ( Indus Valley Civilisation).
16. The place value system, the decimal system was developed in India in 100 BC

Personal motivation

The ability to achieve great accomplishments inherited or learned? The power, capacity and developed skill to achieve outstanding success comes from within you. If you want to change your dreams into realities and your desires into solid achievement, the answer is personal motivation - the ability to motivate yourself to accomplishment.

External vs. Internal Motivation

Personal motivation is based on the scientific principle that each of us is the end result of what we think. External motivation such as the excitement of the crowd, the stimulation of a pep talk, the exhilaration of a passing circumstance is only temporary and will not last. Conversely, personal motivation is the development of your inner strength, conscious willpower, overwhelming desire, and the determination to reach any goal you personally want to achieve. Internal motivation lasts and is a key to success.

We create our environment - mental, emotional, and physical - by the attitudes we develop. There are several principles that define personal, or internal, motivation. First, it is the power that raises you to any level you seek. Second, you hold the key to your own personal motivation ignition switch. Last but not least, consider that failure comes from a total disregard for the power of personal motivation. Keep this in mind: Since all growth and progress come from within, there is practically no limit to what a personally motivated person can accomplish!

Plan, Plan, Plan

To develop your plan of action for achieving your goal, start by asking yourself these questions: where do I stand now and what are my goals? Put your answers down in writing to help crystallize your thoughts. Face yourself squarely, honestly, and realistically. Answering these questions is a great place to begin because of what you learn about your current situations. Then develop a working plan for achieving your goal and a deadline for its attainment.

It's All in the Attitude

It's been said that life is 10 how we react to it. This is incredibly accurate. It is your attitude - not your aptitude - that is the chief determinant of your success. We are either master or victim of our attitudes, producing blessing or curse. The choice is yours!

Work Hard

No one becomes a success without being willing to work. It is through their work that most people write the story of their lives. They are both author and principal character, free to be the hero or villain, to succeed or fail. When you set goals for yourself, they work in two ways: you work on them and they work on you.

Wish vs. Desire

Create within yourself a sincere desire for the things you want in life. A burning desire is unquestionably the greatest motivator of every human action. You can easily determine the difference between what you "wish" and what you truly "desire" by asking yourself these questions:

· What are the obstacles and roadblocks I will having to overcome to achieve my goals?

· What are the personal rewards I will gain when I attain them?

· Is it worth it to me?

If you answered "Yes!" to these questions, you know you have genuine desire. Importantly, the amount of desire you have determines the degree of success you achieve. Desire is the perfect mental antidote for fear, despair, resentment, and jealousy.



A plan of action, positive attitude, willingness to work hard and sincere desire will take you far along the path of self-motivation to success. A powerful partner of desire is enthusiasm, which helps develop your self-confidence. Choose to be determined and review your written plan often by concentrating on the rewards.

Your desire and determination will stimulate a ceaseless flow of dynamic, powerful, positive direction to keep you on course until your goals are met. Use personal motivation to unlock your true potential for success - go for it!

9 great management lessons from Dhirubhai Ambani

Dhirubhaism No 1: Roll up your sleeves and help.

You and your team share the same DNA.

Reliance, during Vimal's heady days had organized a fashion show at the Convention Hall, at Ashoka Hotel in New Delhi.

As usual, every seat in the hall was taken, and there were an equal number of impatient guests outside, waiting to be seated. I was of course completely besieged, trying to handle the ensuing confusion, chaos and protests, when to my amazement and relief, I saw Dhirubhai at the door trying to pacify the guests.

Dhirubhai at that time was already a name to reckon with and a VIP himself, but that did not stop him from rolling up his sleeves and diving in to rescue a situation that had gone out of control. Most bosses in his place would have driven up in their swank cars at the last moment and given the manager a piece of their minds. Not Dhirubhai.

When things went wrong, he was the first person to sense that the circumstances would have been beyond his team's control, rather than it being a slip on their part, as he trusted their capabilities implicitly. His first instinct was always to join his men in putting out the fire and not crucifying them for it. Sounds too good a boss to be true, doesn't he? But then, that was Dhirubhai.

Dhirubhaism No 2: Be a safety net for your team.

There used to be a time when our agency Mudra was the target of some extremely vicious propaganda by our peers, when on an almost daily basis my business ethics were put on trial. I, on my part, putting on a brave front, never raised this subject during any of my meetings with Dhirubhai.

But one day, during a particularly nasty spell, he gently asked me if I needed any help in combating it. That did it. That was all the help that I needed. Overwhelmed by his concern and compassion, I told him I could cope, but the knowledge that he knew and cared for what I was going through, and that he was there for me if I ever needed him, worked wonders for my confidence.

I went back a much taller man fully armed to face whatever came my way. By letting us know that he was always aware of the trials we underwent and that he was by our side through it all, he gave us the courage we never knew we had.

Dhirubhaism No 3: The silent benefactor.

This was another of his remarkable traits. When he helped someone, he never ever breathed a word about it to anyone else. There have been none among us who haven't known his kindness, yet he never went around broadcasting it.

He never used charity as a platform to gain publicity. Sometimes, he would even go to the extent of not letting the recipient know who the donor was. Such was the extent of his generosity. "Expect the unexpected" just might have been coined for him.

Dhirubhaism No 4: Dream big, but dream with your eyes open.

His phenomenal achievement showed India that limitations were only in the mind. And that nothing was truly unattainable for those who dreamed big.

Whenever I tried to point out to him that a task seemed too big to be accomplished, he would reply: " No is no answer!" Not only did he dream big, he taught all of us to do so too. His one-line brief to me when we began Mudra was: "Make Vimal's advertising the benchmark for fashion advertising in the country."

At that time, we were just a tiny, fledgling agency, tucked away in Ahmedabad, struggling to put a team in place. When we presented the seemingly insurmountable to him, his favourite response was always: "It's difficult but not impossible!" And he was right. We did go on to achieve the impossible.

Both in its size and scope Vimal's fashion shows were unprecedented in the country. Grand showroom openings, stunning experiments in print and poster work all combined to give the brand a truly benchmark image. But way back in 1980, no one would have believed it could have ever been possible. Except Dhirubhai.

But though he dreamed big, he was able to clearly distinguish between perception and reality and his favourite phrase "dream with your eyes open" underlined this.

He never let preset norms govern his vision, yet he worked night and day familiarizing himself with every little nitty-gritty that constituted his dreams constantly sifting the wheat from the chaff. This is how, as he put it, even though he dreamed, none of his dreams turned into nightmares. And this is what gave him the courage to move from one orbit to the next despite tremendous odds.

Dhirubhai was indeed a man of many parts, as is evident. I am sure there are many people who display some of the traits mentioned above, in their working styles as well, but Dhirubhai was one of those rare people who demonstrated all of them, all the time.

5. Dhirubhaism: Leave the professional alone!

Much as people would like to believe, most owners (even managers and clients), though eager to hire the best professionals in the field, do so and then use them as extensions of their own personality. Every time I come across this, which is much too often, I am reminded of how Dhirubhai's management techniques used to be (and still remain) so refreshingly different.

For instance, way back in the late 1970s when we decided to open an agency of our own, he asked me to name it. I carried a short list of three names, two Westernised and one Indian. It was a very different world back then. Everything Anglicised was considered "upmarket."

There were hardly any agencies with Indian names barring my own ex-agency Shilpi and a few others like Ulka and Sistas. He looked at the list and asked me what my choice was. I said "Mudra": it was the only name that suited my personality. And the spirit of the agency that I was to head.

I was very Indian and an Anglicised name on my visiting card would seem pretentious and contrived. No further questions were asked. No suggestions offered, just a plain and simple "Go ahead and do it." That was just the beginning.

He continued to give me total freedom -- no supervision, no policing -- in all my decisions thereafter. In fact, the only direction that he gave me, just once, was this: "Produce your best."

His utter trust in me was what pushed me to never, ever let him down. I guess the simplest strategies are often the hardest to adopt. That was the secret of the Dhirubhai legend. It was not out of a book. It was a skillful blend of head and heart.

6. Dhirubhaism: Change your orbit, constantly!

To understand this statement, let me explain Dhirubhai's "orbit theory."

He would often explain that we are all born into an orbit. It is up to us to progress to the next. We could choose to live and die in the orbit that we are born in. But that would be a criminal waste of potential. When we push ourselves into the next orbit, we benefit not only ourselves but everyone connected with us.

Take India's push for development. There was once a time our country's growth rate was just 4 per cent, sarcastically referred to as the "Hindu growth rate." Look at us today, galloping along at a healthy 7-8 per cent.

This is no miracle. It is the product of a handful of determined orbit changers like Dhirubhai, all of whose efforts have benefited a larger sphere in their respective fields.

In a small way, I too have experienced the thrill of changing orbits with Mudra. In the 1980s, we leapt from the orbit of a small Ahmedabad ad agency to become the country's third largest ad agency -- in just under a decade.

However, when you change orbits, you will create friction. The good news is that your enemies from your previous orbit will never be able to reach you in your new one. By the time resentment builds up in your new orbit, you should move to the next level. And so on.

Changing orbits is the key to our progress as a nation.

7. Dhirubhaism: The arm-around-the- shoulder leader

I have never seen any other empire builder nor the CEO of any big organisation do this (why, I never adopted this myself!).

It was Dhirubhai's very own signature style. Whenever I went to meet him and if on that day, all the time that he could spare me was a short walk up to his car, he would instantly put his arm around me and proceed to discuss the issues at hand as we walked.

With that one simple gesture, he managed to achieve many things. I was put at ease instantaneously. I was made to feel like an equal who was loved and important enough to be considered close to him. And I would walk away from that meeting feeling so good about myself and the work I was doing!

This tendency that he had, to draw people towards him, manifested itself in countless ways. This was just one of them. He would never, ever exude an air of aloofness and exclusivity. He was always inviting people into sharing their thoughts and ideas, rather than shutting them out.

On hindsight I think, it must have required phenomenal generosity of spirit to be that inclusive. Yes, this was one of the things that was uniquely Dhirubhai -- that warm arm around my shoulder that did much more than words in letting me know that I belonged, that I had his trust, and that I had him on my side!

8. Dhirubhaism: Theory of Supply creating Demand

He was not an MBA. Nor an economist. But yet he took traditional market theory and stood it on its head. And succeeded.

Yes, at a time when everyone in India would build capacities only after a careful study of market expectations, he went full steam ahead and created giants of manufacturing plants with unbelievable capacites. (Initial cap of Reliance Patalganga was 10,000 tonnes of PFY way back in 1980, while the market in India for it was approx. 6000 tonnes).

No doubt his instinct was backed by years and years of reading, studying market trends, careful listening and his own honed capacity to forecast, but yet despite all this preparation, it required undeniable guts to pioneer such a revolutionary move.

The consequence was that the market blossomed to absorb supply, the consumer benefited with prices crashing down, the players increased and our economic landscape changed for the better. The Patalganga plant was in no time humming at maximum capacity and as a result of the plant's economies of scale, Dhirubhai's conversion cost of the yarn in 1994 came down to 18 cents per pound, as compared to Western Europe's 34 cents, North America's 29 cents and the Far East's 23 cents and Reliance was exporting the yarn back to the US!

A more recent example was that of Mukesh Ambani taking this vision forward with Reliance Infocomm (which is now handled by Anil Ambani). In India's mobile telephony timeline there will always be a very clear 'before Infocomm and after Infocomm' segmentation. The numbers say it all. In Jan 2003, the mobile subscriber base was 13 million, about 16 months later, shortly after the launch, it had reached 30 million.

In March 2006, it has touched 90 million ! Yes, this was yet another unusual skill of Dhirubhai's -- his uncanny knack of knowing exactly how the market is going to behave.

9. Dhirubhaism: Money is not a product by itself, it is a by-product, so don't chase it

This was a belief by which Dhirubhai lived all his life. For instance when he briefed me about setting up Mudra, his instruction was clear: 'Produce the best textile advertising in the country,' he said.

He did not breathe a word about profits, nor about becoming the richest ad agency in the country. Great advertising was the goal that he set for me. A by-product is something that you don't set out to produce. It is the spin off when you create something larger.

When you turn logs into lumber, sawdust is your by-product and a pretty lucrative one it can be too! It is a very simple analogy but extremely effective in driving the point home. Work toward a goal beyond your bank balance.

Success in attaining that goal will eventually ring in the cash. For instance, if you work towards creating a name for yourself and earning a good reputation, then money is a logical outcome.

People will pay for your product or service if it is good. But if you get your priorities slightly mixed up, not only will the money you make remain just a quick buck it would in all likelihood blacklist you for good. Sounds too simplistic for belief? Well, look around you and you will know exactly how true it is.

Why Leaders Fail

by Mark Sanborn

Huge publicly-traded companies Enron and Worldcom go down in flames under the guidance of capable leaders with highly questionable ethics. Gold medalist Marion Jones, once considered a positive role model, faces criminal charges for doping. The Catholic Church continues to agonize over lapses in leadership that resulted in sexual abuse of children. From the indictment of Alaskan Senator Ted Stevens to the imprisonment of Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick to the adulterous affair of former Vice Presidential candidate John Edwards, politics is rife with leadership failures.

In the recent past, we've witnessed the public downfall of leaders from almost every arena of society — business, sports, religion and politics. One day they're on top of the heap, the next, shame and infamy are heaped on them.

We are incensed by the catastrophic failures of these leaders. After all, we cheered for them, voted for them, put stock in their companies, and consulted them for spiritual guidance. We trusted them, they let us down, and it hurts.

While our outrage at disgraced leaders may be justified, we fail to realize how quickly "they" become "us." The distance between beloved leader and despised failure is shorter than we think. Like anyone, these fallen leaders never set out to sacrifice their integrity, abandon ethical behavior, or exploit those they led. But it happened anyway. Their failures should be our cautions.

Ken Maupin, a practicing psychotherapist and colleague, has built his practice on working with high-performance personalities, including leaders in business, religion, and sports. Ken and I have often discussed why leaders fail. Our discussions have led to the following "warning signs" of impending failure.

Warning Sign #1: A Shift in Focus

This shift can occur several ways. Oftentimes, leaders simply lose sight of what's important. The laser-like focus that catapulted them to the top begins to wander, and they are seduced by the trappings of leadership, such as wealth and notoriety.

Leaders are usually distinguished by their ability to "think big." But as their focus shifts, their thinking shrinks. They micromanage, get caught up in minutiae, and consume themselves with trivial decisions better left to others. To make matters worse, this tendency can be exacerbated by an unceasing quest for perfection.

A more subtle leadership derailer is an obsession with "doing" rather than "becoming." A leader's greatest influence flows naturally from inner vision and character. It is possible for a leader to become infatuated with action, and, in the process, lose touch with the all-important development of self. However, busier isn't always better.

At the present moment, what is your primary focus? If you can't write it on the back of your business card, then your leadership suffers from a lack of clarity. Take the requisite time to center your focus on what's most important.

Would you describe your thinking as expansive or contractive? You should be willing to roll up your sleeves to do whatever it takes to get the job done. However, don't take the reins from others on tasks they can do as competently as you can. Always strive to think on a higher plane. In doing so, you'll make the transition from doer to developer.

Warning Sign #2: Poor Communication

Lack of focus disorients a leader and sets the stage for poor communication. Followers can't possibly understand a leader's intent when the leader isn't even sure what it is! When leaders are unclear about purpose, they cloak their confusion with uncertainty and ambiguous communication.

Sometimes, leaders fall into the clairvoyance trap. They delude themselves into believing that committed followers can sense their goals and carry out their wishes without being told. When misunderstandings arise, managers blame their people for lack of effort (or commitment) rather than recognizing their own communication negligence.

"Say what you mean, and mean what you say" is timeless advice, but it must be preceded by knowing what you mean! Clarity of purpose is the starting point for all effective communication. The hard work of communication only pays dividends when you're crystal clear about your message.

Warning Sign #3: Risk Aversion

Leaders on the verge of breakdown fear failure rather than desiring success. Past victories create pressure for leaders: "Will I be able to sustain outstanding performance?" "What will I do for an encore?" In fact, the longer a leader is successful, the higher his or her perceived cost of failure will be.

When driven by the fear of failure, leaders are unable to take reasonable risks. They limit themselves to tried and proven pathways. Attempts at innovation — key to their initial success — diminish and eventually disappear.

Which is more important to you: the journey or the destination? Are you still taking reasonable risks? Prudent leadership avoids reckless risk, but neither is it paralyzed by fear. On many occasions, the dance of leadership is two steps forward, one step back.

Warning Sign #4: Ethics Slip

A leader's credibility depends upon two qualities: what he or she does (competency) and who he or she is (character). Deficiencies in either quality create an integrity problem.

The highest principle of leadership is integrity. When ethical compromise is rationalized as necessary for the "greater good," a leader sets foot on the slippery slope of failure.

All too often, leaders see their followers as pawns — mere means to an end. As a result, they confuse manipulation with leadership. Such leaders rapidly lose respect. To save face, they cease to be people "perceivers" and become people "pleasers," using popularity to ease the guilt of lapsed integrity.

As a leader, it's imperative to constantly subject your life and work to the highest scrutiny. Are there areas of conflict between what you believe and how you behave? Has compromise crept into your operational tool kit?

Warning Sign #5: Poor Self-Management

Tragically, if a leader doesn't take care of himself or herself, no one else will. Unless a leader is blessed with unusually perceptive followers, nobody will pick up on signs of fatigue and stress. Leaders are counted on to produce, but they aren't superheroes running on limitless energy.

While leadership is invigorating, it is also tiring. Like anyone else, leaders are susceptible to feeling drained, depressed, and de-motivated. Those who neglect their physical, psychological, emotional, or spiritual needs are headed for disaster. Think of having a gauge for each of these four areas of your life, and check them often! If a gauge's needle dips toward "empty," make time for refreshment and replenishment. Clear your schedule and take care of yourself. Self-preservation isn't selfish?it's vital to the health of those you lead.

Warning Sign #6: Lost Love

Leaders face impending disaster when they abandon their first love. The hard work of leadership should be fulfilling and fun. However, when divorced from their dreams, leaders may find the responsibility of leadership to be frustrating and fruitless. To stay motivated, leaders must stick to what they love and rediscover what compelled them to accept the mantle of leadership in the first place.

To make sure that you stay on the track of following your first love, frequently ask yourself these three questions: Why did I initially pursue leadership? Have those reasons changed? Do I still want to lead?

Heed the Signs

The warning signs in life — from stoplights to prescription labels — are intended for our good. They protect us from disaster, and we would be foolish to ignore them. As you consider the six warning signs of leadership failure, don't be afraid to take an honest look at yourself. If any of the warnings ring true, take action today! By paying attention to these signs and heeding their warnings, you can avoid disaster and sustain the kind of leadership that is healthy and fulfilling both for yourself and your followers.

SWOT = Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats

It is a framework for analyzing strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats... usually in case of a product, company, or person.

Business SWOT Analysis

What makes SWOT particularly powerful is that, with a little thought, it can help you uncover opportunities that you are well placed to exploit. And by understanding the weaknesses of your business, you can manage and eliminate threats that would otherwise catch you unawares.

More than this, by looking at yourself and your competitors using the SWOT framework, you can start to craft a strategy that helps you distinguish yourself from your competitors, so that you can compete successfully in your market.

To carry out a SWOT Analysis, answer the following questions:

Strengths:

· What advantages does your company have?
· What do you do better than anyone else?
· What unique or lowest-cost resources do you have access to?
· What do people in your market see as your strengths?
· What factors mean that you "get the sale"?

Consider this from an internal perspective, and from the point of view of your customers and people in your market. Be realistic: It's far too easy to fall prey to "not invented here syndrome". (If you are having any difficulty with this, try writing down a list of your characteristics. Some of these will hopefully be strengths!)

In looking at your strengths, think about them in relation to your competitors - for example, if all your competitors provide high quality products, then a high quality production process is not a strength in the market, it is a necessity.

Weaknesses:

· What could you improve?
· What should you avoid?
· What are people in your market likely to see as weaknesses?
· What factors lose you sales?

Again, consider this from an internal and external basis: Do other people seem to perceive weaknesses that you do not see? Are your competitors doing any better than you? It is best to be realistic now, and face any unpleasant truths as soon as possible.

Opportunities:

· Where are the good opportunities facing you?
· What are the interesting trends you are aware of?

Useful opportunities can come from such things as:

· Changes in technology and markets on both a broad and narrow scale
· Changes in government policy related to your field
· Changes in social patterns, population profiles, lifestyle changes, etc.
· Local events

A useful approach for looking at opportunities is to look at your strengths and ask yourself whether these open up any opportunities.
Alternatively, look at your weaknesses and ask yourself whether you could create opportunities by eliminating them.

Threats:

· What obstacles do you face?
· What is your competition doing that you should be worried about?
· Are the required specifications for your job, products or services changing?
· Is changing technology threatening your position?
· Do you have bad debt or cash-flow problems?
· Could any of your weaknesses seriously threaten your business?
Carrying out this analysis will often be illuminating - both in terms of pointing out what needs to be done, and in putting problems into perspective.
Strengths and weaknesses are often internal to your organization. Opportunities and threats often relate to external factors. For this reason the SWOT Analysis is sometimes called Internal-External Analysis and the SWOT Matrix is sometimes called an IE Matrix Analysis Tool.
You can also apply SWOT Analysis to your competitors. As you do this, you'll start to see how and where you should compete against them.


Personal SWOT Analysis

Strengths:

* What advantages (for example, skills, education or connections) do you have that others don't have?
* What do you do better than anyone else?
* What personal resources do you have access to?
* What do other people (and your boss in particular) see as your strengths?

Consider this from your own perspective, and from the point of view of the people around you. And don't be modest, be as objective as you can. If you are having any difficulty with this, try writing down a list of your characteristics. Some of these will hopefully be strengths!

In looking at your strengths, think about them in relation to the people around you - for example, if you're a great mathematician and the people around you are great at math, then this is not likely to be a strength in your current role, it is likely to be a necessity.

Weaknesses:

* What could you improve?
* What should you avoid?
* What things are the people around you likely to see as weaknesses?

Again, consider this from a personal and external basis: Do other people perceive weaknesses that you do not see? Do co-workers consistently out-perform you in key areas? It is best to be realistic now, and face any unpleasant truths as soon as possible.

Opportunities:

* Where are the good opportunities facing you?
* What are the interesting trends you are aware of?

Useful opportunities can come from such things as:

* Changes in technology, markets and your company on both a broad and narrow scale;
* Changes in government policy related to your field;
* Changes in social patterns, population profiles, lifestyle changes, etc.; or
* Local Events

A useful approach to looking at opportunities is also to look at your strengths and ask yourself whether these open up any opportunities.
Alternatively, look at your weaknesses and ask yourself whether you could open up opportunities by eliminating them.

Threats:

* What obstacles do you face?
* What are the people around you doing?
* Is your job (or the demand for the things you do) changing?
* Is changing technology threatening your position?
* Could any of your weaknesses seriously threaten you?

Carrying out this analysis will often be illuminating - both in terms of pointing out what needs to be done, and in putting problems into perspective.