SWOT! No, it’s not mosquito season – thankfully that is passing as we head into the amazing season of fall in the mountains of Western North Carolina (WNC). SWOT is an acronym that stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. It is a simple strategic planning tool. You might be thinking, “we did our strategic planning in July” but my friends, a lot has changed since July. The great plans you began the year with may not be working out, and as we move towards the end of October, it is a great time to pause and reassess. Today I’m going to walk you through the SWOT process. In the second half of the show, I’ll take you through a related process that focuses more on your leadership, rather than the organization. Together, these tools can help you adjust course and/or refocus in a short period of time.

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Show Intro

Celebrations:

• Processes and systems.
• Fall in the mountains; why don’t we call it autumn any more?

Key Points Part 1

• SWOT components
• Ways to use the SWOT
  • Together
  • Individually, then together
  • As program review (with gallery walk)
• Example – walking through my own business

Sponsor Spot 2:I want to thank IXL for sponsoring this podcast…
Everyone talks about the power of data-driven instruction. But what does that actually look like? Look no further than IXL, the ultimate online learning and teaching platform for K to 12. IXL gives you meaningful insights that drive real progress, and research can prove it. Studies across 45 states show that schools who use IXL outperform other schools on state tests. Educators who use IXL love that they can easily see how their school is performing in real-time to make better instructional decisions.
And IXL doesn’t stop at just data. IXL also brings an entire ecosystem of resources for your teachers, with a complete curriculum, personalized learning plans, and so much more. It’s no wonder that IXL is used in 95 of the top 100 school districts. Ready to join them? Visit http://ixl.com/assistant to get started.

Key Points Part 2

• SSCC overview (Credit to Darrin Peppard, Leaning Into Leadership)
• Ways to use it
  • Individual reflection
  • Collaborate and do it for each other (with or without SWOT)
  • Quarterly?
• Example for my own leadership

Summarizing (The big takeaway)

• Strategic leadership isn’t an event
• Turbulent times call for frequent course adjustments
• Simple tools help us pause and be intentional

Special thanks to the amazing Ranford Almond for the great music on the show. Please support Ranford and the show by checking out his music!

• Ranford’s homepage: https://ranfordalmond.com
• Ranford’s music on streaming services: https://streamlink.to/ranfordalmond-oldsoul
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ranfordalmond/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ranfordalmond/

Sponsor Links:

IXL: http://ixl.com/assistant 

Kaleidoscope Adventures: https://www.kaleidoscopeadventures.com/the-assistant-principal-podcast-kaleidoscope-adventures/

Close

• Leadership is a journey and thank you for choosing to walk some of this magical path with me.
• You can find links to all sorts of stuff in the show notes, including my website https://www.frederickbuskey.com/
• I love hearing from you. If you have comments or questions, or are interested in having me speak at your school or conference, email me at [email protected] or connect with me on LinkedIn.
• If you are tired of spending time putting out fires and would rather invest time supporting and growing teachers, consider reading my book, A School Leader’s Guide to Reclaiming Purpose. The book is available on Amazon. You can find links to it, as well as free book study materials on my website at https://www.frederickbuskey.com/reclaiming-purpose.html 
• Please remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast.
• Remember the secret to good leadership:
  • Be intentional in choosing how you will show up for others
  • Be fully present
  • Ask reflective questions
  • And then just listen
  • Don’t overcomplicate it, the value is in the listening.
• Have a great rest of the week!
• Cheers!

Frederick’s Links:

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://www.frederickbuskey.com/ 

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/strategicleadershipconsulting 

Daily Email subscribe: https://adept-experimenter-3588.ck.page/fdf37cbf3a 

The Strategic Leader’s Guide to Reclaiming Purpose: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CWRS2F6N?ref_=pe_93986420_774957520