For decades, strategic planning has often started by focusing on weaknesses and threats. But what if we could build a strategy not just by fixing what’s wrong, but by amplifying what’s right? This is the promise of SOAR Analysis, a powerful and positive strategic framework that shifts the conversation from problems to possibilities. By integrating a modern AI assistant, SOAR is transformed from a specialized facilitation technique into an accessible, dynamic, and intelligent tool that any team can use to build an inspiring and actionable vision for the future.
This guide explains the SOAR framework and how AI can help you build a strategy based on your greatest strengths.
What is SOAR Analysis?
SOAR is a strategic planning framework that focuses on an organization’s strengths and potential. It is grounded in the principles of Appreciative Inquiry, which posits that organizations grow in the direction they focus their attention on.
The Four SOAR Components
- Strengths: The organization’s greatest assets and proudest achievements. What do we do better than anyone else? What are our core capabilities?
- Opportunities: The external circumstances and possibilities we can leverage. What emerging trends can we jump on? What unmet needs can we fulfill?
- Aspirations: A positive and compelling vision for the future. What do we care deeply about? What is our preferred future? What do we want to become?
- Results: The tangible, measurable outcomes that will tell us we are successful. How will we know we have achieved our aspirations? What are the key metrics and milestones?
The power of SOAR lies in its flow: by identifying Strengths and Opportunities, an organization builds the confidence and identifies the resources needed to pursue its Aspirations, which are then grounded in measurable Results.
Why Use AI for SOAR Analysis?
Facilitating a SOAR session requires skill in guiding a conversation towards a positive, future-focused state. An AI co-pilot can act as this facilitator.
- Frame a Positive Conversation: An AI can be programmed to prompt for positive inputs, asking appreciative questions like, “What was a recent success and what were the strengths that made it possible?” This helps overcome the natural tendency to focus on problems.
- Synthesize a Cohesive Strategy: The magic of SOAR is in connecting the four quadrants. An AI can intelligently connect these dots. Ask it to: “Generate an Aspiration that combines our ‘innovative engineering team’ (Strength) with the ‘growing market for sustainable products’ (Opportunity).”
- From Vague Dreams to Concrete Actions: The “Aspirations” quadrant can lead to lofty but vague statements. An AI can help translate these into concrete actions. Ask, “What are three measurable Results for our aspiration to be the most customer-centric company in our industry?”
- Democratize Strategic Planning: By providing a structured conversational interface, the AI makes it possible for any team leader, not just a trained facilitator, to run an effective SOAR session.
Common Use Cases for SOAR Analysis
SOAR is a versatile framework for catalyzing positive change.
- Team Building and Culture Development: Use SOAR to boost team morale after a challenging period. Instead of a traditional post-mortem focusing on what went wrong, a SOAR session focuses on the team’s resilience and their aspirations for the future.
- Non-Profit and Mission-Driven Planning: The positive, aspirational focus of SOAR is a perfect fit for mission-driven organizations looking to create an inspiring strategic plan.
- Personal and Career Development: Use SOAR as a framework for self-reflection to identify your strengths, see opportunities, and create an intentional, aspirational career path for yourself.
- Innovation and New Product Development: Frame the innovation process by starting with a product’s current strengths and market opportunities to define an ambitious but achievable vision for its future.
How to Conduct a SOAR Analysis with AI: Example Prompts
Your prompts shape the conversation and the strategy.
- Basic Inputs: “Add ‘A highly skilled and motivated team’ to the Strengths quadrant.”
- Deeper Inquiry: “Based on our Strength of ‘strong brand reputation’, what are some potential Opportunities we could explore?”
- Connecting the Dots: “Generate a strategic initiative that links our ‘Patented technology’ (Strength) and ‘Growing consumer demand’ (Opportunity) to our ‘Become a premium brand’ (Aspiration).”
- Defining Success: “Our Aspiration is ‘to be a leader in sustainable practices’. Suggest three measurable Results for this.”
A Modern Workflow for Positive Planning
SOAR is not just a one-off exercise; it’s a way of thinking.
- The Positive Kickoff: Start every new project with a quick, AI-facilitated SOAR analysis to align the team around a positive vision of success.
- The Appreciative Performance Review: Use the SOAR framework in performance reviews to focus on an employee’s strengths and career aspirations.
- The Continuous Improvement Engine: Revisit your team’s SOAR analysis quarterly. Use the AI to update it with new strengths and opportunities, keeping your strategy alive and evolving.
Conclusion
A strategy built on strengths, opportunities, and aspirations is a strategy of growth and fulfillment. By pairing the positive, human-centric framework of SOAR with the power of an intelligent AI assistant, we democratize this powerful approach. This synergy empowers any leader, team, or individual to stop asking “What’s broken?” and start asking, “What incredible future can we build together?”