When it comes to strategic business analyses, few are as straight-forward as the SWOT analysis, or so it would seem. You sit down and list your organization’s Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats, and you’re good to go. Thing is, it’s this very simplicity that belies the real value of the exercise and baits us into giving the process little real thought or analysis. In fact, many of the SWOTs I’ve seen (including some that I’ve done) are little more than a cursory, back-of-the-napkin effort. The deeper purpose of the exercise is to determine the company’s competitive position and figure out the best strategy to pursue—how best to win in the marketplace. In this article we’re going to talk about what goes into a proper SWOT analysis and how it can help your organization map out a strategic direction.