Author:  Laiza N. Otero, MSOD, Organization Development Consultant

Over the last year, few models have impacted the way I conduct my work more than S.O.A.R.

Developed by Jacqueline Stavros and Gina Hinrichs, S.O.A.R. is a simple yet powerful tool for framing dialogues within organizations.  A lot of us were trained long-ago in the use of S.W.O.T. analyses. In the latter, the discussion traditionally revolves around identifying strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.  What I kept running into was that the dialogue got stuck in the weaknesses and threats, and I found it difficult to excite myself and the audience around the strengths and opportunities.

Then a consulting trip last year to Johannesburg, South Africa, changed my world.  While there, I got to work with three amazing consultants whose work is based on Appreciative Inquiry:  Anastasia Bukashe, Enrique Zaldivar, and Joep C de Jong.  It was through them that I learned about S.O.A.R. Continue reading →