Strategic Leadership

Strategic Position 171

Table 8.1

Strategic

Indicators

Political

Trends

Educational

Trends

Economic

Trends

Social

Trends

Techno-

logical

Trends

#1 Create as many
indicators as
needed.

Put a numerical
weighting in
each block.
#2
#3
#4
#5

in a system that is controlled by a large number of variables besides the single
external factor that may be under analysis. How, for example, does one translate
a new governor’s pro-education campaign platform (as a political trend) into an
influence on indicators such as the number of applications, the state subsidy, or
retention rates? The governor’s ideas may never be enacted, and the influence of
other variables on each strategic indicator makes a numerical measure a mislead-
ing indicator, providing more apparent precision than is warranted.
If one uses cross-matrix analysis in a comprehensive way for the ten steps of
the strategy process, as the Rowley, Lujan, and Dolence suggest, it becomes an
extremely elaborate and complex process. It would involve measuring dozens of
trends from the PEEST analysis plus countless more calculations to sort out oppor-
tunities and threats and strengths and weaknesses, as well as to assess policies,
procedures, strategies, and goals. The problem is not to do the calculations, but to
be confident of what they mean. What is described as a strategic engine appears to
become a forbidding contraption with no off switch. Surprisingly and significantly,
there is no determinative place in the engine for a vision of the future (Rowley,
Lujan, and Dolence 1997).

TOWS Matrix

A helpful use of a matrix is to juxtapose the conclusions about an organiza-
tion’s strengths and weaknesses against the threats and opportunities that have
been defined in a planning process. The diagram is simple, but it helps to focus
the work of strategy on the issues that most deserve to be pursued and that will
yield the best results. It marks a useful way to begin to turn the strategy pro-
cess toward the selection of the strategic initiatives and projects that rank as
priorities. Each of the four quadrants in the matrix below suggests an appropri-
ate way to respond to the various interconnections between opportunities and
threats and strengths and weaknesses: to develop opportunities where there
are strengths, to confront threats with strengths, to consider opportunities to
overcome weaknesses, and to avoid threats where there are weaknesses. What