How do you compare your strategy with other organizations?

1 Define your purpose

Before you start comparing your strategy with other organizations, you need to have a clear purpose and scope. Why do you want to compare your strategy? What are you trying to learn or achieve? Who are you comparing yourself with? How will you use the information you gather? Answering these questions will help you focus your comparison and avoid wasting time or resources.

2 Choose your criteria

Once you have defined your purpose, you need to choose the criteria that will guide your comparison. These are the aspects of your strategy that you want to measure and compare with others. For example, you might want to compare your vision, goals, resources, actions, outcomes, or impact. You should choose criteria that are relevant, specific, and measurable. You should also align them with your purpose and scope.

3 Gather your data

The next step is to gather the data that will help you compare your strategy with other organizations. There are different sources and methods that you can use, depending on your criteria and availability. For example, you can use public documents, reports, websites, social media, surveys, interviews, or observations. You should aim to collect reliable, accurate, and comparable data. You should also respect the privacy and confidentiality of the organizations you are comparing with.

4 Analyze your data

After you have gathered your data, you need to analyze it and draw conclusions. You can use different tools and techniques to help you do this, such as graphs, tables, charts, ratios, benchmarks, or SWOT analysis. You should look for patterns, trends, similarities, and differences. You should also interpret your data in relation to your purpose and criteria. What does your data tell you about your strategy and the strategies of other organizations? How do you compare with them?

5 Apply your findings

The final step is to apply your findings and use them to improve your strategy. You should use your comparison as a source of feedback, learning, and inspiration. You should identify your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. You should also recognize the best practices, innovations, and lessons from other organizations. You should then use this information to adjust, refine, or revise your strategy. You should also monitor and evaluate the results of your changes.

Comparing your strategy with other organizations can be a valuable exercise if done well. It can help you gain insights, identify gaps, and improve your performance. However, you should also be aware of the limitations and challenges of comparison. You should not compare yourself with others without a clear purpose and criteria. You should not rely on incomplete or inaccurate data. You should not copy or imitate others without considering your own context and goals. You should not use comparison as a way to compete or criticize others. You should use comparison as a way to learn and grow.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?