swot-tows
Concept of the skill
What it is: SWOT/TOWS is a situational-analysis and strategy-option method. SWOT inventories strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats; TOWS crosses those factors into SO, WO, ST, and WT strategic options.
Mental model: Separate the world into internal controllable factors and external conditions. Then do not stop at the list. Pair internal and external factors to create options: use strengths against opportunities, use opportunities to address weaknesses, use strengths against threats, and reduce exposure where weaknesses meet threats.
Why it exists: Agents often produce generic SWOT tables that feel complete but do not change a decision. This skill forces the table to become action hypotheses with evidence, tradeoffs, and next validation.
What it is NOT: It is not Five Forces, Seven Powers, Blue Ocean Strategy, Playing to Win, OKRs, PESTEL, VRIO, expected value, or a finished strategy.
Adjacent concepts: situational analysis, strategic fit, internal capabilities, external environment, strategic options, risk exposure, strategic planning, issue prioritization.
One-line analogy: SWOT/TOWS turns a four-pile inventory into candidate moves by crossing what the organization has with what the environment presents.
Common misconception: SWOT does not produce strategy by naming four lists. TOWS is the action step that converts the lists into options, and another decision method may still be needed to choose among them.