The model is founded in strength-based planning for individual and organizational goals engaging as many people as possible “to plan for and create the future through collaboration, shared understanding and commitment to action. The approach is represented by the acronym SOAR which stand for Strengths, Opportunities, Aspirations, and Results.

One of the fundamental differences between SOAR and more traditional planning models is that broad representations of stakeholders are invited into the SOAR process. Stakeholders are the people who maintain an interest in the organization’s success or failure. SOAR engages the stakeholders directly in a series of conversations to identify and analyze strengths and opportunities, in order to create collective aspirations, goals, strategies and commitment to achieving results.

While every stakeholder may not be able to participate, each stakeholder group can be represented in order to:

• Identify and build on individual and organizational strengths
• Connect to and clarify the organization’s value set, vision and mission
• Discover potential productive opportunities
• Determine and align organizational goals and objectives
• Implement the plan so it guides everyday decision making and actions

• Builds relationships and community
• Engages multiple stakeholders (allows for representative involvement to manage time and numbers of participants)
• Focuses on individual strengths and experiences as relevant to purpose of meeting
• Delivers concrete results and commitment to move forward
• Supports alignment of programs, projects with mission, vision and values
• Increases opportunity thinking and selective action
• Enhances creativity

• Strategic Planning
• Leadership & Management Development
• Work Process Redesign
• Team Development
• Organization Culture Change
• Employee Development
• HR Practices: Staffing, Orientation, Performance Management
• Communications
• Collaborative alliances & joint ventures
• Community & customer relations
• Diversity initiatives
• Focus Groups
• Benchmarking
• Surveys
• Evaluation to Valuation