Strengths, Opportunities, Aspirations and Results (SOAR)
In fall 2021, Berkshire Community College (BCC) embarked on a strategic planning approach grounded in a philosophy and set of principles know as Appreciative Inquiry (AI), which builds upon the positive core of an organization.
Counter to traditional deficit-based approaches that focus on identifying and solving problems — or identifying and closing gaps — this strengths-based framework places emphases on what is working well in an organization and further develops those elements. Over time, the process replaces the problems with successes.
Organizations throughout the world, including higher education institutions, use AI to provide a foundation for organizational change and inspired action that is not a singular event or an annual process. It is a learning orientation and a mind-set… a way of identifying strengths and successes every day, investigating the conditions that support these successes, and intentionally creating ways to increase and expand these conditions.
Contact Us
Questions or concerns? Email: mmclaughlin@berkshirecc.edu
The BCC vision, mission, and strategic plan provides an opportunity for learning and an iterative, collaborative process of exploring and building upon our assets and achievements.
Reflecting the voices of the BCC community, the vision, mission, and strategic plan provides the five-year framework to develop year-to-year action plans that include goals, benchmarks, and assessment procedures to evaluate progress and chart a clear course of action for BCC's future.
Including the voices, experiences, and expertise of all of those that BCC serves remains central to the strategic planning process. As part of the AI approach, BCC utilizes a tool that fosters strategic conversation known as SOAR framework. This acronym stands for Strengths, Opportunities, Aspirations and Results. What sets this apart from traditional planning tools such as SWOT is the focus on possibilities and measurable outcomes. While some may question the positive-only appearance, Opportunities inherently contain weakness and threats and yet orients participants toward creating forward-thinking solutions.
BCC and its constituent groups invite you to participate in a one-hour (virtual or in-person) SOAR Activity. We will discuss the Strengths, Opportunities, Aspirations and Results of BCC and our partner organizations. Your participation provides the strategic planning process with critical information that informs BCC's programs and services that meet the needs of students and the greater community.