Description

In order to help keep you focused on your manifesto and goals, you will undertake a reflective exercise that is a simple assessment tool for new opportunities. 

Create an opportunities assessment grid like the one below. Use realistic and relevant opportunities you have recently been faced with in order to move through this exercise.

A simple assessment can be used when first considering a new opportunity. Most personal and professional undertakings are led with base organizational capacity. This means that despite the numerous exhilarating opportunities that surface, your ability to effectively access an opportunity for the benefit of yourself or your initiative must be considered with great care.

The key questions to ask when faced with an opportunity to partner, collaborate or create something in addition to your core priorities, are as follows:

• Is there demand? Does this opportunity address a need?
• Does it fit with your manifesto and goals (i.e. mission fit)?
• Does the opportunity have the potential to produce the desired outcomes?
• Is there value added?

---

Task

1. Identify 2 realistic and relevant opportunities that have come your way recently.

2. Analyze each opportunity using the 4 focus questions as guidance.

3. Map out both opportunities on your own version of the opportunity assessment grid.

---

Learning Objectives

Given that most young people are full of ideas, there is a lot of need to understand the importance of capacity and the limits to how valuable an opportunity can be for them and their changemaking endeavours. The aim of this exercise is to help you approach opportunity assessment in a meaningful way. Featured skills and competencies include: analytical skills, planning/organizational skills, dealing with change and dealing with ambiguity.

---

Continue to LEADING COMMUNITY: Pitch Perfect »