There are two main ways to undertake a SWAT. The first is a top-down process, controlled by the boss and probably carried out by management consultants, answerable only to the boss. This has the advantage of being dispassionate. Unfortunately, long-established staff will know the threat posed by the outside consultants, and therefore try to hide weaknesses that might lead to job losses. So there is a risk that a top-down process will lack the insight rquired for a really helpful SWOT analysis.
The ideal SWOT would be conducted in a consultative manner, with the boss spending time in every key department, talking to staff in an informal manner. There might also be elements of democratic delegation, in which middle managers are invited to conduct their own SWOTs - and then discuss the findings with the boss. This scenario highlights the benefit of appointing an outsider to the top job. A SWOT conducted by a long-established leader would be a very different beast.
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