Will SOAR really help organization development soar?

Abstract

This article was written in response to the editor's invitation to provide an alternative perspective to Zarestky and Cole's article in this same issue. While appreciating the perspective provided, I question the assumption that SOAR (strengths, opportunities, aspirations, results) as an approach to strategic planning will strengthen organization development. From among many concerns that I have with this approach, I offer four with brief explanations: the lack of systems thinking associated with positive psychology, the lack of efficacy associated with traditional strategic planning, the failure of a results orientation in a field that applauds continuous improvement, and the inability to identify the necessary data to support either SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) or SOAR.