MOST Analysis

MOST is a strategic planning tool to analyze the current internal environment through four lenses to understand the goals and plans for your business or your side hustle!

M=MISSION: why the organization exists and does what it does. This should be a motivating factor, creating buy in for everyone involved. Ask yourself these questions when evaluating this key foundation stone:

Do people in the company know about the mission statement, and do they stand behind it? If they do not, it may indicate culture issues and perhaps employees do not support the company plans.

O=OBJECTIVE: measurable goals, which can be achieved.

Was the mission translated into objectives, which are SMART and well communicated to the broader business?

S=STRATEGY: how the organization is planning to achieve its objectives from medium-term to long-term.

Does your selected strategy make sense in the current external environment, which can be analyzed using PESTLE or Porter’s Five Forces?

T=TACTICS: short-term actions that business is taking like specific small projects, to implement strategy and support objectives and mission.

Is your organization agile and tactical decisions can be taken quickly? This allows you to adjust to a shifting environment.

As you work through the four perspectives, think about these key aspects:

• clarity of definition

• alignment between the four items

• communication with the rest of the company

Looking from these three angles will help you to understand potential weaknesses and strengths in your team.