Strategy Radar operates in a similar vein to SWOT and PESTLE. It’s especially useful when a leadership team wants to look beyond surface-level analysis and understand the forces shaping their success, both now and in the near future.

The tool is often used at the start of a strategy session, as a way to align perspectives and surface insights that may otherwise stay hidden. It works well when your team needs to break out of day-to-day thinking and take a step back to see the bigger picture.

The matrix is split into four key zones:

• Internal / Known – Capabilities, processes or patterns you understand well
• Internal / Emerging – Early signs of cultural drift, friction, or unmet potential
• External / Known – Trends, competitor moves, market forces already in play
• External / Emerging – Weak signals, future risks, or developments just starting to take shape

Strategy Radar can be run as a facilitated group exercise, with small teams rotating through each quadrant, or as a team-wide discussion with contributions mapped visually in real time.

By moving beyond simple lists and engaging in structured mapping, teams often uncover issues they’ve been unconsciously ignoring, and opportunities they haven’t yet explored.

Strategy Radar sets the tone for a more honest, forward-looking strategy conversation. It helps leaders avoid groupthink, challenge assumptions, and start making better-informed decisions.