Best practices for the SWOT analysis includes involving a diverse group of people in the analysis. So keeping focus on the company’s current situation and the future goals; where they want to go. But also being honest and objective about what are the company’s or department’s strengths and what opportunities do they face; as well as what are they looking at as potential threats, what are their weaknesses, and what threats really could take over their business in a bad way. So looking and being honest at what those opportunities and threats are, while focusing on your strengths and weaknesses, and being willing to make the changes needed, and being willing to involve your employees in honest dialogue to get to the bottom of each of the four components of the SWOT.