Opportunity areas: what they are, what they are for and what types there are

Opportunity areas are aspects on which we can work to improve. In this article we will know its main characteristics and we will see the areas where we can find aspects to improve and enhance, within companies.

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What are opportunity areas?

Opportunity areas are groups of skills and competencies linked to contexts with goals to be achieved, and that can be developed to reach those goals more effectively. There are basically two types of opportunity areas: personal and business. Let's see in detail what each of them consists of.

Personal Opportunity Areas

The areas of opportunity in the personal field consist of certain aspects of our way of being, personality and behavior that can be improved. Through them, we come out strengthened and discover facets of our personality that we did not know.; In addition, they show us that we can achieve many more things than we thought, and that we are stronger than we thought.

That is, they focus on the "weakest" aspects of ourselves; if we work on them, we can increase our potential and progress in different areas (especially on a personal level).

Many times, If we do not know how to detect these areas of opportunity, problems may appear that harm us in some area of ​​our lives.. However, if instead we work on them, our quality of life can improve.

Thus, the first step that we will need to apply is knowing how to detect these areas of opportunity that allow us to improve as people. Once identified, we will start working on them, either individually or with the help of a professional (psychologist, coach...). To start working on them, it will be important to design the steps to be implemented to achieve the goals we have set for ourselves.

Characteristic

Personal areas of opportunity have a lot to do with our weak points, but also with limitations that we have put on ourselves, with frustrations not overcome, fears, insecurities, etc. Identify these small weak points or "potholes" that prevent us from developing our potential to the fullest It will allow us to feel safer and better with ourselves.

Why take advantage of our areas of opportunity? Doing so will allow us to obtain individual changes and in turn succeed in what we set out to do. These improvements can be translated, for example, into higher levels of individual responsibility, more commitment, perseverance, etc..

Steps to develop them

There are some steps proposed by Patricia Behisa, a specialist in SEO and digital marketing, to be able to take advantage of the areas of personal opportunity that we propose. She specifies 7 steps, which are interrelated.

1. know ourselves

The first step is essential to know what areas of opportunity we have. The fact of knowing ourselves will make it easier to detect these areas, and allow us to start working on them.

2. Analyze our past experiences

Our past as individuals defines us; This does not mean that it limits us, simply that what we have done or experienced in the past, says in part how we are. Sometimes Analyzing these experiences we can find answers that allow us to strengthen our areas of opportunity.

3. Highlight the virtues

The third step involves highlighting our virtues, our strengths. Just as we must know our weak points, our strengths and potentialities as well. This can give us clues about how to work to increase our personal security and to enhance our abilities.

4. Point out our skills

The fourth step proposed by Patricia Behisa is that we point out our skills, what we know how to do. This also encompasses our interests and abilities, and can guide us when it comes to improving our areas of opportunity.

5. Sort the skills above

We must be able to order the above skills; that is, make a list that orders them according to the degree of dominance that we have.

6. Select the best skills

After writing the list, we will proceed to select those skills that we are best at, or of which we have a more advanced level of knowledge or practice. This will allow us to know which one (or which ones) is better for us to put into practice first..

7. Let go

The last step that Behisa proposes is “letting go”, flowing. Now we know what we are best at, what skills we have; it is only a matter of putting them into practice based on our areas of opportunity.

Business opportunity areas

The second type of areas of opportunity are business; namely, which we can detect and work in the workplace. The line of work will be similar to the previous one; first we must detect our weak points to start working on them.

Thus, the areas of business opportunity are actually similar to the previous ones but in the labor field. They consist of "gaps" that we can observe in our business, in opportunities for improvement. In this way, it is not only about “errors”, but about aspects that we can enhance. For example, competitiveness, initiative, efficiency, profitability, etc.

Once these areas of opportunity have been detected, we can work on them. But... what for? Fundamentally, to improve our company or organization, obtain greater benefits, etc. In addition, many times these areas are sources of losses (for example economic) for the company; if we identify them correctly, we can achieve the opposite effect (earn more, improve certain conditions or aspects of the company, etc.).

How to develop them

We propose 4 large areas (or areas, facets) where we can find areas of opportunity in our business (although there are many more):

1. Innovation

The field of innovation allows us to create new, fresh and creative ideas that add value to our company. These ideas can refer to processes, products, services, etc. Finding areas of opportunity in this area or sector will allow you to create original and unprecedented ideas.

2. Customer service

This area refers to how customers are served and cared for. Within it we can find many areas of opportunity that improve the consumer experience, that increase the quality of the service that our company offers, etc.

3. Human Resources

human resources they are another key piece within any company, and it refers to human capital, people. Being able to identify, attract and hire talent, that is, people who add value to the company, can improve many aspects of it. Having good workers is always a positive aspect.

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4. Image

Secondly, the image of the company, its reputation and its references can lead to more or fewer clients, that people are more or less satisfied, etc.

As in the previous areas, in this one you can also find good areas of opportunity, which allow to improve the image of the company both for the exterior and for the interior (the own workers). This can also enhance customer loyalty.

Bibliographic references:

• Avia, M.D. (nineteen ninety five). Personality: cognitive and social aspects. Madrid: Pyramid.
• Benson, T. and Mugarura, S. (2013). Livestock development planning in Uganda: Identification of areas of opportunity and challenge. Land use policy, 35: 131-139.