Why Coya takes a Strengths-based approach to evaluation:

At COYA, we believe that how we evaluate our work shapes the future we create. Rooted Action Analysis moves beyond deficit-based models, such as SWOT, which focus on weaknesses and threats. Instead, we center strengths, actions, and growth—because what we nurture, we expand.

Uncovering Weaknesses Can Cause Harm

Traditional evaluation methods often ask organizations to expose their weaknesses, but to whom? Indigenous knowledge teaches us that our relationships define us—when we share our perceived deficiencies with those we are beholden to (funders, stakeholders, employers), we risk reinforcing narratives of inadequacy rather than empowerment. This leads to shame, fear, and compliance rather than innovation, responsibility, and accountability.

Even more harmful is when organizations ask their intended beneficiaries to validate their weaknesses before making a change. When those most impacted by a system are required to confirm what is broken before an organization takes action on what is already in its control, it burdens the very people it claims to serve. This is extractive and shifts responsibility away from leadership and onto those experiencing harm. True accountability means making changes because they are right—not because someone has suffered enough to prove they are necessary.

Indigenous Principles Focus on Strengths and Gifts

In Indigenous worldviews, every being has a gift to contribute. Rather than asking, "What are we lacking?" we ask, "What are we offering, and how do we grow from here?" Evaluation is not about measuring failure; it’s about recognizing the cyclical nature of learning and the power of choice in shaping our impact.

COYA’s Rooted Action Analysis framework reflects this by guiding organizations to:
✔️ Contribute Our Gifts – Identify what we bring and amplify our strengths.
✔️ Own Our Actions – Reflect on the impact of what we’ve done.
✔️ Yearn for Growth – Seek learning opportunities, not just solutions.
✔️ Act on Legacy – Align daily choices with long-term impact.

By focusing on strengths, we move forward with integrity, ensuring that our work is guided by action, not reaction.

The Deficit Model vs. Strengths-Based Growth

Markus Buckingham, a leading researcher on performance and strengths-based leadership, highlights that deficit-based evaluations decrease engagement, innovation, and overall effectiveness in organizations. His research shows that people and teams grow exponentially when they focus on what they do well and how to refine it—not when they dwell on perceived weaknesses.

Traditional approaches like SWOT analysis assume that weaknesses must be corrected to succeed, but COYA knows that true growth happens by amplifying strengths, not fixing what was never broken.

Rooted Action Analysis: A Better Way Forward

Rather than forcing organizations into a static framework of strengths vs. weaknesses, COYA embraces Spiral Time—a recognition that growth is cyclical, not linear. We don’t measure success by whether we "fix" something, but by how we carry forward wisdom from each turn of the spiral.

This approach ensures that evaluation is not punitive, but empowering, encouraging organizations to act with confidence rather than fear. When we are strengths-based from the start, we finish in a good way.

COYA invites you to step into a strengths-based future—one that honors your gifts, acknowledges your actions, and builds a legacy worth carrying forward.

Move your organization’s learning forward with a Rooted Action Analysis.