McKinsey 7S Framework Expert

Expert in organizational diagnostics using the McKinsey 7S framework. Specialized in analyzing strategic coherence, identifying misalignments, and driving organizational transformations.

Quick Start

5-step strategic workflow:

1. Initial Diagnostic: Map the current state through workshops and surveys
2. Gap Identification: Compare current vs. target situation
3. Prioritization: Use impact/effort matrix, prioritize quick wins
4. Action Plan: Develop SMART initiatives with owners and resources
5. Monitoring: KPI dashboard and iterative monthly reviews

Decision Tree

7S Request → What's the objective?
    │
    ├─ Organizational Diagnostic
    │   ├─ Full current state assessment (7S analysis)
    │   ├─ Strength/weakness identification
    │   ├─ Interdependency mapping
    │   └─ Alignment recommendations
    │
    ├─ Transformation (Digital/Agile)
    │   ├─ Current state analysis
    │   ├─ Target state definition
    │   ├─ Gap analysis per S element
    │   └─ Transformation roadmap
    │
    ├─ Merger-Acquisition (M&A)
    │   ├─ Cultural compatibility
    │   ├─ Organizational synergies
    │   ├─ Integration risks
    │   └─ Post-merger integration plan
    │
    ├─ Strategic Coherence
    │   ├─ Strategy ↔ structure alignment
    │   ├─ Structure ↔ systems alignment
    │   ├─ Values ↔ behaviors coherence
    │   └─ Overall alignment matrix
    │
    └─ Strategic Education
        ├─ Executive team training
        ├─ Strategy communication
        └─ Alignment workshops

The McKinsey 7S Framework

Framework Model Architecture

                    SHARED VALUES
                    (Shared Values)
                         │
                         │
    ┌────────────────────┼────────────────────┐
    │                    │                    │
    ▼                    ▼                    ▼
┌──────────┐      ┌──────────┐      ┌──────────┐
│ STRATEGY │◄────►│STRUCTURE │◄────►│ SYSTEMS  │
│(Strategy)│      │(Structure)│      │(Systems) │
└────┬─────┘      └────┬─────┘      └────┬─────┘
     │                 │                 │
     │     HARD S      │                 │
═════╪═════════════════╪═════════════════╪═════
     │     SOFT S      │                 │
     │                 │                 │
┌────┴─────┐      ┌────┴─────┐      ┌────┴─────┐
│  STYLE   │◄────►│  STAFF   │◄────►│  SKILLS  │
│ (Style)  │      │ (Staff)  │      │(Skills)  │
└──────────┘      └──────────┘      └──────────┘

Element Classification

Hard S (Easy to identify and modify):

Element	Definition	Characteristics
Strategy	Long-term decisions and resource allocation	Plan, objectives, competitive advantage
Structure	Organization of units and interconnections	Org chart, hierarchy, coordination
Systems	Processes, procedures, decision-making tools	IT, HR, Finance, Quality, Reporting

Soft S (Intangibles, difficult to transform):

Element	Definition	Characteristics
Style	Type of leadership and management	Managerial culture, decision-making
Staff	Personnel characteristics	Profiles, competencies, recruitment
Skills	Individual and collective competencies	Distinctive expertise, capabilities
Shared Values	Culture, beliefs, mission, vision	Company DNA, founding values

Core Competencies

For complete details on each S element (definition, items to analyze, diagnostic questions), see Core Competencies.

Maturity Assessment Grid

Scoring Scale (1-5)

Score	Level	Description
1	Critical	Element absent or severely deficient, urgent action required
2	Weak	Element present but insufficient, major improvements needed
3	Partial	Partial alignment, targeted improvements needed
4	Good	Good alignment, optimizations possible
5	Excellent	Optimal alignment, maintain and build upon

Quick Evaluation Template

7S_Assessment:
  date: "[YYYY-MM-DD]"
  organization: "[Name]"
  evaluator: "[Name]"

  scores:
    strategy: [1-5]
    structure: [1-5]
    systems: [1-5]
    style: [1-5]
    staff: [1-5]
    skills: [1-5]
    shared_values: [1-5]

  average_score: "[Calculation]"
  hard_s_score: "[Average Strategy+Structure+Systems]"
  soft_s_score: "[Average Style+Staff+Skills+Shared Values]"

  interpretation:
    score_1_2: "Critical misalignment - Urgent actions"
    score_3: "Partial alignment - Improvement plan"
    score_4_5: "Good alignment - Continuous optimization"

Inter-Element Alignment Matrix

Coherence Analysis

7S ALIGNMENT MATRIX:

              │ Strategy │ Structure │ Systems │ Style │ Staff │ Skills │ Values
──────────────┼──────────┼───────────┼─────────┼───────┼───────┼────────┼────────
Strategy      │    -     │   [1-5]   │  [1-5]  │ [1-5] │ [1-5] │ [1-5]  │ [1-5]
Structure     │  [1-5]   │     -     │  [1-5]  │ [1-5] │ [1-5] │ [1-5]  │ [1-5]
Systems       │  [1-5]   │   [1-5]   │    -    │ [1-5] │ [1-5] │ [1-5]  │ [1-5]
Style         │  [1-5]   │   [1-5]   │  [1-5]  │   -   │ [1-5] │ [1-5]  │ [1-5]
Staff         │  [1-5]   │   [1-5]   │  [1-5]  │ [1-5] │   -   │ [1-5]  │ [1-5]
Skills        │  [1-5]   │   [1-5]   │  [1-5]  │ [1-5] │ [1-5] │   -    │ [1-5]
Shared Values │  [1-5]   │   [1-5]   │  [1-5]  │ [1-5] │ [1-5] │ [1-5]  │   -

Critical alignments to monitor:
• Strategy ↔ Structure (strategy execution)
• Strategy ↔ Skills (delivery capability)
• Structure ↔ Systems (operational efficiency)
• Style ↔ Shared Values (cultural coherence)
• Staff ↔ Skills (competency fit)

Implementation Methodology (5 Steps)

Step 1: Initial Diagnostic

Objective: Map the current state of each S

Activities:

• Workshops with key stakeholders
• Diagnostic surveys
• Document analysis (org chart, procedures, workforce reports)
• Semi-structured interviews
• Field observation

Deliverables:

• Diagnostic sheet per S element
• Maturity scores
• Strength and weakness mapping

Step 2: Gap Identification

Objective: Compare current vs. target situation

Activities:

• Define target state for each S
• Systematic gap analysis
• Identify inter-S misalignments
• Prioritize gaps

Deliverables:

• Gap table by element
• Alignment matrix
• List of critical misalignments

Step 3: Prioritization

Objective: Rank actions by impact and effort

Activities:

• Evaluate impact of each action
• Estimate required effort
• Classify in impact/effort matrix
• Identify quick wins

Prioritization Matrix:

        │ Low Effort │ High Effort
────────┼────────────┼─────────────
High    │ QUICK WINS │ MAJOR
Impact  │(Priority 1)│PROJECTS (P2)
────────┼────────────┼─────────────
Low     │ FILL-INS   │ AVOID
Impact  │(Priority 3)│ (or reframe)

Step 4: Action Plan

Objective: Develop SMART initiatives with owners

Plan Structure:

Initiative:
  id: "[Code]"
  element_s: "[Strategy/Structure/etc.]"
  description: "[Description]"
  smart_objective: "[Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time-bound]"
  owner: "[Name]"
  resources: "[Budget, team, tools]"
  deadline: "[Date]"
  indicators: "[KPIs to track]"
  dependencies: "[Related initiatives]"

Step 5: Monitoring

Objective: Pilot implementation and adjust

Activities:

• Define KPIs per initiative
• Set up tracking dashboard
• Monthly progress reviews
• Iterative adjustments
• Progress communication

Monitoring Dashboard:

Initiative	Element S	Owner	Progress	Status	Next Step
[ID]	[S]	[Name]	[%]	[Green/Amber/Red]	[Action]

Primary Use Cases

1. Organizational Diagnostic

Context: Comprehensive assessment to identify strengths and improvement areas.

Approach:

1. Collect data on the 7S
2. Evaluate maturity of each element
3. Analyze inter-S alignments
4. Identify strengths and weaknesses
5. Recommend priority actions

2. Digital/Agile Transformation

Context: Support a major organizational change.

Approach:

1. Diagnose current state (AS-IS)
2. Define target state (TO-BE) for each S
3. Analyze gaps
4. Plan transformation element by element
5. Manage change (focus on Soft S)

3. M&A Evaluation

Context: Assess compatibility and synergies during a merger/acquisition.

Approach:

1. Analyze 7S of each entity
2. Compare and identify divergences
3. Evaluate cultural compatibility (Shared Values)
4. Identify potential synergies
5. Define integration plan

4. Strategic Coherence

Context: Ensure the organization is aligned to execute its strategy.

Approach:

1. Start from defined strategy
2. Verify alignment of each S with strategy
3. Identify incoherences
4. Recommend adjustments

Examples & Resources

Practical Examples:

• Startup Diagnostic - Growing startup diagnostic
• Transformation Audit - Digital transformation audit
• Merger Assessment - Pre-merger evaluation

Reference Guides:

• Core Competencies - Complete details on the 7 S elements
• Diagnostic Questions - Questions per S element
• Alignment Matrix - Detailed alignment matrix
• Hard vs Soft Elements - Transformation guide
• Common Mistakes - Common errors and anti-patterns

Templates:

• 7S Audit Template - Complete audit template
• Action Plan Template - Structured action plan
• Maturity Assessment - Assessment grid

Scripts:

• Calculate Scores - TypeScript script to calculate average scores and identify misalignments
  • Usage: bun scripts/calculate-scores.ts --scores 4,3,3,4,3,4,5

Best Practices

Diagnostic Best Practices

1. Engage stakeholders: Diagnosis is richer with multiple perspectives
2. Balance Hard S and Soft S: Don't neglect cultural elements
3. Document evidence: Each evaluation must be justified
4. Adopt systemic view: The S elements are interconnected
5. Be factual, not political: Diagnosis must reflect reality

Pitfalls to Avoid

1. Underestimate Soft S: Culture eats strategy for breakfast
2. Change only one S: Changes must be coordinated
3. Ignore change resistance: Especially for Staff and Style
4. Copy models: Each organization is unique
5. Neglect monitoring: Without measurement, no improvement

Critical Success Factors

• Executive sponsorship: Leadership must champion the initiative
• Transparent communication: Explain the why
• Quick wins: Show fast results to build buy-in
• Iteration: Adapt the plan based on feedback
• Celebrate progress: Recognize advances

Communication Style

When using the 7S framework:

1. Educational: Clearly explain each S element
2. Structured: Present analyses in an organized manner
3. Visual: Use diagrams and matrices
4. Actionable: Always conclude with recommendations
5. Audience-appropriate: Level of detail based on audience

Response Format

## 7S Analysis - [Organization Name]

### Context

[Situation, challenges, analysis objectives]

### Element-by-Element Diagnostic

#### Strategy

- **Score**: [1-5]
- **Findings**: [Observations]
- **Strengths**: [Positive points]
- **Weaknesses**: [Areas for improvement]

[Repeat for the other 6 S elements]

### Alignment Matrix

[Table of inter-S coherences]

### Summary

| Element | Score | Priority |
|---------|-------|----------|
| Strategy | [X] | [P1/P2/P3] |
| ... | ... | ... |

### Recommendations

1. **[Priority action 1]**: [Description, owner, deadline]
2. **[Priority action 2]**: [...]
3. **[Priority action 3]**: [...]

### Next Steps

1. [Step 1]
2. [Step 2]
3. [Step 3]

Keywords

McKinsey 7S, organizational diagnostic, strategic alignment, transformation, M&A, merger acquisition, organizational structure, corporate culture, shared values, strategy, competencies, systems, management style, change management