McKinsey 7S Framework

Visual representation of the model

The McKinsey 7S Framework is a management model developed by well-known business consultants Robert H. Waterman, Jr. and Tom Peters (who also developed the MBWA-- "Management By Walking Around" motif, and authored In Search of Excellence) in the 1980s. This was a strategic vision for groups, to include businesses, business units, and teams. The 7S are structure, strategy, systems, skills, style, staff and shared values.

The model is most often used as a tool to assess and monitor changes in the internal situation of an organization.

The model is based on the theory that, for an organization to perform well, these seven elements need to be aligned and mutually reinforcing. So, the model can be used to help identify what needs to be realigned to improve performance, or to maintain alignment (and performance) during other types of change.

Whatever the type of change – restructuring, new processes, organizational merger, new systems, change of leadership, and so on – the model can be used to understand how the organizational elements are interrelated, and so ensure that the wider impact of changes made in one area is taken into consideration.

When it comes to asking the right questions, we've developed a Mind Tools checklist and a matrix to keep track of how the seven elements align with each other. Supplement these with your own questions, based on your organization's specific circumstances and accumulated wisdom.

OBJECTIVE OF THE MODEL To analyze how well an organization is positioned to achieve its intended objective

Usage

Improve the performance of a company
Examine the likely effects of future changes within a company
Align departments and processes during a merger or acquisition
Determine how best to implement a proposed strategy

The Seven Interdependent Elements The basic premise of the model is that there are seven internal aspects of an organization that need to be aligned if it is to be successful

Hard Elements Strategy Structure Systems

Soft Elements Shared Values Skills Style Staff

External Links

• A Brief History of the 7-S ("McKinsey 7-S") Model - Tom Peters' blog post describing the origins of the model.
• Structure is Not Organization -Business Horizons, June 1980.