7’S McKinsey Model

STRATEGY 1 2 3 4 5

What is our strategy? There is no strategy at all There is no articulated There is a strategy but The strategy is present The strategy is
and there seems to be no strategy and the buy-in is poor and and communicated but internalized and
attempt by management organization is held accountability to not yet completely embodied by everyone in
to be strategic or together mostly through performance indicators is internalized with some the organization, and all
purposeful in the traditions, habits, and driven more by initiatives, projects, and are held accountable to its
operations of the subservience to authority. compliance than by performance indicators performance.
organization. commitment. still unaligned.

How do we deal with The organization is The organization is mostly The organization tends to The organization is aware The organization is agile,
competitive pressure? completely oblivious to reactive to competition or be reactive to competition of the need to respond to quick, calm, and
competition and external external changes and only or external changes but is competition and external systematic in responding
shocks to the point that adjusts once the shock still able to catch up changes though the to threats or sudden
the organization always has passed which by then before ‘it’s too late’ to learning process is either changes in the external
feels under threat. may be too late to change or adjust. inconsistent or infrequent. environment.
change.

STRUCTURE 1 2 3 4 5

How do parts of the The organizational The organizational The organizational The organizational The organizational
organization organize, structure is merely a structure is mostly held structure is manualized structure is manualized structure is established,
align, and collection of titles and together by tradition, though some gaps remain and the processes are professional, and efficient
communicate? functions with no real habits, and ‘culture’ with in terms of defining clear; conflicts and with conflicts easily
alignment with the attempts to manualize functions such that decisions are resolved resolved and decisions
strategy or objectives of either incomplete or regular review and with some deliberation easily arrived at.
the organization. ineffective. revision of the manual is required.
required.

How are decisions Decisions are made Decisions are made Decisions are made solely Decisions are made Decisions are made with
arrived at? inconsistently and largely on discretion that by authority figures with primarily by the clear responsibility and
decision-makers have no may be based on some adherence to authorities in the accountability by various
accountability. At times, tradition, habits, and operational standards and organization, with an units, and are
the organization finds ‘culture’ thus the manuals but with also established process for communicated and
itself in paralysis over character of decision- some discretion that may others to clarify, question, effectively internalized
who, how, or why making may change or may not be readily or challenge the decision. throughout the
decisions are made. depending on the persons communicated. organization.
involved.
SYSTEMS 1 2 3 4 5

What are the main Processes such as HR, Processes such as HR, Processes such as HR, Processes such as HR, Processes such as HR,
systems that run and financial management, financial management, financial management, financial management, financial management,
support the and physical plant are and physical plant are still and physical plant are and physical plant are and physical plant are
organization? either not present, or developing, with still present but follow only present but follow established, manualized,
assumed by cross- much room for processes either loose guidelines, standards that require and operate smoothly
functioning offices or to be standardized or old habits, or ‘best minor interpretation and without fail.
personnel. written down. practices.’ review.

How is performance Performance evaluation is Performance evaluation is Performance ratings or There is an effective There is a robust
measured, assessed or hardly done or if being mostly seen as a evaluation scores are accountability mechanism accountability mechanism
evaluated? conducted, it is done compliance exercise and is done with the intent to that staff generally agree (ie. scorecards, KPIs) that
poorly. The process may disconnected from improve performance but with after some is well-defined, widely
also be used for personal strategy or other wider can sometimes become clarification and adhered to by staff, and
vendettas or personal performance metrics for just a compliance consultation on indicators. truly promotes high
ends. the organization. exercise. performance.

SHARED VALUES 1 2 3 4 5

What are the core The organization does not The organization may The organization’s values The organization’s values The organization’s values
values and how strong have values to underpin have values, but they are are visible throughout the can be articulated by staff are clear and fully
are they? its activities; the only either unclear or poorly organization (ie. in and they generally exhibit embodied by the staff in
thing that matters is communicated, and any posters, materials) but are those values especially all they do inside and
efficiency and the stated virtue or principle internalized only by a very when they’re reminded. outside the organization.
accomplishment of tasks. is only given lip service to. few.

What is the value of There is no defining There isn’t a single The organization’s culture The culture is clear and The culture is clear,
culture to the culture in the organization organizational culture, but can ‘be felt’ though it may used mostly as a concept vibrant, and alive, and
organization? such that its character a cluster of cultures not necessarily be to define what is permeates to the
easily changes with new among different units or articulated, defined, or acceptable and not organization’s identity
leaders, policies, or staff. departments of the readily obvious to acceptable within the (brand) and daily
organization. newcomers. organization. activities.

STYLE 1 2 3 4 5

Is the leadership style Leaders are a bad fit with Leaders may not be a Leaders have some sense Leaders have read the Leaders have read the
employed by the organization and most natural fit with the of how to lead the pulse of the organization pulse of the organization
management effective conflicts occur because of organization but could be organization but would well and have identified well and can wear
in steering the clashing personalities and grown into the role with require consultation with specific areas where to multiple hats depending
style rather than some training, coaching, stakeholders in order to engage and others where on the context and
organization?
substance. and monitoring. be effective. to delegate or deputize. purpose of their leading.
Are teams empowered, There is no effort on the Staff prefer to work in Teams can function There is more teamwork Teams are self-regulating,
or are they just nominal part of management to hierarchic structures together to achieve than teams; staff or units take initiative, have clear
groups? foster and develop teams; rather than in teams; in shared objectives but in the organization can goals and objectives, and
only co-existence matters group contexts, they tend open do so in a safe function in teams with are integral units to the
for the sake of efficiency to ‘go with the flow’ or manner that ‘keeps the some guidance and organization.
and accomplishing tasks. follow a dominant view. peace’ with each other. direction.

STAFF 1 2 3 4 5

Are the human Most staff positions are Most staff positions are Most staff positions are Most staff positions are All staff positions are filled
resources required by unfilled with most present unfilled with present staff filled but with individuals filled with some with the best individuals
the organization present staff mismatched in terms overstretched and cross- taking on roles vastly individuals taking on roles possible.
and optimal? of their role and technical functioning if only to get different from their beyond their basic
ability. the job done. background or technical qualifications.
ability.

Are staff properly There is high turnover of There is high turnover of Staff work hard but are Staff are dedicated and Staff are dedicated and
motivated and staff and yet very low staff and they usually cite transactional in nature; loyal provided that their deeply loyal to the
incentivized to stay and accountability; those who ‘greener pastures’ and they may demand higher ‘basic needs’ are met and organization; while
deliver high leave simply disappear opportunities as a primary benefits or pay when they authentic concern is incentives are important,
(AWOL) without transition reason for moving out. feel the incentives are no shown by management. these are not among their
performance?
plans of any sort. longer commensurate. primary concerns.

SKILL 1 2 3 4 5

Is the organization’s There is little or no The organization is still The organization is known The organization has a The organization has a
core competence attempt on the part of the attempting to find and for its remarkable series of activities that it clear reputation and
evident? organization to set itself define its niche to performance in an activity can do well without image for what it does
apart; efficiency is differentiate itself from that other entities can necessarily becoming exceedingly well
sufficient in itself. others. also perform and compete known for just one thing. compared to others.
in.

Are there skills gaps in Skill gaps are unidentified Skill gaps are bridged Skill gaps exist in the Skill gaps exist for the Skill gaps are easily
the organization? and unassessed. through overstretching or organization due to job highly technical skills that identified, analyzed, and
Organization operates on cross-functioning mismatch (qualification vs tend to be difficult for the closed through hiring or
the presumption of presently employed staff. roles) and the inability to organization to hire or training or precise
regularity even if it is hire new teachers. train for. placement of staff.
clearly not the case.