McKinsey-Bennett 9-S Strategy Framework

Every organisation strives for clarity, cohesion, and competitive advantage. Yet even the best-laid plans can stumble when internal elements lack alignment. The McKinsey-Bennett 9-S Framework provides a roadmap for diagnosing and fixing gaps between strategy and execution. An outgrowth of McKinsey’s classic 7-S model, the 9-S framework adds two critical dimensions Synergy and Strategic Performance to ensure that collaboration and results don’t fall through the cracks. In this blog post, we’ll explore each of the nine components in depth, see how they interact, and look at real-world examples that illustrate how companies use the 9-S approach to drive meaningful change.

1. Strategy

The set of guiding choices and action plans an organisation adopts to achieve long-term goals and sustain a competitive advantage.
Key Questions:

• What market position are we aiming for?

• Which customer needs do we serve, and how?

• How will we allocate resources to win?

Example:
A mid-size software firm decides to shift from on-premises installations to a cloud-based subscription model. Its strategy addresses pricing tiers, the target verticals (e.g., healthcare, finance), and the phased transition for existing clients. A clearly articulated strategy sets the stage for all other “S” elements to align around this vision.

2. Structure

The formal organisation chart how roles, teams, reporting relationships, and decision authorities are arranged.
Key Questions:

• Who reports to whom, and how do cross-functional teams coordinate?

• Does the hierarchy support speed and innovation?

• Are there dedicated units for key strategic priorities?

Example:
When that same software firm repositions itself as a cloud provider, it may shift from a strictly functional structure (e.g., separate “Development” and “Sales” silos) to a hybrid matrix: product teams that combine engineering, customer success, and marketing under one “product owner.” This structure ensures each cloud offering has end-to-end ownership, from development through customer support.

3. Systems

The formal processes and workflows including technology platforms, reporting tools, and standard operating procedures that underpin day-to-day operations.
Key Questions:

• How does information and tasks flow between teams?

• Which tools and platforms enable decision-making and performance tracking?

• Are processes documented, scalable, and continuously improved?

Example:
To support its shift to cloud subscriptions, the software firm implements a new CRM system (e.g., Salesforce) integrated with a billing engine that automates invoicing, usage tracking, and renewal notifications. Simultaneously, it updates its product road-mapping process so that feedback from customer success teams feeds directly into backlog prioritisation.

4. Shared Values

The core beliefs, guiding principles, and culture that unite everyone in the organisation. These values shape how people behave daily and influence morale, collaboration, and decision-making.
Key Questions:

• What principles and standards do we hold dear?

• How do we balance customer focus, innovation, and operational rigour?

• Do employees feel a shared sense of purpose?

Example:
That software provider explicitly embraces “Customer Centricity” and “Continuous Improvement” as shared values. Team-wide kickoff meetings always begin by reminding everyone that “every decision begins with customer impact.” These shared beliefs create a cultural glue that encourages cross-team empathy—engineers, sales reps, and support specialists all understand why swift bug fixes (customer centricity) and regular platform updates (continuous improvement) matter.

5. Skills

The collective capabilities and specialised expertise that employees possess, both existing and aspirational.
Key Questions:

• What core competencies differentiate us in the marketplace?

• Where do skills gaps exist?

• How do we cultivate new capabilities for future growth?

Example:
As the firm transitions from on-premises to cloud, it audits its talent pool and finds that while it has strong C/C++ engineers, it lacks in-house expertise in DevOps practices and containerization (Docker, Kubernetes). In response, it launches training programs (partnering with an external DevOps boot camp) and recruits two senior DevOps engineers to fast-track cloud deployment pipelines. By identifying and closing these skills gaps, the company ensures its workforce can deliver reliable, scalable cloud services.

6. Style

The leadership approach, decision-making norms, and management behaviours that shape the corporate climate. It answers: “How do leaders and managers interact with teams, and how do they guide change?”
Key Questions:

• Is leadership hands-on, participative, or delegative?

• How transparent are decisions, and how is feedback solicited?

• Does the management style encourage risk-taking or favour stability?

Example:
In the early on-premises model, leaders at the software firm took a top-down, command-and-control approach, with product roadmaps set by the CTO in isolation. For the cloud transition, the CEO institutes a more collaborative style—quarterly “Innovation Town Halls” where product, sales, and support teams co-create feature priorities. This adjustment from a hierarchical style to a participative one fosters buy-in across teams and accelerates iteration.

7. Staff

The people in the organisation: the demographics, experience levels, and how they are recruited, onboarded, trained, and motivated.
Key Questions:

• Do we have the right headcount and talent mix to achieve our strategy?

• Are our hiring and development practices aligned with our values?

• How do we reward collaboration and performance?

Example:
When pursuing cloud offerings, the firm realises it needs to hire customer success managers—roles that didn’t exist under its on-premises model. It updates its recruitment criteria to look for candidates with SaaS experience and empathy for small-to-mid-market customers. Simultaneously, it revamps its performance reviews to include “team collaboration” as a key metric, aligning incentives with cross-functional success.

8. Synergy (New)

The degree to which teams and departments collaborate effectively—ensuring the organization performs as a unified whole rather than in isolated silos.
Key Questions:

• How well do cross-functional teams share information, resources, and accountability?

• Do our structures and processes actively break down barriers?

• Are there joint targets that depend on multiple departments working together?

Example:
Historically, the software firm’s Sales team negotiated new contracts without consulting Engineering, leading to overpromises on features. Under the cloud initiative, they create a cross-functional “Cloud Launch Committee,” comprising representatives from Product, Engineering, Support, Sales, and Finance. This committee meets weekly to align on pricing, feature roadmaps, and customer onboarding processes. Because each department understands dependencies and shares joint KPIs (e.g., “Customer Adoption Rate” and “Time to Onboard”), the entire organisation moves in sync, drastically reducing customer complaints and missed timelines.

9. Strategic Performance (New)

The setting of clear targets, performance metrics, and feedback loops that track the execution of strategy and ensure the organisation is delivering on its objectives.
Key Questions:

• What specific key performance indicators (KPIs) reflect success for our strategy?

• How frequently do we review metrics, and who is accountable?

• What mechanisms exist to course-correct when performance lags?

Example:
For its cloud business, the company defines KPIs such as “Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR),” “Churn Rate,” and “Average Time to Resolution (for support tickets).” It builds a real-time dashboard that updates daily. Leadership holds a monthly “Performance Review” meeting where these metrics are compared to targets, root causes of underperformance are diagnosed, and corrective action plans are assigned. By embedding these targets into staff incentives (for instance, including “Annual Churn Below 5%” as a bonus metric for Customer Success teams), the firm ensures strategic performance is top of mind, driving accountability and continuous improvement.

How the Nine Elements Work Together

The power of the 9-S Framework lies in its interconnectedness. No single “S” stands alone; each one reinforces—or undermines—another. Here’s how they weave into a cohesive organisational tapestry:

1. Strategy sets direction: it influences the ideal Structure, Systems, Staff, and Skills needed to compete.

2. Shared Values and Style create the cultural context that shapes how staff behave, how decisions are made, and whether cross-team collaboration (Synergy) is truly embraced.

3. Systems operationalise the strategy: they must facilitate information sharing across functions to promote Synergy and also collect data for Strategic Performance.

4. Staff and Skills determine if the right people with the right expertise are in place. Gaps here can derail Strategy even if Structure and Systems appear sound.

5. Synergy makes sure these elements don’t operate in isolation—teams actively collaborate to execute the plan. When synergy is weak, each department may pursue suboptimal or even conflicting objectives.

6. Strategic Performance closes the loop: it translates Strategy into measurable targets, monitors results, and triggers course corrections if any of the other factors slip out of alignment.

In practice, an organization might discover through a 9-S diagnostic that its Structure is well-defined, Systems are robust, and staff are highly skilled—but Synergy is low because silos persist. Alternatively, they might find that all nine factors appear in sync, yet Strategic Performance lags because no one is measuring the right KPIs. The 9-S framework brings those blind spots into focus.

Real-World Scenario: A Retail Chain’s Digital Transformation

Let’s look at a fast-casual restaurant brand that decides to launch a “mobile ordering” and “digital loyalty” app nationwide. Here’s how the 9-S model might shape their transformation:

1. Strategy:

   • Expand digital sales to represent 30% of total revenue within 18 months.

   • Differentiate through a best-in-class mobile experience and loyalty rewards.

2. Structure:

   • Create a new “Digital Innovation” unit reporting to the Chief Digital Officer.

   • Embed digital product managers in each of the 200 regional restaurant clusters for local feedback.

3. Systems:

   • Implement a mobile-friendly POS system that syncs orders in real time with the kitchen and payment gateway.

   • Adopt a marketing automation platform for push notifications, email campaigns, and loyalty program tracking.

4. Shared Values:

   • Emphasise “Customer Delight” and “Tech-Enabled Convenience.”

   • Embed these as mottos on restaurant walls and in training sessions, so frontline staff understand that every digital order must still feel personal.

5. Skills:

   • Upskill existing IT staff in mobile app development and cloud infrastructure.

   • Hire a handful of UX/UI designers and data analysts to interpret customer behaviour and iterate on app features.

6. Style:

   • Shift from a predominantly top-down operations mindset (driven by restaurant managers) to a more agile, test-and-learn leadership style for the digital team.

   • Executive team hosts monthly “Digital Demos” where the mobile app team showcases prototypes and collects real-time feedback, reinforcing openness and rapid iteration.

7. Staff:

   • Recruit “Digital Experience Coaches” to train restaurant staff on app-driven order pickup procedures.

   • Align incentive programs: reward restaurant managers for meeting digital sales targets as well as in-store performance.

8. Synergy:

   • Launch “Digital-In-Store Cross-Functional Squads”, pairing a kitchen lead, a floor manager, and a digital specialist at each region.

   • These squads meet weekly to resolve issues, like ensuring peak-hour digital orders don’t overcrowd in-store traffic.

9. Strategic Performance:

   • Track real-time dashboards showing:

     • Daily digital order volume vs. targets

     • App crash rates or load times

     • Loyalty sign-ups and redemption rates

   • Conduct quarterly “Digital Health” assessments: if app engagement dips or restaurant adoption lags, leadership drills into root causes and revises training or feature roadmaps.

By examining all nine dimensions, the chain ensures that its digital strategy is not just another IT project but an end-to-end organisational transformation. Each element—Structure changes, new Systems, fresh Skills, and a shift in Style—supports the overarching Strategy, while Synergy and Strategic Performance keep everything on track.

Applying the 9-S Framework: A Diagnostic Checklist

When you’re ready to apply the model, consider this step-by-step approach:

1. Document Your Strategy: Write a clear, concise statement of your strategic goals, timeframes, and competitive advantages.

2. Map Your Structure: Create an organisational chart that highlights key reporting lines and cross-functional teams. Identify any gaps or bottlenecks.

3. Inventory Your Systems: List core processes, software tools, and standard operating procedures. Evaluate if they support rapid decision-making and information flow.

4. Articulate Your Shared Values: Lay out your mission statement and cultural principles. Conduct surveys or interviews to gauge whether employees genuinely embrace these values.

5. Assess Your Skills: Perform a skills gap analysis: compare the competencies you have versus the competencies you need to execute your strategy.

6. Examine Your Style: Reflect on leadership behaviours—how do managers communicate, make decisions, and handle failure? Do these behaviours align with the needs of the strategy?

7. Review Your Staff: Analyse headcount, recruitment pipelines, training programs, and performance incentives. Verify that roles and rewards reinforce collaborative success.

8. Evaluate Synergy: Ask: Are there cross-department KPIs or joint project teams? Do teams share information transparently, or do silos persist? Use surveys or collaborative workshops to gauge the level of interdepartmental trust and cooperation.

9. Measure Strategic Performance: Identify your top 5–10 KPIs tied to strategic goals. Ensure you have real-time or near-real-time dashboards. Schedule regular performance reviews to hold teams accountable and adjust course when needed.

After gathering data for each “S,” look for alignment gaps (for example, a brilliant Strategy but outdated Systems; shared values that emphasise risk-aversion while the strategy demands rapid innovation). Then prioritise which misalignments to address first—often, fixing a Synergy gap or putting in place proper Strategic Performance measures delivers quick, high-impact results.

Conclusion

The McKinsey-Bennett 9-S Framework is more than a theoretical checklist. It’s a practical diagnostic tool that helps leaders uncover hidden disconnects between what they intend to do (Strategy) and what actually happens on the ground (Synergy, Systems, Strategic Performance). By adding Synergy and Strategic Performance to the classic 7-S elements, this model bridges the gap between alignment and execution. Every organisation can benefit by taking a systematic look at its Strategy, Structure, Systems, Shared Values, Skills, Style, Staff, Synergy, and Strategic Performance—and ensuring they’re all moving in harmony toward shared goals.

Note: This blog post is based on my understanding of the McKinsey-Bennett 9-S Framework, supported by insights from articles available online and AI-assisted tools. While I’ve done my best to present the concept accurately, please refer to official or academic sources for formal definitions or applications.