20 minutes. Scored diagnostic across 7-S, Rumelt Kernel, and STARS situation type. Free — no account required.
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7-S Alignment
Rumelt Kernel
STARS Situation
Results
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Introduction
What This Assessment Does
Three frameworks. One integrated diagnosis. Specific practice pathway recommendations.
McKinsey 7-S
Score your organization across all seven interdependent dimensions: Strategy, Structure, Systems, Shared Values, Style, Staff, and Skills. Reveals where misalignment actually lives.
Rumelt Kernel
Evaluate whether your organization has a real strategy — a diagnosis, a guiding policy, and coherent actions — or a list of goals masquerading as one.
STARS Situation
Classify your current organizational situation: Startup, Turnaround, Accelerated Growth, Realignment, or Sustaining Success. The right plan depends on which situation you're actually in.
Section 1 of 3 — McKinsey 7-S Framework
7-S Alignment Score
Rate your organization on each of the seven dimensions. 1 = severely misaligned / absent, 5 = fully aligned and effective.
Strategy (S1)
Your organization has a clear, documented strategy that everyone in leadership can articulate consistently.
Not goals or a business plan — a strategy with a defined diagnosis, guiding policy, and coherent actions.
Absent / UnclearFully Aligned
Structure (S2)
Your organizational structure enables your strategy rather than working against it.
Consider reporting lines, span of control, division of responsibilities, and decision rights.
Deeply misalignedFully enabling
Systems (S3)
Your operational and technology systems (CRM, ERP, reporting, etc.) actively support your revenue and operational goals.
Are your systems integrated, used consistently, and producing reliable data for decisions?
Fragmented / blockingFully supporting
Shared Values (S4)
There is genuine alignment on what the organization values and how it operates — not just a poster on the wall.
Does your culture as lived day-to-day match what leadership says it is?
Values conflict visibleDeep cultural alignment
Style (S5)
Leadership style is consistent, appropriate to the business stage, and modeled by senior leaders.
Consider whether leadership behaviors reinforce or undermine the stated strategy and culture.
Inconsistent / harmfulConsistent / reinforcing
Staff (S6)
You have the right people in the right roles, and your talent pipeline supports your strategic goals.
Consider hiring gaps, retention issues, succession depth, and whether team composition matches current strategy.
Critical talent gapsRight people, right roles
Skills (S7)
Your organization has the capability (skills, knowledge, expertise) required to execute your current strategy.
Not just leadership — functional competency across sales, delivery, operations, and support.
Major capability gapsFull capability coverage
Section 2 of 3 — Rumelt Kernel of Strategy
Strategy Quality Assessment
Based on Richard Rumelt's Good Strategy / Bad Strategy. Rate each component of a real strategy.
Diagnosis (R1)
You have clearly identified the single most critical challenge or constraint your organization faces right now.
Not a list of problems. One real diagnosis — the constraint that, if solved, unlocks the most value. Most organizations cannot state this clearly.
No clear diagnosisPrecisely identified
Guiding Policy (R2)
Your strategy includes a guiding policy — an approach to addressing the diagnosis — that rules some options out and focuses the organization.
A real guiding policy creates channel and focus. "Be the best" is not a policy. "We win by going deep in three verticals and ignoring the rest" is.
Vague / absentClear and constraining
Coherent Actions (R3)
Your actions and resource allocations are coherent with your guiding policy — they reinforce each other rather than pull in different directions.
Do your budget priorities, hiring decisions, and operational investments all point the same direction? Or do different teams pursue conflicting objectives?
Actions conflict / scatteredFully coherent
Resource Concentration (R4)
Resources (budget, talent, leadership attention) are concentrated on highest-leverage priorities rather than spread equally across everything.
Rumelt's research shows that resource concentration on a pivotal challenge is a hallmark of good strategy. Spreading thin is a hallmark of bad strategy.
Resources spread thinHighly concentrated
Section 3 of 3 — Watkins STARS Model
Situation Classification
Select the description that best matches your organization's current situation. This determines which 30-60-90 plan architecture applies to you.
Primary Situation Type
Which of these most accurately describes your organization right now?
Be honest. The most common mistake is selecting "Realignment" when you're in a "Turnaround." The right diagnosis determines the right plan.
Time Horizon
What is your primary planning horizon right now?
This affects which phase of the 30-60-90 plan is most critical for your situation.
Your Strategic Assessment Results
Based on your responses across all three diagnostic frameworks.
Overall Alignment Score
Strategic Health Index
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out of 55 total points
Calculating…
McKinsey 7-S Framework
Dimensional Alignment Scores
Rumelt Kernel Assessment
Strategy Quality Score
Watkins STARS Model
Your Situation Type
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Priority Gap Analysis
Where to Focus First
Recommended Practice Pathway
Your Bolden Advisory Roadmap
Ready to Go Deeper?
The full Advisory Assessment engagement includes 4 sessions with Mario, stakeholder interviews, and all six deliverables delivered over 30-60-90 days.