| McKinsey Classics | August 2021 |
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| By 2014, when we published “Rethinking the role of the strategist,” the need for agility had already undermined the traditional planning process. Chief strategy officers (CSOs) responded—for example, by increasing the scope and complexity of their jobs. A global survey of almost 350 strategists showed that they had assumed 13 very diverse roles, which statistical cluster analysis arranged in five groups that embody choices facing every CSO and company.
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| Architects (40 percent of the CSOs surveyed) use factual analysis to promote growth by spotting industry shifts and understanding competitive advantages. Mobilizers (20 percent) build capabilities and deliver special projects—a critical role in developing a “higher organizational IQ.” Visionaries (14 percent) forecast trends and shocks. Surveyors (14 percent) aim to spot disruptions and offer timely advice on the long-term threats and opportunities they create. Fund managers (12 percent) seek to improve performance by reallocating resources and optimizing corporate portfolios.
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| Different kinds of companies need different kinds of CSOs. To learn what kind of CSO your company needs, read “Rethinking the role of the strategist.”
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| — Roger Draper, editor, New York |
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| Did You Miss Our Previous McKinsey Classics? |
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| Better teams develop better strategies, implement them more successfully, and inspire confidence among stakeholders. To learn how your top team can improve its performance, not just its strategies, read our 2001 classic “Teamwork at the top.”
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