Strategy & Business · Growth & portfolio
McKinsey Three Horizons
McKinsey Three Horizons · Portfolio framework
Short-term execution dominates while medium- and long-term growth options receive inconsistent attention.
Why use it
Balance initiatives across core business, emerging opportunities, and future options.
How to apply
- Define the specific management situation and desired outcome.
- Gather the minimum facts, constraints, and perspectives needed to use the tool.
- Apply McKinsey Three Horizons, make key assumptions explicit, and compare the result with realistic alternatives.
- Record the decision, next owner or action, and a testable criterion for the next step.
Output
A growth portfolio distributed across three horizons.