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McKinsey's 3 Horizons: Balanced Growth

Invest in 3 time horizons together: current (H1), next growth (H2), future innovation (H3). Neglecting any = slow death.

90 min Advanced

Goal

Beat single-horizon trap (everything in H1 "current", growth dries up) with smart resource allocation across horizons.

Steps

1

H1: Current profitable business. Products, customers, ops now. Its profits fund H2 + H3.

6 more steps locked

Expected Outcome

Immediate

You find company is "H1 addicted" — all effort to current product, zero to future. Shock awareness.

Evidence base

School: Strategy / Innovation

Founders: McKinsey & Company · Mehrdad Baghai · Stephen Coley · David White (1999)

3 Horizons from McKinsey in "The Alchemy of Growth" (1999) by Mehrdad Baghai + Stephen Coley + David White. Based on 40 companies grown 50 yrs continuously.

Frequently asked questions

How long does "McKinsey's 3 Horizons: Balanced Growth" take?

This exercise takes about 90 minutes, practiced in a group in a Written reflection format.

When will I notice the effect of "McKinsey's 3 Horizons: Balanced Growth"?

You find company is "H1 addicted" — all effort to current product, zero to future. Shock awareness. In the short term: Within 6 months, 3 small H3 projects start. No success guarantee — but options born.

Is "McKinsey's 3 Horizons: Balanced Growth" evidence-based?

Yes — it draws on Strategy / Innovation (McKinsey & Company, Mehrdad Baghai, Stephen Coley, David White (1999)). 3 Horizons from McKinsey in "The Alchemy of Growth" (1999) by Mehrdad Baghai + Stephen Coley + David White. Based on 40 companies grown 50 yrs continuously.

Is "McKinsey's 3 Horizons: Balanced Growth" suitable for beginners?

Its difficulty level is: Advanced. No external tools required — it can be practiced directly inside the app.

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