The six parts to a superpower

What do companies comprising the Magnificent Seven and the Granolas have in common? They have captured investors’ fancy with a superpower, or an integrated set of people, processes, and technology that creates value by helping an organization do something better than its competitors. Done well, such institutional capabilities become a lasting edge, leading to consistent outperformance and growth in competitive advantage over time.

Getting to superpower status isn’t easy. The businesses that successfully build these kinds of distinctive capabilities tap six elements, say McKinsey’s Homayoun Hatami, Liz Hilton Segel, and coauthors: vision, employees, culture, technology, organizational structure, and routines. Learn from the pitfalls and the solutions that leading companies have found to get past obstacles and achieve a long-term lead over their rivals. Then, check out other insights for more on superpowers and outperformance.

Building a superpower: What can we learn from the Magnificent Seven?

What’s your superpower? How companies can build an institutional capability to achieve competitive advantage

Six strategies for growth outperformance

Rewired to outcompete

Organizational health is (still) the key to long-term performance

Rethinking organizational health for the new world of work

How to gain and sustain a competitive edge through transformation

Human-centered AI: The power of putting people first

Performance through people: Transforming human capital into competitive advantage

Gen AI and beyond: Where else to focus now

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