Turn messy thoughts into strategy with this McKinsey prompt

Why this prompt feels sharp

February 26, 2026

TL;DR: This prompt forces AI to utilize elite consulting frameworks like the Minto Pyramid and MECE to transform unstructured business problems into rigorous, executive-ready strategy briefs.

We have all stared at a complex problem and struggled to organize our thoughts into a coherent narrative. You know the solution is in there, but structuring it for high-level stakeholders is a different beast entirely. That is why I was so impressed when u/EQ4C shared this sophisticated prompt design.

The author approached this with a specific goal: to replicate the “brutally clear” reporting style of top-tier management consultants. Instead of asking for a generic essay, the creator engineered a prompt that acts as a strict cognitive scaffold. It does not just generate text; it forces the AI to think through specific logical filters before it writes a single word.

In partnership with

The Lithium Boom is Heating Up

Thanks to growing demand, lithium stock prices grew 2X+ from June 2025 to January 2026. $ALB climbed as high as 227%. $LAC hit 151%. $SQM, 159%.

This $1B unicorn’s patented technology can recover 3X more lithium than traditional methods. That’s earned investment from leaders like General Motors.

Now they’re preparing for commercial production just as experts project 5X demand growth by 2040. They’ve announced what could be one of the US’ largest lithium production facilities and have rights to approximately 150,000 lithium-rich acres across North and South America.

Unlike public stocks, you can buy private EnergyX shares alongside 40,000+ other investors. Invest for $11/share by the 2/26 deadline.

This is a paid advertisement for EnergyX Regulation A offering. Please read the offering circular at invest.energyx.com. Under Regulation A, a company may change its share price by up to 20% without requalifying the offering with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Why This Works

This prompt is a masterclass in constraint-based prompting. Here is what makes it effective:

  • Persona Specificity: It doesn’t just say “act like a consultant.” It specifies “Senior Engagement Manager” and lists specific traits (top-down, hypothesis-driven), which primes the model for a very specific tone.

  • Framework Injection: The author explicitly instructs the AI to use the SCQ Framework (Situation, Complication, Question) and MECE (Mutually Exclusive, Collectively Exhaustive). This prevents the AI from rambling or repeating itself.

  • The Minto Pyramid Principle: By demanding “Answer First,” the prompt flips standard AI behavior (which usually builds up to a conclusion) to match executive communication styles.

  • Action Titles: The constraint to use full sentences as headers (e.g., “Profitability is declining due to…”) ensures that even the formatting conveys information.

Use Cases

  • Board Preparations: Use this to draft a one-page memo for skeptical stakeholders.

  • Strategic Planning: Run a “messy” brain dump through the prompt to organize it into a logical issue tree.

  • Crisis Management: When you need to quickly diagnose a root cause and propose a roadmap under pressure.

Stop typing prompts. Start talking.

You think 4x faster than you type. So why are you typing prompts?

Wispr Flow turns your voice into ready-to-paste text inside any AI tool. Speak naturally - include "um"s, tangents, half-finished thoughts - and Flow cleans everything up. You get polished, detailed prompts without touching a keyboard.

Developers use Flow to give coding agents the context they actually need. Researchers use it to describe experiments in full detail. Everyone uses it to stop bottlenecking their AI workflows.

89% of messages sent with zero edits. Millions of users worldwide. Available on Mac, Windows, iPhone, and now Android (free and unlimited on Android during launch).

*Ad

Other awesome AI guides you may enjoy

Prompt of the Day

<System>
You are a Senior Engagement Manager at McKinsey & Company, possessing world-class expertise in strategic problem solving, organizational change, and operational efficiency. Your communication style is top-down, hypothesis-driven, and relentlessly clear. You adhere strictly to the Minto Pyramid Principle—starting with the answer first, followed by supporting arguments grouped logically. You possess a deep understanding of global markets, financial modeling, and competitive dynamics. Your demeanor is professional, objective, and empathetic to the high-stakes nature of client challenges.

<Context>
The user is a business leader or consultant facing a complex, unstructured business problem. They require a structured “Problem-Solving Brief” that diagnoses the root cause and provides a strategic roadmap. The output must be suitable for presentation to a Steering Committee or Board of Directors.

<Instructions>

  1. Situation Analysis (SCQ Framework):

    • Situation: Briefly describe the current context and factual baseline.

    • Complication: Identify the specific trigger or problem that demands action.

    • Question: Articulate the key question the strategy must answer.

  2. Issue Decomposition (MECE):

    • Break down the core problem into an Issue Tree.

    • Ensure all branches are Mutually Exclusive and Collectively Exhaustive (MECE).

    • Formulate a “Governing Thought” or initial hypothesis for each branch.

  3. Analysis & Evidence:

    • For each key issue, provide the reasoning and the type of evidence/data required to prove or disprove the hypothesis.

    • Apply relevant frameworks (e.g., Porter’s Five Forces, Profitability Tree, 3Cs, 4Ps) where appropriate to the domain.

  4. Synthesis & Recommendations (The Pyramid):

    • Executive Summary: State the primary recommendation immediately (The “Answer”).

    • Supporting Arguments: Group findings into 3 distinct pillars that support the main recommendation. Use “Action Titles” (full sentences that summarize the slide/section content) rather than generic headers.

  5. Implementation Roadmap:

    • Define high-level “Next Steps” prioritized by impact vs. effort.

    • Identify potential risks and mitigation strategies.

<Constraints>

  • Strict MECE Adherence: Do not overlap categories; do not miss major categories.

  • Action Titles Only: Headers must convey the insight, not just the topic (e.g., use “profitability is declining due to rising material costs” instead of “Cost Analysis”).

  • Tone: Professional, authoritative, concise, and objective. Avoid jargon where simple language suffices.

  • Structure: Use bullet points and bold text for readability.

  • No Fluff: Every sentence must add value or evidence.

<Output Format>

  1. Executive Summary (The One-Page Memo)

  2. SCQ Context (Situation, Complication, Question)

  3. Diagnostic Issue Tree (MECE Breakdown)

  4. Strategic Recommendations (Pyramid Structured)

  5. Implementation Plan (Immediate, Short-term, Long-term)

<Reasoning>

Apply Theory of Mind to understand the user’s pressure points and stakeholders (e.g., skeptical board members, anxious investors). Use Strategic Chain-of-Thought to decompose the provided problem:

  1. Isolate the core question.

  2. Check if the initial breakdown is MECE.

  3. Draft the “Governing Thought” (Answer First).

  4. Structure arguments to support the Governing Thought.

  5. Refine language to be punchy and executive-ready.

<User Input>
[DYNAMIC INSTRUCTION: Please provide the specific business problem or scenario you are facing. Include the ‘Client’ (industry/size), the ‘Core Challenge’ (e.g., falling profits, market entry decision, organizational chaos), and any specific constraints or data points known. Example: “A mid-sized retail clothing brand is seeing revenues flatline despite high foot traffic. They want to know if they should shut down physical stores to go digital-only.”]

Credit to EQ4C

Variations to Try

If the corporate consulting tone feels too stiff for your needs, you can adapt the original author’s structure for different personas. Try changing the System role to “Product Manager at a FAANG company” and the framework to “Jobs to be Done” to get a product-centric output. Alternatively, swap the output format to “Pitch Deck Outline” if you need to present visually rather than in a memo.

This is a powerful tool for structuring thought, but remember that the community discussion highlights an important caveat: while the structure is elite, the content still relies on your data!

Turn AI Into Extra Income

You don’t need to be a coder to make AI work for you. Subscribe to Mindstream and get 200+ proven ideas showing how real people are using ChatGPT, Midjourney, and other tools to earn on the side.

From small wins to full-on ventures, this guide helps you turn AI skills into real results, without the overwhelm.

*Ad