Build and refine capabilities that give you a competitive edge.	•	“Winning strategies are built on unique strengths.”

Focus on core capabilities

Start from the desired outcome and work backward to determine what’s needed to succeed.	•	“Define success, then map the steps to achieve it.”

Use reverse engineering

Strategy isn’t just a vision; it’s about making specific choices to win in your market.	•	“Strategy is the answer to the question: What will you do to win?”

Strategy is about choices

Focus on markets where you can compete effectively, not everywhere.	•	“Not every market is worth your resources.”

Choosing the right playing field

Strategy isn’t fixed; adapt to market shifts while staying focused on the big picture.	•	“Winning strategies evolve as the game changes.”

Dynamic strategies beat static plans

Invest in innovation that aligns with your strategic goals to stay ahead.	•	“Innovation is not optional for sustained success.”

Innovation creates competitive edge

Don’t spread resources thin; focus on where your choices will have the most impact.	•	“Winning strategies mean saying no to distractions.”

Commit to tough choices

Ensure all departments and teams work toward the same strategic objectives.	•	“Strategy succeeds when everyone pulls in the same direction.”

Alignment across teams

Focus on metrics that align with your strategic goals, not vanity measures.	•	“Measure what matters to winning.”

Measure success strategically

Leverage what your company does best to create value and outperform competitors.	•	“A winning strategy amplifies your strengths in the market.”

Play to your strengths

Ask: “Where will we play?” and “How will we win?” to create a focused strategy.	•	“Great strategies start with answering these two questions.”

Two essential questions

Define what winning looks like for your organization to focus your efforts.	•	“Winning is a clear outcome, not a vague aspiration.”

Winning requires clear objectives

A deep understanding of the customer shapes decisions on where to play and how to win.	•	“Winning begins with knowing your customer deeply.”

Understand the customers

Focus on what sets you apart and resonates most with your target market.	•	“Differentiation is the foundation of competitive advantage.”

Differentiate to win

Playing to Win transforms strategy from a lofty concept to actionable choices. By focusing on clear goals, core strengths, and adaptability, you can craft winning strategies that drive sustainable success.

Experiment with smaller initiatives before committing fully to validate your strategy.	•	“Great strategies emerge from learning and refining.”

Test & iterate

Playing to Win by Roger Martin and A.G. Lafley is a strategic framework for creating and sustaining competitive advantages. It teaches how clear choices and focus drive business success.

A Wall Street Journal and Washington Post BestsellerA playbook for creating your company's winning strategy.Strategy is not complex. But it is hard. It's hard because it forces people and organizations to make specific choices about their future--something that doesn't happen in most companies. Now two of today's best-known business thinkers get to the heart of strategy--explaining what it's for, how to think about it, why you need it, and how to get it done. And they use one of the most successful corporate turnarounds of the past century, which they achieved together, to prove their point. A.G. Lafley, former CEO of Procter & Gamble, in close partnership with strategic adviser Roger Martin, doubled P&G's sales, quadrupled its profits, and increased its market value by more than $100 billion in just ten years. Now, drawn from their years of experience at P&G and the Rotman School of Management, where Martin is dean, this book shows how leaders in organizations of all sizes can guide everyday actions with larger strategic goals built around the clear, essential elements that determine business success--where to play and how to win. The result is a playbook for winning. Lafley and Martin have created a set of five essential strategic choices that, when addressed in an integrated way, will move you ahead of your competitors. They are: - What is our winning aspiration? - Where will we play? - How will we win? - What capabilities must we have in place to win? - What management systems are required to support our choices? The stories of how P&G repeatedly won by applying this method to iconic brands such as Olay, Bounty, Gillette, Swiffer, and Febreze clearly illustrate how deciding on a strategic approach--and then making the right choices to support it--makes the difference between just playing the game and actually winning.

Choosing the right playing field

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