Playing to Win

About the Author

A.G. Lafley and Roger Martin are widely recognized as thought leaders in business strategy and leadership. Lafley, the former CEO of Procter & Gamble (P&G), is credited with transforming P&G into one of the most successful consumer goods companies in the world during his tenure. His leadership philosophy revolves around making tough decisions and focusing on winning in key markets, which he eloquently encapsulates in this book.

Roger Martin, on the other hand, is a renowned management thinker and former Dean of the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto. His expertise in strategy, integrative thinking, and design thinking has influenced many corporate leaders. Together, Lafley and Martin combine practical experience with academic rigor, offering a unique perspective on how to craft strategies that lead to victory in the business world.

Main Idea

"Playing to Win" is a strategic guidebook that lays out a systematic approach to designing and executing business strategies. The authors introduce the concept of the "strategic choice cascade," a methodical framework consisting of five key questions that every business leader must answer to develop a successful strategy. This cascade flows from defining the company’s purpose and vision down to the specific actions and capabilities needed to achieve those objectives. Lafley and Martin emphasize that in today’s competitive market, businesses must not just aim to survive—they must strive to win.

Table of Contents

• The Strategic Choice Cascade
• Defining Winning Aspirations
• Choosing the Playing Field
• Crafting the Winning Approach
• Building Core Capabilities
• Establishing Management Systems
• Conclusion

The Strategic Choice Cascade

The strategic choice cascade is the backbone of Lafley and Martin’s approach to strategy. It consists of five interrelated questions that guide the strategic decision-making process:

1. What is your winning aspiration?
2. Where will you play?
3. How will you win?
4. What capabilities must be in place?
5. What management systems are required?

These questions are not standalone; rather, they are deeply interconnected. Each answer influences and refines the others, creating a cohesive strategy that aligns the entire organization toward a common goal: winning.

Defining Winning Aspirations

The first step in the strategic choice cascade is to define your winning aspiration. This isn’t merely about setting goals; it’s about envisioning the ideal future for your company. Lafley and Martin emphasize that a winning aspiration must be more than just a mission statement. It should be a clear and actionable vision of what success looks like for your organization.

"To win in business, your aspirations must be bold and your vision must be clear. Without a compelling aspiration, your strategy lacks direction." — A.G. Lafley

For instance, when Lafley returned to P&G in 2000, his aspiration was not just to stabilize the company, but to make it the most innovative and customer-focused consumer goods company in the world. This aspiration drove every subsequent strategic decision, from which markets to enter, to how to structure the organization.