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Playing to Win by A.G. Lafley & Roger L. Martin | How Strategy Really Works

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Playing to Win by A.G. Lafley & Roger L. Martin | How Strategy Really Works
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This episode outlines the core principles of strategic decision-making based on the business philosophy of A.G. Lafley and Roger Martin. It emphasizes that strategy is a deliberate choice rather than a vague ambition, requiring organizations to define clear winning aspirations and specific markets where they can thrive. By identifying unique strengths and making necessary trade-offs, leaders can concentrate limited resources on the activities that provide the highest impact. The source also highlights the importance of effective execution and alignment, urging companies to remain agile through continuous learning and disciplined management. Ultimately, the guide serves as a practical framework for shortening the odds of success by transforming complex theories into actionable, informed business moves.

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 few companies do well.

In this contemporary business classic, now with a foreword by former Harvard Business Review editor in chief Adi Ignatius and insightful articles from HBR, two of today's most respected business thinkers explain what strategy is for, how to think about 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. Drawing from their experiences, they explain how leaders in any organization can guide everyday actions with strategic goals built around the essential elements that determine business success—where to play and how to win.

The result is a playbook for winning. At its core is a set of five integrated and essential strategic choices:

  • 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 authors tell rich stories of iconic P&G brands, such as Olay, Bounty, Gillette, and more, to clearly illustrate how deciding on a strategic approach—and then making the right choices to support it—can make the difference between just playing the game and actually winning.

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