EP 39 Playing to Win: The Strategy Framework That Drives Real Results

Episode Summary

In this episode of The Business Book Club, we break down Playing to Win: How Strategy Really Works by A.G. Lafley and Roger L. Martin—a game-changing book that reveals how winning companies make strategy a matter of deliberate, interconnected choices. Drawing on Lafley’s experience as the CEO of Procter & Gamble and Martin’s strategic expertise, this book offers a clear framework for leaders at any level to design effective, actionable strategy—not just high-level theory.

From P&G’s billion-dollar brand growth to cautionary tales like GM’s Saturn, this episode explores what separates companies that play to win from those that just show up. Whether you're a business owner, marketer, or executive, you’ll gain practical tools to define where you’ll compete, how you’ll win, and what capabilities you need to support it—all through a simple, powerful framework known as the Strategic Choice Cascade.

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Key Concepts Covered

Strategy Is About Making Hard Choices

Forget vague goals—real strategy answers two core questions:
✅ Where will you play? (Which customers, markets, geographies, channels?)
✅ How will you win? (What unique advantage will you leverage?)

The Strategic Choice Cascade

A five-step framework that links vision to execution:

1. What is your winning aspiration? – Your big goal or purpose

2. Where will you play? – Your chosen battlefield

3. How will you win? – Your competitive edge

4. What capabilities must be in place? – The critical strengths needed

5. What systems support it? – Structure, metrics, and incentives that keep strategy alive

Nested Strategy in Complex Organizations

✅ Strategy must cascade coherently from corporate level to business units to individual brands
✅ Example: A yoga apparel brand tailoring local store tactics while aligning with the company’s broader purpose

Case Study: The Olay Turnaround

✅ P&G repositioned Olay in the "mastige" space—mass market pricing, prestige appeal
✅ How to win: Superior product innovation + premium branding in drugstore channels
✅ Result: Revitalized brand, strong sales, aligned strategy at all levels

Why Many Strategies Fail

✅ GM’s Saturn lacked a true aspiration and clear how-to-win plan
✅ Playing to play ≠ Playing to win. Strategy demands clarity, focus, and commitment

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Actionable Takeaways

✅ Define your where to play and how to win—clearly and specifically
✅ Link every strategic decision using the choice cascade
✅ Identify and invest in the capabilities that give you a real edge
✅ Be honest: Are you playing to win, or just staying busy?
✅ Choose your primary path: Low cost or Differentiation—and align everything accordingly

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Top Quotes

📌 “Strategy is about making choices—choosing to do some things and not others.”
📌 “Where to play and how to win are not independent decisions—they must reinforce each other.”
📌 “Just showing up in a market isn’t strategy. You need a plan to win.”
📌 “Don’t try to be all things to all people. Pick your path—and commit.”

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Resources Mentioned

📖 Playing to Win: How Strategy Really Works by A.G. Lafley & Roger L. Martin – [Get the book here]

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Next Steps

Feeling stuck in your business strategy? Start by answering two simple—but profound—questions: Where will you play? And how will you win? Then build from there using the strategic choice cascade.

If this episode helped clarify your thinking, subscribe to The Business Book Club for more deep dives into the books that shape great leaders and thriving companies.

 

 

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