Playing to win: How strategy really works

• Strategy is not about perfection, is about shortening your odds
• Reverse engineering: Make a list of things that have to be true for your strategy to work

Blog post:

https://fs.blog/2013/03/playing-to-win-how-strategy-really-works/

Summary:

HBR_Martin_Playing+to+Win_executive-summary.pdf

In our terms, a strategy is a coordinated and integrated set of five choices: a winning aspiration, where to play, how to win, core capabilities, and management systems. … The five choices make up the strategic choice cascade, the foundation of our strategy work and the core of this book.

Specifically, strategy is the answer to these five interrelated questions:

1. What is your winning aspiration? The purpose of your enterprise, its motivating aspiration.
2. Where will you play? A playing field where you can achieve that aspiration.
3. How will you win? The way you will win on the chosen playing field.
4. What capabilities must be in place? The set and configuration of capabilities required to win in the chosen way.
5. What management systems are required? The systems and measures that enable the capabilities and support the choices.