Playing to Win: How Strategy Really Works

This book, written by A.G.

Lafley and Roger L. Martin, provides a comprehensive guide to business strategy.

It emphasizes that strategy is about making specific choices to win in the marketplace.

The authors outline a set of five essential strategic choices: what is your winning aspiration, where will you play, how will you win, what capabilities must be in place, and what management systems are required.

These choices, known as the Strategy Choice Cascade, are illustrated through real-life examples from Procter & Gamble, demonstrating how to apply these principles to achieve business success.

The book also critiques common misconceptions about strategy, such as defining it as vision, a plan, or following best practices, and instead advocates for clear and hard thinking, creativity, and personal leadership to develop a winning strategy.