Playing to Win audiobook cover - How Strategy Really Works

Playing to Win

How Strategy Really Works

A.G. Lafley & Roger L. Martin

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EntrepreneurshipMarketing & SalesCareer & SuccessManagement & Leadership

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Playing to Win
The Five Strategic Questions+
The Nature of Strategy+
Olay Case Study: Strategy in Action+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 5
What was the core strategic shift P&G made to reinvent Olay's market positioning?
  • A. They shifted from the skincare sector to the makeup sector by leveraging the Cover Girl brand.
  • B. They acquired an existing prestige brand to replace Olay in high-end retail stores.
  • C. They carved out a new "masstige" segment, creating a middle ground between mass and prestige.
  • D. They lowered the price to $3.99 to capture a younger, more price-sensitive demographic.
Question 2 of 5
How did Olay alter its pricing and product strategy to reflect its new value proposition?
  • A. They lowered the price to undercut competitors and targeted teenagers with basic skincare needs.
  • B. They raised the price to $18.99 and targeted women 35 and older who were noticing their first wrinkles.
  • C. They kept the original $3.99 price but repackaged the cream in glass bottles to appeal to luxury buyers.
  • D. They restricted sales exclusively to high-end boutiques and doubled the price of their traditional pink cream.
Question 3 of 5
In the five-question strategy framework, what does the question "Where will I play?" specifically address?
  • A. The overarching vision and future dreams for the project or business.
  • B. The internal management systems required to align the team from top to bottom.
  • C. The specific segments, categories, and geographies the business will compete in.
  • D. The unique game plan and secret sauce for outshining the competition.
Question 4 of 5
According to the text, what is the purpose of asking "What capabilities must be in place?"
  • A. To determine the unique game plan for outshining the competition.
  • B. To list out all the activities and resources needed to pull off your strategy.
  • C. To select the geographical locations where the product will be sold.
  • D. To define the ultimate financial goals and aspirations of the company.
Question 5 of 5
How does the book describe the nature of the strategy-making process?
  • A. As a linear, one-off undertaking that remains fixed once decided.
  • B. As a universal template where one "perfect strategy" works for all businesses.
  • C. As a fluid, iterative dance of making cascading and interlocking choices.
  • D. As an independent set of decisions made by top management without needing broader company alignment.

Playing to Win — Full Chapter Overview

Playing to Win Summary & Overview

Playing to Win (2013) introduces a strategic framework that illustrates how companies can achieve success by making deliberate and well-considered choices. It delves into the "Five Choices Framework," detailing essential decisions that leaders must make to develop winning strategies. Using real-world examples, it emphasizes that a disciplined approach to strategy can create sustainable competitive advantage and turn companies into industry leaders.

Who Should Listen to Playing to Win?

  • Entrepreneurs looking to refine their business strategy for market dominance
  • Business students curious about practical strategic frameworks used by leading corporations
  • Start-up founders looking to position their ventures for success in competitive markets

About the Author: A.G. Lafley & Roger L. Martin

A.G. Lafley is the former CEO of Procter & Gamble, one of the world's largest consumer goods companies, where he led the organization to double its sales and quadruple its profits.

Roger L. Martin, former dean of the Rotman School of Management, is a leading thinker on business strategy and a trusted advisor to CEOs worldwide. He has authored several influential books, including The Design of Business: Why Design Thinking is the Next Competitive Advantage; and Fixing the Game: Bubbles, Crashes, and What Capitalism Can Learn from the NFL.

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