Strategy isn’t complicated—but it is hard. It requires individuals and organizations to make clear, deliberate choices about their future, something too few companies are willing to do. In Playing to Win, A.G. Lafley, former CEO of Procter & Gamble, and renowned strategist Roger Martin break strategy down to its essence, showing what it is, why it matters, and how to put it into action. Together, Lafley and Martin share the approach that drove one of the most successful corporate turnarounds of the past century. Under their leadership, Procter & Gamble doubled sales, quadrupled profits, and increased market value by more than $100 billion in just ten years. Drawing from this experience and their work at the Rotman School of Management, they lay out a practical framework that leaders at any level can use to align daily actions with long-term strategic goals. At its core, Playing to Win is built around five critical questions every organization must answer: What is our winning aspiration? Where will we play? How will we win? What capabilities must we have in place to win? And what management systems will support those choices? Through powerful examples from P&G’s iconic brands—Olay, Bounty, Gillette, Swiffer, Febreze, and more—Lafley and Martin demonstrate how making the right strategic choices leads not just to participation, but to victory. More than a theory, Playing to Win is a playbook for leaders determined to outpace their competition and deliver lasting success.
