Strategy is focused on a winning aspiration
Whether it is referred to as a “winning aspiration,” a “Big, Hairy, Audacious, Goal” (BHAG), a “Massive Transformative Purpose” (MTP), or something else, strategy is the plan to achieve it.
The first question—what is our winning aspiration?—sets the frame for all the other choices. A company must seek to win in a particular place and in a particular way. If it doesn’t seek to win, it is wasting the time of its people and the investments of its capital providers. But to be most helpful, the abstract concept of winning should be translated into defined aspirations. Aspirations are statements about the ideal future. At a later stage in the process, a company ties to those aspirations some specific benchmarks that measure progress toward them.
While aspirations may be refined and clarified over time, they are generally stable and provide the point of reference to which all activities align.
Aspirations can be refined and revised over time. However, aspirations shouldn’t change day to day; they exist to consistently align activities within the firm, so should be designed to last for some time. A definition of winning provides a context for the rest of the strategic choices; in all cases, choices should fit within and support the firm’s aspirations.[1]
See also:
- Where will you play?
- How will you win?
- What capabilities must be in place?
- What management systems are required?
Playing to Win – Lafley and Martin (2013), ch. 1, § “Winning Aspirations.”]] ↩︎