Don't Play To Win – Win To Play

Strategy Isn’t a Means To an End

I wrote this article not to criticize Roger Martin’s approach to strategy (as it may seem from the title). However, I see that many strategy theorists misuse it by claiming that strategy is a ‘means to an end.’ I fundamentally disagree with this claim, which is what this article is about. 

If there were a competition for the most dangerous misconception in the business world, my favorite would be the idea that strategy is a way to reach long-term goals.

We don’t play to win. We need to win to continue playing. 

Every startup sooner or later becomes a business – even if it is only a solo entrepreneurship. And any business needs a strategy – it goes without saying. 

However, many entrepreneurs believe that strategy is a means to an end, a way to realize their ambitions.

And this is a dangerous misbelief. 

An ongoing race

Imagine you’re in a car race. The rules are quite unusual. First, you never know when the race ends. Second, your task is not only to move faster than others – you also have t…