At Blue Pen Strategy Group, we spend a lot of time helping organizations slow down just enough to make better decisions. Not more decisions. Better ones.
One of the most useful frameworks we return to again and again is the “Where to Play / How to Win” concept, popularized in Playing to Win. It’s deceptively simple—and that’s exactly why it works.
Too many businesses confuse activity with strategy. This framework forces clarity.
Strategy Is About Choice (Not Effort)
Here’s the uncomfortable truth:
You can’t win everywhere, with everyone, at everything.
Real strategy starts when you accept constraints and make intentional choices about:
- who you serve
- what you offer
- where you compete
- how you will be different
That’s where Where to Play and How to Win come in.
Where to Play: Defining the Arena
Where to Play answers where your organization will focus its energy and resources.
This might include choices about:
- Target customers or audiences
- Markets or industries
- Product or service categories
- Distribution channels
- Price tiers or quality levels
The key is this:
Where to play is not about being everywhere—it’s about being intentional.
A clear “where to play” decision automatically creates focus. It also creates exclusion, which is healthy. When everything is a priority, nothing is.
At Blue Pen, we often see organizations with strong offerings but unclear arenas. They’re capable—but scattered.
How to Win: Defining Advantage
Once the arena is clear, How to Win defines how you’ll succeed there better than the alternatives.
This is not:
- a mission statement
- a list of values
- a vague promise to “do great work”
It is:
- a clear advantage customers actually experience
- something difficult for competitors to copy
- a reason people choose you instead of the next option
Winning can look different depending on the arena:
- Better outcomes
- Easier experiences
- Deeper expertise
- Faster delivery
- More trust
- Stronger relationships
The test is simple:
If a competitor copied your messaging tomorrow, would you still win?
If the answer is no, the strategy needs sharpening.
Winning Is Not the Same as Growing
This is an important distinction.
Growth is often the result of winning—not the strategy itself.
Organizations that obsess over revenue without clarifying how they win tend to:
- chase every opportunity
- dilute their strengths
- confuse their audience
- burn out their teams
Winning, on the other hand, creates momentum. Revenue follows clarity.
Why This Matters Right Now
Markets are noisier. Tools are cheaper. AI is everywhere. The barrier to entry keeps dropping.
That means strategy matters more, not less.
Organizations that win consistently:
- know exactly who they serve
- understand where they do not compete
- invest deeply in their chosen advantages
- say “no” more often than “yes”
This applies whether you’re:
- a creative professional
- a nonprofit
- a publisher
- a therapist
- a small business
- a growing organization with legacy systems
How Blue Pen Helps
At Blue Pen Strategy Group, we use the Where to Play / How to Win framework as a working tool, not a theory exercise.
We help clients:
- clarify strategic focus
- align technology and marketing to strategy
- translate strategy into practical execution
- avoid shiny-object detours
- build systems that reinforce winning choices
Strategy should make decisions easier, not heavier.
A Final Thought
Winning doesn’t mean being the biggest.
It means being chosen—consistently, intentionally, and for the right reasons.
If you’re unsure where you’re playing—or how you’re winning—we’d love to help you sort it out.
That’s where real progress starts.