“Strategy is about setting yourself apart from the competition. It’s not a matter of being better at what you do – it’s a matter of being different at what you do.”

Sound strategy starts with having the right goal

Competitive strategy is about being different. It means deliberately choosing a different set of activities to deliver a unique mix of value.

If your goal is anything but profitability – if it’s to be big, or to grow fast, or to become a technology leader – you’ll hit problems.

Without a goal analytics is aimless and worthless.

A strategy delineates a territory in which a company seeks to be unique.

The ability to change constantly and effectively is made easier by high-level continuity.

A target should go with every goal. A target is the value that defines success.

Change brings opportunities. On the other hand, change can be confusing.

Companies operating in urban communities have a tremendous ripple effect.

Strategy is about making choices, trade-offs; it’s about deliberately choosing to be different.

Billions are wasted on ineffective philanthropy. Philanthropy is decades behind business in applying rigorous thinking to the use of money.

I teach in the medical school, the School of Public Health, the Kennedy School of Government, and the Business School. And it’s the best perch… because most of my work crosses boundaries.

You can’t be all things to all people.

There’s a fundamental distinction between strategy and operational effectiveness.

The U.S. is facing a structural competitiveness problem that is leading to the weakest economy we have seen in generations.

The underlying principles of strategy are enduring, regardless of technology or the pace of change.