In any real competition, you don’t just play.
You read the field.
You study your opponent.
You understand how the game is being judged.
You figure out where you actually have a shot.
That’s the difference between showing up and competing.
In AEC, we don’t always do this well.
We see an opportunity.
We assemble a team.
We start moving.
But have we fully read the field?
And that’s where most pursuits start to unravel.
Not in the interview. Not in the proposal. Much earlier.
Over time, I’ve come to see pursuit strategy less as a checklist and more as a playbook.
Not something you run through once. It is something you read, interpret, and decide from.
Sun Tzu said it well:
“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.”
― Sun Tzu, The Art of War
Here’s a refresher before your go-no go.
Read Your Competition
Most teams can tell you who they’re up against. Fewer can tell you how those firms actually win.
I’m not talking about their experience. I’m talking about their patterns.
Who do they partner with?
How early are they in front of the client?
Where do they consistently show up and close?
If you don’t understand that, you’re not playing strategically.
You’re reacting.
Read Who Is Calling the Game
We say “the client” like it’s one voice, one person.
It’s SO not.
It’s a mix of decision-makers, each with their own priorities:
The board thinking about risk,
The CEO thinking about vision,
Finance focused on cost,
End users focused on customer experience,
An owner’s rep wanting the project to go smoothly, on time, on budget, with as little surprises as possible.
Each one is evaluating you differently.
If you don’t understand how decisions are actually being made, your message won’t land the way you think it will.
Read What They Actually Need
Not just what’s written in the RFQ/P. It’s what’s underneath it. It’s what they are not saying.
What problem are they trying to solve?
What risk are they trying to reduce?
What decision are they still unsure about?
The strongest pursuits don’t come from answering the RFQ/P better.
It comes from seeing what others miss.
Read Your Position
This is where discipline comes in.
Where do you really stand?
Are you the obvious choice?
A strong contender?
Or an unfamiliar name in a new market?
There’s no right answer.
But there is a right move.
Sometimes you compete differently.
Sometimes you bring in the right partner.
Sometimes you walk away.
That decision is part of the strategy.
Read the Timing
Why now?
What changed for this client that made this project move forward?
If you don’t understand timing, you miss context.
And context is what tells you how decisions will actually get made.
Then Decide How to Play
Most firms skip straight to execution.
They respond faster.
They write better.
They present stronger.
But they’re still operating without a full read and it shows.
Pursuits take time.
They take money.
They take your best people.
So the question isn’t just can we go after this?
It’s: SHOULD WE?
And if we do, how do we show up in a way that actually aligns with how this will be decided?
The teams that win consistently don’t chase everything. They read first.
They understand the field, the players, and how the game is being called.
And then they decide:
Pursue. Pivot. Or walk away.
That’s the playbook.
Not just playing the field; its reading it.
