The OODA Loop (#313)

Many concepts have migrated from the military to the corporate world. With the clients I have worked with, I have found that the After Action Review, the Military Decision Making Process, the Back Brief, the Operations Order, and the Leader’s Intent are all concepts that are useful in the corporate environment. Another military concept that is worth adding to your leadership kit bag is the OODA Loop. OODA stands for Observe, Orient, Decide, and Act. It started as an US Air Force concept but it has utility for anyone working in an environment where time and the competition are factors.

John Boyd

The OODA Loop was first conceptualized by US Air Force Lieutenant Colonel John Boyd. But who was John Boyd?

Boyd was born on January 23, 1927, in Erie, Pennsylvania. John graduated from the University of Iowa in 1951 with a bachelor's degree in economics and was commissioned as a fighter pilot in the US Air Force. From a very early age in the Air Force, Boyd was a thinker. One critical experience that shaped his thoughts happened in 1953 Boyd when deployed to Korea as an F-86 pilot where he flew 22 combat missions in the jet aircraft.

F-16 Fighter. John Boyd’s ideas helped create this airplane.

When he redeployed from Korea, Boyd attended the Fighter Weapons School (FWS) at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. Boyd graduated at the top of his class and was invited to stay at the FWS as an instructor. Eventually, he became head of the Academic Section and wrote the tactics manual for the school. While at FWS, he earned the nickname "Forty Second Boyd" for his standing bet as an instructor pilot. He bet students that beginning from a position of disadvantage, he could defeat any opposing pilot in air combat maneuvering in less than 40 seconds. He never lost a bet.

During the Vietnam War, he served as Vice Commander of Task Force Alpha and as Commander of the 56th Combat Support Group at Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Air Force Base in Thailand from April 1972 to April 1973. Boyd worked in the Pentagon in uniform and afterwards in the 1970s, 1980s, and early 1990s. He passed away in 1997.

Based on Boyd’s experience in Korea, at FWS, and in Vietnam he began believing that in the 20th and 21st centuries, attrition and firepower were going to be less important than the ability to rapidly and accurately acquire and act on information. The key concept he developed in the early 1970s was the decision making cycle or OODA loop, the process by which an entity (either an individual or an organization) reacts to an event.

The OODA Loop — Observe, Orient, Decice, and Act faster that your competition

OODA Loop Explained

The OODA loop is an invaluable decision-making process applicable to a wide range of fields, including business and leadership. However, John Boyd first developed it for fighter pilots. The acronym stands for Observe, Orient, Decide, and Act, each representing the four interconnecting stages. Observe is the first step in the OODA loop. Observe emphasizes the importance of keenly observing the surroundings, including both internal and external factors, to gain a comprehensive understanding of the situation. Orient is the most important step in the OODA Loop, but one that often gets overlooked. Boyd called this step the focal point of the loop. The reason Orient is the focal point of the OODA Loop is because that’s where mental models exist, and mental models shape how everything in the OODA Loop works. Using the mental models, or creating a new one, a person or an organization must orient themselves by analyzing the observed information within the context of their goals and objectives. This allows for an accurate assessment of the current reality and potential future scenarios. Next, the decision-making stage involves choosing the most suitable course of action based on the orientation. Lastly, swiftly acting upon the selected course of action is vital to close the loop and generate feedback for further observation and improvement. The OODA loop encourages a proactive approach, empowering individuals and organizations to make well-informed and timely decisions in dynamic and uncertain environments, ultimately increasing their chances of success against the competition.

Example

Since the OODA Loop was originally created by a and for fighter pilots, let’s use a scene from the original movie Top Gun to help illustrate the concept. Maverick, the character played by Tom Cruise, is flying his F-14. He has a MiG-28 on his tail. If the MiG fires his guns, Maverick’s plane would be destroyed. Maverick observes the situation — especially the relationship between his plane and the MiG, the speed of both aircraft, the altitude of each aircraft, the location of friendly and other enemy aircraft, and his own weapon and fuel status. He orients to the problem and uses mental models to evaluate the situation. He asks questions like “have I been in this situation before?,” “what maneuver have I used to get out of this situation?” and “what maneuver hasn’t worked in this situation?” Maverick quickly transitions to the decision-making stage and evaluates the options. Maverick decides to hit the brakes on the F-14, causing it to slow down, allowing the MiG-28 to pass underneath him, and then putting the MiG-28 in a position of disadvantage where Maverick enters another OODA Loop to decide what to do next with the MiG.

The original Top Gun airbrake maneuver with a MiG-28.

Conclusion

Would you like some help applying the OODA loop to your challenges or your organization’s obstacles? Executive coaching or an OODA Loop workshop for your group might help you start the process. Hit the button below to start the conversation.

In the meantime, use the OODA Loop concept to work faster than your competition.