In recent days I have been doing some informal research about change and analyzing it. One thing that comes up strongly is how in today’s world change is a constant and requires agile decisions.
Many leaders in organizations want to have a more agile process, but are unsure of what they can do to make the process of decision making more agile.
One of the most practical ways of thinking about agility comes from the military. Specifically from the world of the fighter pilot. The OODA loop is an iterative cycle - ‘observe, orient, decide and act’ - developed by US Air Force pilot Colonel John Boyd.
Let’s see how you can apply OODA in your decision making.
Observe
Only by correctly observing the world around you, the events and trends that form your context can you make wise decisions. How competent are you at observation and how frequently and deeply is that observation? If the field of view is too narrow you could be surprised by events out of left field.
Orient
You must analyze and understand the information you gather. Then, assess its potential impact on your business. You might be tempted to make the data fit your expectations, rejecting anything that does not conform to you world-view.
A way to reduce this risk is by making sure your management team is as diverse as possible, and everybody feels safe in sharing thoughts and feelings without fearing retaliation. Group think will be avoided by challenging existing customs and beliefs and striving to avoid complacency.
Decide
There are two dimensions to a successful decision: making the right decision, and making it in the right timescale. Some leaders spend too much time weighting the decision until it becomes irrelevant. Others jump too soon into decision making and therefore don’t make the right decision.
Unnecessary controls should be challenged and removed. People need to be empowered to make decisions at the lowest practical level. For decisions which do not involve a major irreversible commitment of resources, it’s better to act first to see if the proposed change works.
Act
There can be a disconnect between the ‘decide’ and ‘act’ stages of the loop. Reasons can include funding obstacles, delays arising from ‘silo’ working, or grassroots resistance. No matter how good your decision is, if you don’t act on it, nothing can be accomplished.
Success often boils down to finding ways to act quickly. Action is made easier if you can delegate more and encourage informal cross-functional networks.
Remember. . .
The OODA loop is a repetitive process. You need to constantly cycle through it if you want to maintain and agile decision making process.
LETS TALK: I you want to be more agile with your decision making process, lets schedule a free consultation to better understand your needs and challenges. Call me directly at 1-302-399-3915 or simply email me.