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How_Effective_Is_YOUR_OODA_Loop
| How Effective Is YOUR OODA Loop?
What IS an OODA loop? John R. Boyd was a U.S. Air Force fighter
pilot active during the 1950's. In the 1970's he helped design
the F-16 and then went on to promote a concept called the OODA
loop.
OODA stands for Observation, Orientation, Decision and Action.
This is a basic pattern for how we make tactical decisions. Col.
Boyd is credited with coining this term, originating and
promoting the concept which has become a strategic centerpiece
for multiple military campaigns.
Many acknowledge that the OODA loop concept is just as powerful
in business as it is in the military. But it is just as powerful
and simplistic a tool for an individual as it is for these
larger venues. Particularly when it comes to decreasing the
downtime of employees…particularly revenue producing employees.
An organized OODA loop In a paper written by Drs. Ray Curts and
Douglas Campbell, they state that "The dilemma of the decision
maker within the OODA loop is largely a problem of data
collection, storage, retrieval, manipulation and comparison."
Isn't this equally true of someone who is sitting at their desk
trying to work through their day of endless interruptions and
shifting priorities while chipping away at their assignments or
projects? The 'collection, storage, retrieval and manipulation…'
of information directly contributes to our cluttered and
stressed work environment. While trying to practice the steps
needed to close our own OODA loop, we tend to stumble.
Simple does not mean easy Just as the OODA loop concept can be
seen as a simple process, so can getting organized. However,
simple does not mean easy.
Observing your own habits or repetitive behaviors is more
difficult for some than others. Orienting yourself to the big
picture as well as the required detail involves a synergistic
approach that can be both challenging and frustrating.
Decision-making speaks directly to what I call 'behavioral
organizing'…whose biggest demon is procrastination. And last but
certainly not least, taking action and moving forward is
something that requires us engaging in all three of the previous
steps.
The cost? The costs of not organizing are plentiful and rooted
in how we manage our time. Downtime of revenue producing staff,
higher expenses, missed opportunities, slower response time in
customer service, poor team performance, stress and frustration
just to name a few. In general, lower productivity accompanied
by high-priced stress.
So…is your OODA loop working?
Copyright Cynthia Kyriazis. All rights reserved.
About the author:
Cynthia Kyriazis is a Professional Organizer, trainer,
consultant, speaker, coach and author with over 20 years
management experience in multi-unit corporations. She is
President of Organize it, Inc., an organizational consulting
firm serving Fortune 500 clients since 1995. Cynthia has worked
with over 150 companies and hundreds of professionals to help
improve performance in the areas of time, information, space and
electronic file management.
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