Col. John Boyd may be one of the most influential military strategists of the twentieth century. As an Air Force pilot during the Korean War, he pioneered air combat tactics for one of the first jet-powered fighters, the F-86 Sabre.
Boyd is perhaps best known for “The OODA Loop,” a thought process to help pilots quickly think through complex situations, in which a split second can mean the difference between life and death. OODA is an acronym for Observe, Orient, Decide and Act.
This technique became so effective that it was adapted to other branches of the military. It’s since crossed over to the civilian sector and is implemented in the corporate world and universities world-wide.
Observe
Though it seems obvious, how many of us take the time to truly observe? Often, we run on auto-pilot—our minds cluttered, distracted, and a million miles away. We are oblivious to what is going on around us.
The result is that we are blindsided by events, and react impulsively rather than acting intentionally. Learning to be careful observers, and intentionally practicing situational awareness, is the first step of the OODA Loop.
Orient
Having observed a situation unfolding, the second step of the OODA Loop is to orient. Orient means to identify the players in a situation, determine what is happening, what if any part we are to have.
Decide
Having observed the situation, and oriented as to who the players are and what if any part we should have, the next step is to decide what action we should take.
What options do I have? What will be the logical conclusions of these actions? Are these actions consistent with Scripture and pleasing to God? Will they be beneficial to those involved? Are these actions based on logic and reason or emotion?
Act
Having observed the situation, oriented, and decided, we then act. At that point, our action is the result of a logical, well-thought decision, based on careful observation and orientation. It is not an impulsive reaction to a situation that we never saw coming.
Having then acted we return to having observed and repeat the loop.
Putting OODA into Practice
Col. Boyd’s experience proved that with practice all four steps of the OODA Loop can be accomplished in 40 seconds! The goal of his training was that the process would become second-nature to his pilots.
As a learned discipline, it allowed them to remain calm under the intense pressure of air combat, which often meant the difference between life and death. As law enforcement agencies and corporate CEO’s, began teaching and implementing these techniques, the applications proved endless.
Given that all Christians are engaged in spiritual warfare, learning the four steps of the OODA Loop can be life changing. Parents who practice the OODA Loop can teach it to their children by example. Avoiding the heartache and consequences of ill-thought, impulsive decisions is better than picking up the pieces afterwards.