Mindsets and Character A Boyd Refresher

1. Mindsets and CharacterA Boyd Refresher Chet Richards Boyd 2008December 6, 2008Prince Edward Island, Canada

2. CulturalTraditions GeneticHeritage Decision(Hypothesis) Analyses &Synthesis FeedForward FeedForward NewInformation PreviousExperience Feedback The OODA “Loop” Sketch Observe Orient Decide Act ImplicitGuidance& Control ImplicitGuidance& Control UnfoldingCircumstances Observations Action(Test) FeedForward OutsideInformation UnfoldingInteractionWithEnvironment UnfoldingInteractionWithEnvironment Feedback Note how orientation shapes observation, shapes decision, shapes action, and in turn is shaped by the feedback and other phenomena coming into our sensing or observing window. Also note how the entire “loop” (not just orientation) is an ongoing many-sided implicit cross-referencing process of projection, empathy, correlation, and rejection.

3. Act Cultural Cultural Cultural Cultural Traditions Traditions Traditions Traditions Genetic Genetic Genetic Genetic Heritage Heritage Heritage Heritage Act Act Act Analyses/ Synthesis Analyses/ Synthesis Analyses/ Synthesis Analyses/ Synthesis New New New New Information Information Information Information Previous Experiences Previous Experiences Previous Experiences Previous Experiences Orientation is key, but what about groups? • Using the tools of common outlook, Schwerpunkt, and Auftragstaktik, we can convert a bunch of individual orientations

4. Cultural Cultural Cultural Cultural Act Traditions Traditions Traditions Traditions Act Act Act Act Genetic Genetic Genetic Genetic Heritage Heritage Heritage Heritage Analyses/ Synthesis Analyses/ Synthesis Analyses/ Synthesis Analyses/ Synthesis New New New New Information Information Information Information Group Orientation Previous Experiences Previous Experiences Previous Experiences Previous Experiences Cultural Traditions Genetic Heritage Analyses/ Synthesis New Information Previous Experiences Common orientation • Into a harmonized common orientation as if

5. This allows us to redefine “command and control”

6. “ … decrease the amount of command and control we need.” USMC MCDP 6 Doctrine Experience Mission Values

7. Shared values; common experiences; commander’s intent, etc. Quickly understand what’s going on Know what to do And be able to do it Decide Observe Orient Act ImplicitGuidance& Control ImplicitGuidance& Control UnfoldingCircumstances Observations Decision(Hypothesis) Action(Test) FeedForward FeedForward FeedForward OutsideInformation UnfoldingInteractionWithEnvironment UnfoldingInteractionWithEnvironment Feedback Feedback While learning from the experience Put another way • Key Points: • When you’re doing OODA “loops” right,accuracy and speed improve together; they don’t trade off. • The main function of leadership is to build an organization that gets better and better at these things.