Observe, Orient, Decide, and Act

One of the most enjoyable facets of the annual Beyond Budgeting Round Table (North America) conference, which took place in San Francisco last month, is the side discussions that take place among members, presenters, and other attendees.

John Boyd’s name inevitably crops up in some of these chats.

Boyd was a colonel in the U.S. Air Force and a highly influential military strategist whose insights also apply to business strategy. He devised the “OODA Loop,” first as an approach to air-to-air combat and then later as a much broader military strategy.

The acronym stands for “Observe, Orient, Decide, and Act,” and it helps illustrate one of the keys to the success of the Beyond Budgeting model. (more…)