Then I grew up to be an engineer.

People think that I am some kind of redneck because i am conservative and come from a background of rural poverty. I say rednecks might be some of the smartest people around…. and redneckness is in the eye of the beholder. They don’t call it “horse sense” for nothing.

Heck, even Victor Davis Hanson was a farmer. He even talks about the derisiveness he still gets for it. Nothing like a little “country wisdom” to shake things up.

My point is that they never actually decide to respond to the situation with action.

They only respond to us by pledging to perform more Observation and Orientation.

“Always stay with the plane. Then skin and dress the casualties for snacks later; don’t waste nothin’. Build a big fire. Secure all the half-full/full water bottles (everyone has those on a plane.) Write a book about how horrible it was that gets made into a movie. Make a million bucks.”

Thanks! Nothing starts the day off right like a good ol belly laugh!

Regarding OODA, I think you are giving our “smart” leaders too much credit here.

Observe, Orient, Decide, Act = OODA

I think the “smart” people in charge now are missing out on the very first part of that loop.

Observe – a leader has to understand what they are observing.

If a leader looks at a situation with a preconceived notion or is clinging to some inaccurate stereotype they are unwilling to question within their own mind, then that leader isn’t really observing so much as they are looking for evidence that justifies their preconceived notions, which in turn self-validates their resulting response to the situation.

From there on out things have already left the rails and the OODA loop ain’t gonna help them.

Unfortunately, put your scenario into the modern business or political environment and you have a similar play out of events.

Those with the more forceful, coercive, or persuasive personalities manage to “lead” the less independent minded.

The independent minded become observers as their input is ignored and things eventually implode.

Usually the independent minded have at least considered making alternative arrangements to weather the mess that follows these *leaders* leading everyone else off the cliff….

All in all, I’d rather be dumb sometimes.

Very true. I’ve been fortunate to serve with some of the best leaders. The best leaders don’t just make choices; they quickly gather all the best ideas from everyone (a staff, if you will) synthesize the ideas, with help, into a plan and then get everyone to execute their part of the plan because they want to: Success!

If pressed for time, the good leaders are more autocratic ‘cuz a quickly executed 80% solution is far, far superior to a late 100% solution (Obama!)

I guess it’s really just the OODA (Observe, Orient, Decide, Act) Loop. The leader must decide (sometimes rapidly) and then lead the Action while continuing to Observe and getting feedback in the next “Orient” portion of the loop.

I’ve noticed the “Smart People” often repeat the Observe, Orient cycle over and over and over and then Decide and Act too late. (Obama!)

It seems there is some implied virtue in our benighted culture to endlessly Observing and Orienting (it’s so nuanced! he’s so smart!). Bush, as he correctly stated, was The Decider; not the Observer and Orienter. (Obama!)

In fact, I would say that repeating the Observe, Orient of the loop without the Decide, Act is the equivalent of voting “present”. (Obama!)

Hmmmm, that’s got me thinking:
Now that we’ve lost the political will for The War on Terror, we’ve deluded ourselves, as a nation, that continuous Observation and Orientation is not only the same as Decisive Action, it is more virtuous.

Now that we are virtuously and endlessly performing “OO”, without the “DA”, the terrorists are “inside our OODA cycle” and executing their actions successfully: Traitor Hasan, Pantybomber….

So what was Obama’s decision in the face of these succesful terrorist actions? A pledge to put out more sensors and systems to Observe terrorists and Orient intelligence analysts towards stopping terrorism!

OO-OO-OO-OO-BOOM!