Jamie Dimon, CEO of JP Morgan Chase, recently addressed the importance of the OODA (Observe, Orient, Decide, Act) loop in a message to stakeholders. Developed by American researcher Col. John Boyd, the OODA loop helps companies maintain endurance and creativity amidst industry competition.
The speed at which a company moves through the OODA stages determines its competitive edge. Dimon stressed the need for companies to adapt and evolve to deal with challenges, thus affecting their ability to successfully compete.
The OODA loop promotes innovation, resilience, and responsive change management within corporate structures.
Dimon’s emphasis on OODA loop in competition
By focusing on the OODA loop, Dimon suggests JP Morgan Chase can stay at the forefront of the banking industry despite stiff competition and constant market changes.
The OODA loop found applicability across different sectors, including commerce, law, sports, and public relations. The emphasis in these sectors is on human adaptability and quick decision-making. The OODA loop, with its core revolving around continuous learning and evolution, helps businesses to observe market changes, align strategies, and act swiftly.
Public relations professionals employ the OODA loop to manage the unpredictable and chaotic landscape of the industry. Despite hopes for artificial intelligence (AI) to navigate these challenges, the OODA loop’s usefulness in strategic decision-making—from predicting public reaction to PR statements to understanding potential backlashes—proves critical.
While AI can handle data influx in the digital age, the fundamental understanding of human emotions and communications primarily remains a domain of public relations professionals. Therefore, it validates the need for skilled public relations professionals in managing challenges.
Experts such as Michael Cherenson from Rutgers School of Communication and Information and Mark McGrath, the Chief Learning Officer at a leading adaptive strategy consultancy, argue that businesses need to value human adaptability amidst an AI-centric reality. According to them, focusing on skills like creativity, problem-solving, critical thinking, and emotional intelligence greatly enhances an organization’s adaptability quotient, a key to successful business performance in the face of disruptions and uncertainties.
Therefore, businesses should strive for a balanced approach, incorporating innovative technology with adept human expertise to not only optimise efficiency but also facilitate the generation of unique strategies that differentiate a business from its competitors.
