On the application of John Boyd’s OODA loop to armies at war:
“… if one side makes decisions twice as fast as the other, it is almost certain to secure victory, even if its decisions are lower quality than those of its opponent (subject to minimum standard). What is apparent from this analysis is that a decision that is ‘about right’ (not simply a quick guess!), but made and implemented at speed, is much more likely to lead to an increase in the level of friction experienced by the enemy than is a decision that is completely right, but slow. As General George Patton recognised, ‘A good solution applied with vigour now is better than a perfect solution ten minutes later’. Boyd understood this and therefore argued that the commander should aim to ‘operate at a faster tempo or rhythm than [his] adversaries.’ … In fact, as Osinga shows, ‘Boyd advances the idea that success in war […] hinges upon the quality and tempo of the cognitive processes of leaders and their organizations’…”
— “Piercing the Fog of War: The theory and practice of command in the British and German armies, 1918- 1940”, by Martin Samuels.
On time management for high productivity:
Perhaps the most important key to high productivity is for you to focus and concentrate on the most valuable and important things you can do, all day long. Developing absolute clarity about your key result areas is essential for executive effectiveness and high productivity.…
–“Time Management” by Brian Tracy
A key result area (KRA) can be defined as having three specific qualities:
1. It is something that you absolutely, positively must do to fulfill the responsibilities and demands of your job.
2. It is something for which you are 100 percent responsible. If you do not do it yourself, there is no one else who can or will do it for you.
3. It is something that is completely under your control. You do not need the assistance or participation of someone else in order to complete this part of your work.