ABSTRACT
The key to learning how a brand can operate like water begins with an obscure Air Force pilot and military strategist named John Boyd. Boyd's OODA Loop and concept of mission empower adaptation and alignment, the chemical formula for liquid branding. Understanding the salience of each step in the OODA Loop is crucial, as each can change in importance over time. In the OODA Loop, action may be losing its advantage as well, as automation makes certain functions move at incredible speed, and artificial intelligence and robotics replicate human skill with increasing accuracy. After developing the OODA Loop, John Boyd would go on to outline the principles necessary to operate with both structure and freedom. To achieve structured freedom, the purposes of leadership must be protected while simultaneously empowering frontline teams to adapt to changing circumstances. However, the freedom made possible through decentralization comes with a price.
