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As an executive coach, I not only help leaders develop their own emotional intelligence (EQ), but also help them propagate EQ throughout their organizations. Accurate decision making and effective communication depend upon the ability to effectively manage emotions no matter where you are on the corporate ladder.
Several years ago, I was introduced to the OODA Loop decision-making framework and I instantly saw its potential for improving emotional intelligence. Here’s a flyover view of both concepts, with the commonalities that can help leaders who want to improve their emotional intelligence.
What is the OODA Loop?
The OODA loop decision-making framework was developed by US Air Force Colonel John Boyd and was often used in military campaigns. OODA stands for “Observe, Orient, Decide, Act,” and it can be applied to business operations and learning processes as well as to military scenarios. The OODA loop is especially useful in situations where you need to react faster than your opponent without having emotions cloud your thinking and judgment. It’s very helpful in high-pressure, high-stress situations.
OODA and EQ
Emotional Intelligence Quotient (EQ) is the ability to recognize our own moods, feelings, emotions, and impulses, and regulate and manage them according to the situation. It’s also the ability to recognize those things in other people and influence others’ moods, feelings, and emotions.
So essentially, the OODA Loop model and emotional intelligence are both concepts that relate to decision-making and understanding human behavior. Here’s a summary of the key points of each, for comparison.
The Four Steps of the OODA Loop Model:
Observe: Gather information from various sources about the situation.
Orient: Analyze the information and use it to update your understanding.
Decide: Make a decision, or plan, based on your understanding.
Act: Implement your decision.
Core Emotional Intelligence Quotient (EQ) Competencies:
Self-awareness: Recognizing and understanding your own emotions, strengths, weaknesses, and triggers.
Self-regulation: Managing and controlling your emotional responses, particularly in high-stress situations.
Social awareness: Being attuned to the emotions and needs of others, and understanding social dynamics.
Relationship management: Building and maintaining healthy relationships, resolving conflicts, and effectively communicating with others. Showing empathy and concern for others.
The fifth, and probably most important EQ Competency, is Empathy by itself, but for the purpose of this article, I’m including Empathy in the definition of relationship management.
Today’s business leaders face the same problem as fighter pilots decades ago. They need to make decisions better and faster than the opposition without their judgment being clouded by emotion.
How EQ Influences the OODA Loop Framework
Observe: The ability to accurately perceive and understand a business issue or critical decision, and the people involved, can prove to be invaluable in decision-making.
Orient: High emotional intelligence enhances the ability to manage biases and assumptions and not jump to conclusions. This is helpful in preventing wasteful actions that then have to be corrected later. High EQ guides us to “aim” first instead of “shooting” first.
Decide: When we have properly Observed and Oriented ourselves to the situation at hand, then we have key and relevant data to make informed and accurate decisions without being impulsive or focusing on the wrong thing entirely. If you’ve ever heard the phrase “garbage in is garbage out” for decision making, it’s relevant here. If we can Observe and Orient accurately, then we have a better chance of an overall more accurate decision and course of action because we had good inputs to begin with.
Act: Emotional intelligence helps manage stress and pressure, allowing for clearer thinking and more effective execution of chosen actions. Additionally, emotionally intelligent individuals are better equipped to communicate and collaborate with others during the action phase. This reminds me of when an ESPN reporter asked the late John Wooden what he thought about coaches yelling and screaming on the sidelines. He said, “how can that coach expect their team to handle adversity if the coach just showed they can’t handle it?”
Applying the OODA Loop model can enhance productivity and decision-making when managing daily tasks and unexpected challenges. Imagine a situation where you're facing a particularly hectic day filled with overlapping deadlines, personal commitments, and the inevitable surprises.
Observe: Start the day by reviewing your calendar (Note: I suggest you move your to do lists to an exact time and place on your calendars), and any new emails or messages that have come in overnight. Note any immediate deadlines, meetings, or new tasks that must be addressed.
Orient: Prioritize your tasks based on urgency and importance. Identify if any tasks can be delegated or postponed and determine which require immediate attention. Here’s an article on Delegation if you need help there.
Decide: Choose the order in which you'll tackle the tasks. Make strategic decisions about how to allocate your time, considering the most efficient methods to accomplish your goals. This may involve breaking larger tasks into smaller, manageable steps, or setting specific time blocks for focused work. Sometimes it’s also helpful to have your direct manager help you to reprioritize things.
Act: Implement your plan, focusing on one task at a time to ensure quality and efficiency. Also, allow for what I call “buffer” time in your schedule in case a meeting runs over time, or for those surprises that can always happen.
Loop back: At the end of the day, review what you accomplished against your initial plan. Reflect on what went well and what could be improved. Consider how unexpected challenges were managed and what learnings can be applied to future planning. This reflection helps refine your approach to the next day's challenges, ensuring continuous improvement in personal productivity and decision-making.
By focusing on EQ in combination with the OODA Loop framework you can apply the two models to a variety of work and personal situations. These might be things such as reacting to changing market conditions for your business, having a tough conversation or disagreement with a direct report or coworker, or even being lost in the wilderness on a hiking trail.