Patterns of Conflict

Conflict stems from a mismatch between how things are and how one wants them to be. Carl von Clausewitz identified this mismatch when he called war "an act of force to compel our enemy to do our will." Whether it’s two coworkers gunning for the same promotion or nations trading missile strikes, the core question stays the same: how do I win?

John Boyd’s magic pill was the Observe, Orient, Decide, Act (OODA) Loop. At its core, the OODA Loop is about maneuver, or the ability to adapt to changing conditions. Boyd argued that the faster and more effectively you can observe, orient, decide, and act, the more you disrupt your opponent’s ability to do the same.

“He who can handle the quickest rate of change survives,” Boyd observed.

This insight flips the script on how we think about conflict. Winning is not about who has the better equipment, the bigger army, or a 50-slide PowerPoint plan no one will follow anyway. It’s about adaptability and creativity—outmaneuvering the enemy with speed and surprise. 

In the end, Boyd showed that the side most willing to adapt—whether by exploiting a weakness, seizing an opportunity, or holding ground when things get messy—comes out on top. Conflict, like life, rewards the quick and the bold, while punishing the slow and inflexible.

Colin

p.s. how does this section fit with your own experience with conflict? how have you been able to outmaneuver your enemy? or have they outmaneuvered you?

p.p.s. reply "patterns" to get on the waitlist to discuss the conflicts in your life. i'll be available again in September.