Ok, Boyd is really the most intriguing strategic thinker I've ever come across.
I'm not sure I can finish this week's post in time; there's too much to synthesise.
Conversation
Or rather, there is relatively little to synthesise, but what exists is so profound that it’s difficult to wrap your head around all the implications.
As a taster: Boyd assumes specific strategies are not worth discussing, because discussion makes the strat unviable.
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It’s a bit like the common (Singaporean) criticism of the Thucydides Trap: “knowledge that the trap exists implies that the parties involved will not fall into the trap”
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And so if you are to construct a general strategic framework but you are not allowed to discuss a specific strategic approach, what are you left with?
You are left with a way of thinking about the world.
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(Yes, all blog posts that focus on the OODA loop miss the point. As a description of decision making processes, there are far better models out there.)
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Highly recommend Osinga's excellent treatment of Boyd:
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I just finished it! I thought Chet Richard’s treatment was bad; Competing Against Time was useful but presented only one applied strategy (albeit an exhaustive one). Coram and Hamming’s bios were good, but narrative. Osinga really does the best job.
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Mostly agree. I appreciate Chet trying to apply to business. A lot more that could be done there but directionally good I thought.
Coram is usually what I recommend to People to get them hooked then graduate to Osinga if they are into it.
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Coram's book reads like a thriller! Will check out your post.