The military teaches its leaders about being inside the opposing leader’s ‘OODA loop’ as a determining factor in which of the two opposing forces will triumph. The OODA loop is where the leader ‘Observes’ the situation, ‘Orientates’ their forces to meet the enemy in the most effective way, ‘Decides’ on the optimum course of action to achieve the mission and then ‘Acts’, before heading back to the orientation stage. The process is continuous.
If you know what your opponent is expecting, you can surprise them. Just as Hannibal did the Romans when he crossed the Alps with elephants and hit their defences from an unexpected direction.
How does this apply to the business world? Fortunately, businesses do not have to think about the use of offensive force, but they do have to consider how to deliver the best outcomes to enable growth. That usually means outperforming competitors in terms of service and value.
It means knowing your competition – their strengths and weaknesses. And looking for smart, imaginative solutions that deliver where they cannot. It also means knowing your clients.
Designing from a client’s perspective
I was a sceptic when I walked into a global bank as a newly hired ‘customer experience manager’ after almost a decade in the armed forces. I was grateful for a role, but I had no real idea of what it would involve or whether it was a bit of marketing nonsense enabling a corporation to avoid facing hard truths and making tough decisions.
How wrong I was. The skills and experiences I gathered in that first ‘civvy’ role have informed my ways of working ever since.
Winning organisations place clients at the centre of their decision-making processes. Business schools offer several methodologies for this. One I like, is to ignore what is in place and what is done today. Focus only on what may be the best experience the client would want from each interaction with the organisation.
Let your mind run wild –– combine the human and technological channels for interaction and do everything from the viewpoint of the client. Once that utopian future is clear, only then work out how it can be achieved over time.
An airline company famously did this when designing its latest passenger jet. The overarching principle it placed upon the engineering teams and designers was that passengers must be able to evacuate the aircraft in under three minutes, when half the exits are blocked. This principle drove everything – the placement of the seats, the width of the aisles, where the wiring needed to go. Everything was tested against this principle. How quickly you can evacuate a plane when it crashes is not something to shout about in adverts, but that only serves to underline the true customer-centric priorities of this business. Good businesses take their staff seriously, too. Look after your people and your people will look after your customers.
Speed matters more than ever
Speed of decision-making is paramount for success in any business as it is for the military. This is especially true for businesses trying to establish and maintain a competitive advantage.
Online competition and disruptive forces like AI mean businesses have to fight harder and faster to be profitable. You have to develop and evolve propositions quickly.
Social media and the internet present other challenges, too. Consumers can publicly applaud or criticise companies, highlighting their experiences to the world, openly comparing pricing and reviews. You have to respond to problems quickly and fairly and cannot rest on your laurels.
The fastest loop is client led
Weatherbys launched its business banking arm in the latter half of 2025. We knew there was a need within the business world for the level of personal service that Weatherbys offers its private clients – many of them who are entrepreneurs told us so.
Our job is to offer products and service levels that compel businesses to move from their existing bank, whether that be High Street, digital or other private banks with business banking services.
In building Weatherbys Business Bank, every decision must have the client at its heart. When several options are viable, the one which benefits the client most wins the day.
This brings several benefits. It provides a framework for decision-making that results in speedy execution, which is why Weatherbys Business Bank opened for business ahead of schedule.
It gives our employees the confidence that the outcomes we offer our client base will not disappoint. Quite the opposite, in fact. And it gives clients the confidence that the proposition will just get better and better.
In effect, by putting client centricity at the centre of the decision-making process, a business has the fastest OODA loop. And, ultimately, the best service in the market.