The OODA model (Observe, Orient, Decide and Act) created by John Boyd, who was a prominent U.S. military strategist in the 20th century, has been credited with helping fighter pilots win dogfights, litigators win court cases, athletes win championships and businesses outsmart the competition.

The application of the OODA model can bring clarity in times of unprecedented uncertainty and confusion during the COVID-19 pandemic. The model really is meant to be a circular process, that if consistently applied, can help to ensure a positive outcome is achieved. The need to be flexible, creative and brave in the actions taken will help investors navigate this turbulent situation.

The benefit of using OODA is speed. A model, which was designed to assist in one of the most complex of events, i.e., a high-stakes dogfight in fighter jet aircraft, can certainly also be useful to the real assets industry.

Observe

The Observe phase of the model is a time to check all th