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Writer's pictureUnified Gong Fu

Chapter 4 – Decision Making

4.1 Strategy and Tactics

In a general way of speaking, strategy is WHAT we want to achieve and tactics is HOW to achieve the strategic goals. Since this subject is pretty much well understood at the military world, I will discuss it in martial arts context only.

Strategy, in hand to hand combat, strategy is the guiding line of all the actions and needed to be thought of before acting, before the actual engaging in combat, example for strategy can be attrition strategy (in sport), knockout (in sport), points (in sport), takedown, suffocation, multi-hit attack. Decision about the first strike, how to make contact is also strategy (by kick, by aggressive movement inside, or keep distance), these are simple examples for strategy in martial arts.

Tactics, tactics is the particular actions needed to be taken in order to make the desired strategy come true. There are many ways we can conduct an operation, for example, if the strategic decision is to get the enemy to the ground, the tactics can be by takedown, throw, tackle, etc.


Strategy and tactics are constantly changing during the combat. Constant training, physical and mental, allows us to make rapid changes almost instinctive in our tactics, a quick improvisation guided by our rapid understanding of the enemy's plan. An important thought, in case you are stuck, you should not try to out-force the enemy, the right thing to do is to reevaluate the situation and adjust the strategy and tactics to reality.

The adjusting ability is most important; however, we need to remember that in every situation we would like to channel the enemy into a position desired by us and not just flow from improvisation to improvisation, from moment to moment. This is a delicate balance that can be learned by constant practice of free pair workout (sparing) with a goal of study together.


4.2 Time and Timing

The military world deals with constantly changing security reality, with the instability of the battlefield, with the preparations for the next conflict. Usually only the first act is predictable, after that reevaluations of satiations are needed. The constant changing of the situation demands from the military system to be able to adjust rapidly, in short times and same time be able to predict several courses of enemy's action and be able to answer them all.

Because of this time density, there are actions with critical timing and in order to make correct synchronization, caring the action out in the best way and avoid unnecessary hits, it is critical to have very precise time frame for that action and for the whole actions array. This time frame must be real and feasible, otherwise there are flaws within the planning and inevitable problems will occur.

In order to prevent problems, thing must be on time, synchronization must be perfect, as clock gears. This, of course is the ideal, in reality, things are far from perfections, and unpredictable events always occur.

In order to be able withstand the unpredictable events, the time given for each activity, should include real time and some spare time at the planning stage of the large time table array.


In martial arts time is relevant in form of timing, Timing of the first strike, timing of ranges and timing for kozushi. This subject cannot be taught, it is requiring much training and experiences. The timing vary with age, physical status, the conditions of the situation, the chosen course of action, the response of the opponent and many more parameter, that each of us need to study and to know for ourselves.


4.3 Red Lines and Borders of Decision

Red lines, metaphorically and geographically, are what the enemy must not break, or violence will be imposed upon him. In military context, red lines can be, for example, entering armament into demilitarized zone, imposing of naval siege, crossing a geographical line, new balance breaking armament. In martial arts context red lines can be, for example, harassing the weak or any other action demanding our decision to interfere.

Physical red lines are well defined idea. We must decide of a certain distance from us, that in case the enemy is crossing it, we must initiate attack in order to protect ourselves and our protégés efficiently.  This is in fact realizations of the principle of initiative and surprise that are discussed before. Those red lines are the borders of decision, the point of no return. In case you have an intimidation factor, those lines can be declared and perhaps thus prevent violence. In case you have no intimidation factors, those lines should remain secret and thus allow you act surprisingly, before the enemy attacks, get armed (pulling a knife), before the enemy take initiative. This is valid for international region and for hand to hand situations alike.


4.4 Haste and Hesitancy

Haste, is a rapid and superficial thinking, that cause an action without fully understanding of the considerations involved with, the consequences and alternative courses of action.  Haste can be caused by lack of information, by hubris and arrogance, by panic and plain stupidity. Usually the solution is pretty simple, just hold a moment before you acts, do a reevaluation of situation and understand the soon to be action (to "grok" the action – "a stranger in a strange land" Robert Heinlein). In martial arts the "holding a moment" is actual stopping for a fraction of a second, in art of war it is long discussions.

Hesitancy, the opposite of haste, to slow and terrified thinking, that collapse under too much information. The too large amount of information and consideration cause a situation of not making a decision. This lack of ability to make a call comes from a fear to do wrong decision, the fear of taking responsibility and initiative. Hesitancy can cause a disaster just like haste and can cause loss of trust in the leadership, loss of intimidation.


We (the martial artists and military commanders) must take responsibility and initiative, make a decision, considered and based, but not to dawdle, not to drown under sea of data. In war, in combat, there is no "going for sure", uncertainty is the only certain factor (battlefield is the domain of uncertainty) and we should accept it as reality. As soon as we accept this fact, we will not be hesitant and hopefully this book will help the hasty ones among us to stop and think.


4.5 Terrain and Environment

Terrain and environment are important and almost trivial factors in decision making process and fighting. There are many theories about using the terrain and environment, in this book it is only a reminder for this issue as a factor in decision making process.

About environment, it is important to understand that it is not only about nature, but also about people, objects and topography around us, such as a hole for the foot, stones that can be picked up, low branches, etc. awareness for the surrounding can help improvising and planning, and even be the critical point for survival the combat.


4.6 Means

Means are the tools, the people and all kinds of resources in our disposal. Means can be standard (guns, tank, etc.) or can be improvised (sand to be thrown to the eyes). Means are important in the reevaluation of situation and decision making process.

While considering means, it is most important to know the means of the enemy, what tools and knowledge he possesses, only this way we can understand the efficiency of our own means. One does not uses cannon against a mosquito. The means should match to the mission.

It is most important to understand the correct usage of the means, its capabilities and goals of usage. Sand in the eyes, for example, will not kill, but will provide an opportunity to escape, harass and stall. A pistol, for example, has certain ranges of efficiency, not to close and not too far. By understanding the means in our disposal and the enemy's means we would be able to manage the combat more efficiently, with fewer casualties.


4.7 Improvisation

This section does not deal with improvising means but with improvising decisions.

The ability of improvising is the ability to decide quickly and apply the decision. This is not about haste but about a real time limitation with urgency in decision making, which pushes to a decision with insufficient evaluation of situation. Obviously this is not an ideal situation. Accepting this un-ideality and the uncertainty will set us free from hesitancy and make the decisiveness easier.

An important ability for improvisation is the flexibility of thinking, same flexibility that allows us to change strategy and tactics in a blink of an eye during hand to hand combat. A jam in improvisation is caused by stress. Stress causes the gears of thinking to stop, effectively causing FREEZE status.

Same as every other skill, in order to have flexible thinking and avoid freezing, we should train under stressful conditions. In training there are always many simultaneous events that are going wrong, much more than are probable to happen in reality. This is done in order to train the spirit under pressure. We should maintain equanimity, only in this way we can maintain flexibility of thinking and avoid freeze. The more we train under pressure, the less hard will be to improvise in a real situation.


4.8 Evaluation of Situation

Evaluation of situation is the action in which data is processed, information is synchronized, those are matched to reality and solutions are generated. This is a very important step in decision making process. Evaluation of situation is addressed to all the factors that have been mentioned in this book and some that will be mention later.

Evaluation of situation is a feedback based process and iterative updated (a process that repeats itself and adjusted every cycle). Evaluation of situation is a never ending process, as long as there are changes, reevaluation of situation is required. It is impossible to have a perfect evaluation of situation, the reality is dynamic and the evaluation of situation deals with what was until the last update, in the past and there is always the uncertainty factor (battlefield is the domain of uncertainty). Most of us conduct evaluation of situation all the time, in all field of life, even lowering the cooking fire is a result of evaluation of situation and understanding that the high fire could burn the food.

By creating a habit of conscious thinking of our evaluation of situation, we can develop deeper analytical thinking, thus improving our decision making quality, since we will be able to criticize and to inquire ourselves in a more efficient way.


4.9 Possible Courses of Actions (PCA), Alternatives and Point of View

PCA (possible course of action), is the product of evaluation of situation. The desired situation is that several PCAs are produced from the evaluation of situation, thus the decision maker have a pool of options to choose from and take responsibility for that choice.

Existence of alternatives is important in every field of life, economical alternatives, engineering alternatives, military alternatives, fighting alternatives, etc. existing of alternatives allows us to harness the factor of surprise and take initiative. That is why it is important to make efforts and generate alternatives. Remember that the enemy also checks our moves and looking for our courses of actions.

Different-points-of-view is a technic for getting new ideas. Alternative thinking, original, weird and different can always refresh the planning and surprise and it is always important to let an outer factor to examine the plan. Sometimes what we could consider as legitimate, can be interpreted as a horrible crime, thus if we must consider public opinion, we must change the plans.


4.10 Decision Making and Decisiveness

Decision making is the essence of leadership (civilian, military, economical, etc.). Decision making is the right term to use, since it is an active action that requires initiative, and it is a process.

Making the call is the last act of decision making process, the final act after all the considerations and the PCAs.

There are many politicians who are expert in not making the call, a group of corrupted cowards who do not do their job.

Not making a decision is not a privilege of the military leadership and the troops in the field. A situation when there is no decision should be avoided, since this is a situation of opacity. When there is a decision, there is a defined direction and a defined goal, thus operations can be done and opacity (hence helplessness) can be avoided.

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