Functional battle rhythm minimises the friction inherent in combat activities by providing predictability to subordinates and better synchronising different echelons of command. A functional battle rhythm synchronises the Battlefield Operating Systems (BOS) in time, space and purpose and across different echelons of command. (Battle Rhythm by Klecker, Daniel J Peterson, Jay – Military Review Journal 2018)
In today’s fast changing world or governance and business operations, the concept of military strategy and operational coordination is being slowly but effectively applied at all levels of the governance and corporate structures worldwide.
Assuming the appropriate Battle Rhythm is the key to success ability amongst many governments and corporate systems today. Understanding the concept of a functional Battle Rhythm and its applicability to your ‘theatre of operations’ is the pre-dominant factor. It would be hopeful and expected that as we apply our ‘ mission creep’ to addressing the emerging crises that are on our Battle Plain, our leaders would be engaging the guidance of strategists and military thinking minds in charting the way forward. This strategic fit filters seamlessly into the Dynamics of Strategy that is so gravely needed.
A functional Battle Rhythm reflects on the process of generating actionable information for decision making and strategy to our Leadership, and can be categorised into four basic phases. They are: Input—receiving data inputs from multiple sources and research platforms; Integrate±— integrating the multiple inputs to create useable information once verified and sanitized; Shape - shaping useable information to make it actionable by weighing the Risk Factor; and, Decide - taking actionable information to the Leadership/ Team for a decision, once the contingency planning has been exercised and explored.
Military personnel understand the concept of the battle rhythm: the cycle the Commander and his staff use to make decisions. The battle rhythm takes in to account sensor and intelligence inputs, battle damage assessments, the consequences and the risks, the logistics and the Cost Benefit analyses, the stated mission of the project or operation, the direction from the approved higher authority, and the Commander’s intent to accomplish the stated mission, and combines these elements to create a series of decisions that impact the actions of units reporting to the Commander. . (Battle Rhythm by Klecker, Daniel J.; Peterson, Jay – Military Review Journal 2018)
It is advisable that today’s newly appointed leaders must acquaint themselves with the concept of the functional battle rhythm in governance. It is the heart of the operational knowledge management process. Effectively managing the battle rhythm means effectively processing inputs and intent to allow the Leadership to make decisive decisions.
A functional Battle Rhythm clearly defines that at the heart of effective managerial leadership is strategy, and the word strategy itself comes from “Strategos,” the Greek word for general. Now, as leaders turn to the hard decisions of managing the new wave of the crisis that is upon us, the decisions of embarking on stringent methods, our financial policies and investments, the issues surrounding our National Security, our Oil and Gas sector and our Social Services, it would involve a thorough approach of re-examining our Leadership style, the Motivation of our people and our Culture to be efficient in times of crisis.
It is strongly advised that the decision makers must examine the lessons learned from crisis and issues of the past, build a new management paradigm, linked to identifying our Battle Rhythm. This new model must be one characterized by decisiveness, working side-by-side, agility, optimism and nationalism. We must seek to inspire by good, effective communications, using our functional Battle Rhythm.
