Chapter 5 | The Marine Corps Way: Using Maneuver Warfare to Lead a Winning Organization

Analyze everything in terms of risk-reward trade-offs.
- Calculated risk taking steers bold actions away from desperate recklessness.
(Probability of Success x Potential payout ) “ (Probability of failure x Potential cost of failure) = Expected outcome
- Other key decision-making parameters include time to completion, magnitude of upside vs. that of downside, cost of exit, and ability to exit.
- Leverage your experience and the expertise of your people to refine the inputs.
- Proactively take steps to mitigate the risk associated with the risk-reward trade-offs that you face.
Do not be afraid to defy consensus if your analysis and instincts support a divergent viewpoint.
Train employees to make decisions and to act decisively no matter how incomplete their information.
- 80 Percent Rule: any decision made with more than 80 percent of the necessary information is hesitation.
Foster an obligation to dissent among those in your charge, especially during the decision-making process.
Reward initiative ”both successful and unsuccessful .
- Do you hand out toilet seat awards?
Correct mistakes that stem from bold zeal; punish indecision, timidity, or lapses in judgment/integrity.
And when all else fails, remember that it is better to beg for forgiveness than ask for permission. Nevertheless, be cognizant of how your actions fit into the larger context.