We Produce the Future
Dr Matthew StaffordChief Academic Officer
Squadron Officer College
Critical Thinking… something to think about …
SECTION III
We Produce the Future
Section III
Develop America's Airmen Today ... for Tomorrow
3The Intellectual and Leadership Center of the Air Force
Fly – Fight – Win in Air, Space, and Cyberspace
Four Issues
• Linearization‒ Most models linear‒ Most problems systemic or process-based
• Cognitive Dissonance and Recidivism‒ Cognitive Dissonance
• Multiple potential solutions cause anxiety• Decision maker may switch paths repeatedly to avoid failure• Focus becomes decision-making process vs making decisions
‒ Recidivism – Behavior is repeated at each step
• Problem-Solving Creep‒ Problems expand to consume available resources‒ Continued tinkering may ruin viable solutions
• Avoidance – Fear of failure
Develop America's Airmen Today ... for Tomorrow
4The Intellectual and Leadership Center of the Air Force
Fly – Fight – Win in Air, Space, and Cyberspace
Uses… Create Theory
History
Theory
Doctrine
Strategy
Execution
Develop America's Airmen Today ... for Tomorrow
5The Intellectual and Leadership Center of the Air Force
Fly – Fight – Win in Air, Space, and Cyberspace
Uses… Create Theory
History
Theory
Doctrine
Strategy
Execution
Develop America's Airmen Today ... for Tomorrow
6The Intellectual and Leadership Center of the Air Force
Fly – Fight – Win in Air, Space, and Cyberspace
Uses …. Interpret History
Develop America's Airmen Today ... for Tomorrow
7The Intellectual and Leadership Center of the Air Force
Fly – Fight – Win in Air, Space, and Cyberspace
Uses …. Interpret History
Develop America's Airmen Today ... for Tomorrow
8The Intellectual and Leadership Center of the Air Force
Fly – Fight – Win in Air, Space, and Cyberspace
Uses … Build toward the Future
ISR
Accurate, Precision, Application
C4I
Battlespace Awareness
PrecisionForce
Nodal Targeting and
CommunicationNear-Perfect
Mission Assignment
Near-Perfect Mission Assignment
BattlespaceKnowledge
Develop America's Airmen Today ... for Tomorrow
9The Intellectual and Leadership Center of the Air Force
Fly – Fight – Win in Air, Space, and Cyberspace
Uses … Self-Reflection
Hand with Reflecting SphereM. C. Escher
How do you go about loving your enemies? I think the first thing is
this: In order to love your enemies, you must begin by
analyzing self.
Martin Luther King, Jr
If you know your enemies and know yourself, you will not be imperiled in a hundred battles;
if you do not know your enemies but do know yourself, you will win one and lose one; if you do not know your enemies
nor yourself, you will be imperiled in every single battle.
Sun Tzu
Develop America's Airmen Today ... for Tomorrow
10The Intellectual and Leadership Center of the Air Force
Fly – Fight – Win in Air, Space, and Cyberspace
Uses … Solve Problems
Develop America's Airmen Today ... for Tomorrow
11The Intellectual and Leadership Center of the Air Force
Fly – Fight – Win in Air, Space, and Cyberspace
Summary
• Critical thinking … nothing new‒ Ancient Greeks‒ Carl von Clausewitz‒ Today’s Air Force
• Important to “think about thinking” – meta-cognition‒ Maximizes effectiveness and efficiency‒ Leverages strengths‒ Overcomes weaknesses
• Multiple Approaches‒ Many models‒ Ultimately we must find what works best for ourselves
• Many benefits
We Produce the Future
Thank you.
Develop America's Airmen Today ... for Tomorrow
13The Intellectual and Leadership Center of the Air Force
Fly – Fight – Win in Air, Space, and Cyberspace 13
The Intellectual and Leadership Center of the Air Force
We Produce the Future…
One Student at a Time
One Faculty Member at a Time
One Idea at a Time