Learn from a top quiz player how to improve the accuracy and speed of your decisions.

The " OODA " loop is gaining attention as a decision-making model that guides solutions to the rapidly changing challenges of modern business.

This series explores the appeal of OODA and offers insights for developing the leadership needed in the coming era through dialogues with "OODA practitioners" across various industries. This installment features a conversation between quiz player Takuji Izawa and Aaron Zhou, author of " OODA-Style Leadership: The World's Most Powerful Doctrine" (Shuwa System).

【What is OODA?】

A process for decision-making and action proposed by John Boyd, a former U.S. Air Force Colonel and fighter pilot. The term is an acronym for Observe, Orient, Decide, Act. Its purpose is to consistently take the best course of action in constantly changing, unpredictable situations. In Western business and marketing, OODA is recognized as an essential decision-making process alongside the traditional PDCA cycle. ( Learn more here ).

 

Fully utilizing OODA loop thinking in quiz answers and on-location reactions

──As a quiz player, you're active on TV quiz shows. Beyond that, you're a YouTuber with over 2 million subscribers, editor-in-chief of the web media "QuizKnock," and you also visit schools and support corporate PR. Your activities are incredibly diverse and energetic. How do you see the relationship between quizzes and OODA?

Izawa: The OODA process—"Observe → Orient → Decide → Act"—applies when answering quizzes too. For example, in buzzer quizzes, you often press the button while the question is still being read. You press based on the judgment that you "might know the answer," not that you "know the answer." From there, you observe the question, judge the relative merits of several possible answers, decide, select, and answer.

Aaron: Performing "Observe → Decide → Act" at high speed in an uncertain situation where you don't fully understand the question is truly OODA-like thinking. Colonel John Boyd, who developed OODA, was a fighter pilot living in a world like the movie "Top Gun." Making quick decisions in situations where a single mistake could mean the end is probably similar to buzzer-beater quizzes.

Izawa: Beyond buzzer quizzes, it happens quite often on TV location shoots too—like when someone suddenly asks, "Tell us some trivia about XX!" (laughs). That kind of thinking is also OODA-like. If you take too long to answer, the people around you start looking confused, like "Huh?" My regular studying is more about systematically organizing my knowledge using the PDCA cycle: Plan → Do → Check → Act. But in unpredictable situations like location shoots, where you have to improvise, "planning" doesn't work. What's crucial is observing your surroundings and instantly deciding if there's anything you can connect to trivia.

Aaron: I see. Combining PDCA and OODA is also vital in advertising and marketing. When selling a product or service, PDCA is essential to enhance the precision and efficiency of traditional marketing activities. Simultaneously, OODA-style thinking is indispensable for the creative aspects of product or service commercials. Without OODA, you'd end up with run-of-the-mill, boring commercials. In business too, I believe it's crucial to run PDCA for stable existing operations while rapidly spinning OODA for fast-changing new ventures to spot winning opportunities.

Transforming a society that "can't decide, can't change" with OODA

──A major difference between PDCA and OODA is that OODA includes a "decision" process. In recent business, the lack of speed in "decision-making" is often cited as a challenge. What are your thoughts on this point?

Aaron: Indeed, when visiting overseas on business trips, I've seen Japanese businesspeople who essentially just observe and then return home. You know, the "I'll take it back and consider it" approach. But what Western businesspeople expect is immediate "judgment" and the word "decision."

Izawa: Even if they feel the results of the inspection aren't very good, is it that Japanese people have this feeling that they can't just flatly refuse in front of the other person?

Aaron: That might be part of it.

Izawa: I visit various companies for work too, and I really feel how difficult it is to make decisions. For example, even if our proposal gets very high praise at the operational level, it might not lead to a "decision" there. After senior management spends time reviewing it, it sometimes gets shelved. Or, your name was mentioned during the planning stage, but when it comes to the big decision, you find yourself quietly sidelined. (laughs)

──Compared to Europe and America, does that mean the ability to make decisions with a sense of urgency is weaker?
 
Aaron: Japan is said to have rapidly matured in many areas after the war due to its swift economic development. Perhaps that's precisely why it's difficult to create something that surpasses existing excellent technologies or products, or something entirely new. For instance, because the system of manufacturers and subcontractors is mature and well-established, it can be hard to boldly pivot toward innovative technologies that fundamentally change that system. Other countries seize that opportunity to boldly achieve technological innovation and overtake us.

──Beyond decision-making, I believe OODA also emphasizes consistently taking the best possible action in constantly changing, unpredictable situations. Observing the situation and acting swiftly is crucial. What are your thoughts on this point?

Izawa: In my work, I visit various schools. Currently, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) is promoting ideas like "School ver.3.0," pushing the "GIGA School Initiative" to equip every student with a computer and high-speed network.

However, when I speak with teachers on the ground, it's also true that many say, "We're not even at 2.0, let alone 3.0." While they're pushing for "efficiency in education" under the banner of moving away from the "yutori" (relaxed) education policy, the reality is that many schools can only function under the old yutori system—some are even worse off than before. Additionally, some teachers worry that their own digital skills aren't being updated fast enough, or that more teachers might lose their jobs as DX (digital transformation) advances. In this situation, some schools still have teachers voluntarily running extracurricular morning classes before the first period, often at their own expense.

Aaron: Really? So instead of digitalization, teachers' workloads are actually increasing?

Izawa: The educational landscape is rapidly changing, and society is becoming increasingly digital, yet we can't execute OODA loops. I feel one reason Japanese companies become rigid lies within the education system.
 
Aaron: So while some schools are tackling reforms, many still can't keep up due to staff shortages and other issues. In Japan, cramming education is also a problem, right?

Izawa: That's right. Cramming itself isn't bad; it's about tailoring the cramming method to fit each student. We need to consider how to solve the problem of the heavy burden on frontline teachers as a set, but the theme of individual optimization might be precisely the area where the flexibility of OODA comes into play.

The key to executing OODA is delegating authority to subordinates

──What do Japanese companies need to effectively implement OODA?

Izawa: At QuizKnock, which I launched in 2016, we support corporate PR using quiz content. Sometimes we shoot promotional videos for B2B companies. By the time they reach out to YouTubers like us, it's often a pretty bold concept. One factor enabling this is that the person in charge has delegated authority.

On the other hand, looking at other companies' cases, even if a young employee works hard to get the first project approved, it can get canceled by upper management citing reasons like "the ROI is unclear" or "we can't measure how well the KPIs were achieved." Setting aside which approach is right, there's no doubt there's a disconnect in direction between the front lines and upper management. Personally, I believe while top management sets the direction, once a plan aligns with that direction, it should be entrusted to the frontline staff. This approach makes it easier to observe the situation and execute the OODA loop, and I feel it also makes it easier for the staff to dive into situations where they can run the OODA loop.

Aaron: There are also cases where management won't make decisions on things they haven't had success with before. I've been involved in various business development projects, and even within large organizations, the ability to create new businesses comes from being granted authority by superiors. If you constantly refer to past experiences or seek your boss's judgment for everything, progress grinds to a halt. Therefore, in this rapidly changing era, I believe there are only two viable options: either delegate authority, or ensure the frontline accurately grasps the simple vision from upper management and acts swiftly in accordance with it.

Izawa: Delegating authority is incredibly important. While handing authority freely to younger staff might feel daunting, I believe it's a crucial point for creating new businesses.

──You mentioned delegating authority, but leadership is also crucial for executing the OODA loop, right? You're sometimes seen as a leader in the quiz industry. How do you view your own role?

Izawa: I don't personally consider myself a leader. However, it's true I'm a prominent figure in the industry, so I believe I should act while maximizing that influence. The quiz industry is decentralized; some people love TV quiz shows, while others enjoy creating their own. Precisely because there are so many different types of people, there's a prevailing sentiment against standardization. Some might even worry that if someone like me becomes too prominent, the influx of people could diminish the enjoyment they find in it.

Even so, I believe that ultimately, it's better for the quiz community to grow and for the economic scale to expand. So, I act based on my convictions. My role is to carry forward the quiz industry that many people have built up over time and act accordingly. It's less about being a leader and more like being a striker in soccer. One concrete example of this action is that I published a guidebook about quizzes two years ago.

Aaron: What kind of book is it?
 
Izawa: Quiz has too many know-how techniques, question-making methods, and exceptions to established styles. Until now, there hasn't been a book that logically systematizes and explains quiz. For example, there's nothing that articulates what a buzzer quiz is in a way the general public can understand.

But sports like soccer or baseball, or games like shogi or go, have established techniques and fundamental teaching theories. That's why they can be discussed in terms of educational value or depth. Without verbalization, the entry point into the quiz industry remains narrow, and I believe it's difficult to elevate the industry's value as a whole.

Therefore, while acknowledging the inevitable mixed reactions, I aimed to create this book to voice these ideas and give them form. Ultimately, it's everyone within the quiz industry who will energize it. If I can contribute anything, I believe it lies in "verbalizing quizzes" based on the collective theories of many people. I made observations and judgments about the situation where people worried, "If we verbalize it, who knows what everyone will think?" As a goal-scorer, I just shoved the ball into the net for now, but in hindsight, that might actually be what you call leadership. Either way, looking back, I think OODA is a better tool for those who transform and lead—it helps confirm your own methods and refine them.

Aaron: From your insights, Mr. Izawa, I feel I've gained hints on how to cycle through OODA within organizations and industries. Thank you for today.

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