Revolution in Military Affairs Military Strategy is Under Developed with Professor Jeff Meiser
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Feb 26, 2024 Jeff Meiser, a professor specializing in military strategy, dives into the critical state of contemporary military strategy. He highlights the need for clear strategic objectives over mere reliance on advanced technology like AI. The conversation explores the evolution of military thought and the complexities of modern warfare, especially in the context of U.S. engagements in Iraq and Afghanistan. Meiser also advocates for a more nuanced approach to decisive battles, emphasizing incremental improvements rather than sensational outcomes.
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Strategy As A Theory Of Success
- Strategy is best defined as a theory of success that explains how you will cause desired outcomes to happen.
- Jeff Meiser argues this definition lets you test, revise, and hold strategy accountable before and after implementation.
Causation Is The Core Of Strategy
- A strategy must explain the causal mechanism linking actions to desired outcomes to be useful.
- Meiser says without that causal explanation, plans become arrows on slides with no accountability or testable claims.
Use A Scientific Mindset
- Think like a scientist: form hypotheses about how actions will produce effects and test them with evidence.
- Revise strategies continuously based on testing, critique, and real-world feedback.