On this Veterans Day, I have been reflecting on the lessons I carried forward from my time serving across multiple units in both the Marine Corps and the Army. It was a privilege to serve alongside extraordinary people, and many of the principles I learned there continue to shape how I lead today.
The most important of them is the ability to make decisions in the fog of war.
In the military, the fog of war is the reality that you rarely have perfect information. Conditions shift quickly, intelligence is incomplete, and waiting for certainty can be more dangerous than making a timely, well-intentioned decision. Leaders succeed not because they know everything, but because they understand intent, trust their teams, and move decisively despite ambiguity.
This applies directly to business. Markets change, data is imperfect, priorities compete, and unexpected disruptions happen. If we wait for perfect clarity, we lose momentum. Leadership is about creating enough clarity for people to act — and enough trust for them to act boldly when the path ahead is not fully visible.
Three Marine Corps concepts
Speed. Momentum comes from action, not analysis paralysis.
Surprise. Agility and unconventional thinking often create the greatest advantage.
Violence of action. Once a decision is made, execution must be unified and disciplined. Decisiveness means committing fully to well-grounded strategic choices, not reacting emotionally at the last minute.
Four frameworks from Army Psychological Operations
These concern influence, alignment, and intentional communication.
Credibility and consistency. Trust is the center of gravity. Credibility creates alignment, and consistent communication maintains it.
Shaping the environment. Before action begins, leaders shape the psychological terrain: the expectations, narratives, and mental models that determine how people interpret events. When you set the frame, you set the pace. When you define the story, you define the standards. Shaping the environment means influencing conditions so that the desired outcome becomes the natural path — not through force, but through clarity, coherence, and alignment of belief.
Understanding the audience. Influence begins with understanding what motivates people: their fears, aspirations, incentives, and values. Decisions land better when they resonate with what matters most to the audience.
Clarity of message. Simple, coherent messaging cuts through noise. In uncertain environments, clarity gives direction, reduces friction, and accelerates action.
The same idea underneath
All of these support one conclusion. We will never have perfect information — but we can create clarity of intent, build trust, shape the environment, and empower decisive action.
We can move with purpose in the fog.