Stanley McChrystal

Team of Teams

1. IDEA 1

   Rigid structures failed a flexible enemy

   McChrystal, a retired general, describes how his special forces command in Iraq struggled against al-Qaeda in Iraq, a flexible network. Despite superior resources, the American task force was too slow because its structure was designed for efficiency, not adaptability.

2. IDEA 2

   Complex problems need new approaches

   McChrystal distinguishes complicated problems, which can be solved with planning, from complex problems, which change unpredictably. Modern challenges are often complex. In McChrystal's view, a plan works for a complicated problem, but a complex one keeps shifting, so plans soon become out of date.

3. IDEA 3

   Efficiency is not enough

   McChrystal argues that organisations built for efficiency struggle in fast-changing environments. Adaptability matters more. In McChrystal's view, a system that runs smoothly under steady conditions can be too rigid to react when the situation suddenly changes.

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