Does Your Business Have a Battle Rhythm? Why You Need One

The concept of a battle rhythm and why businesses need one

A battle rhythm is part strategic routine and part information processing. Together, these two components develop better-quality and more useful information that encourages strategic decision-making. The military even uses its battle rhythm to gain a competitive edge. [Read related: 7 Surefire Strategies to Help You Stand Out From the Competition]

“Think of a battle rhythm as the heartbeat of an organization — it keeps everything in sync,” said Clark Lowe, president and CEO of O’Connor Co., who worked in operations for the U.S. Marine Corps. “It’s not about military precision, but it’s about establishing a predictable cadence where your team knows what’s happening and when.”

In an office, a battle rhythm consists of timed meetings and briefings, so the information from each lower-level meeting can inform the decisions of higher-level meetings. The frequency of those meetings within your battle rhythm vary depending on your business’s needs. You may choose daily, weekly, monthly or quarterly debriefs to supplement your regularly scheduled meetings and communication. 

Here are three reasons your organization should implement a battle rhythm.

It keeps your company organized.

Although some routines can be mixed up within a company, there needs to be a general process that all team members follow. If one team member deviates, the entire organization becomes off-key. Having a battle rhythm ensures organization and harmony.

“Establishing a battle rhythm provides a structured approach to managing daily operations,” said Eric Brown, president and CEO of Imperio Consulting, who has over two decades of experience in the Special Forces as a Green Beret. “This rhythm creates specific touchpoints that help align the team and save valuable time.”

Regardless of the battle rhythm you choose, all members of your organization should understand the methodology to enable better cooperation and context for each person’s role in the greater mission. Every meeting should have a clear purpose, and only team members necessary for the meeting should be in attendance.

“Participants should understand whether they are meeting to share information, solve a challenge or receive guidance from the decision-maker,” Brown said. “Understanding the purpose ensures that the meeting stays focused on its goal and doesn’t go off track.”

It improves team communication.

Good communication is vital to any organization’s success. By establishing a battle rhythm and knowing each department’s flow, your team can more effectively exchange necessary information and collaborate on key issues.

“The idea [of a battle rhythm] fosters communication and cooperation through dissolving the boundaries of departments, which facilitates information exchange,” said Mason Farmani, a personal and corporate life coach at Farmani Coaching. “Companies can anticipate problems early and prevent them from spreading by implementing multiple touchpoints.”

Farmani added that this improved communication could also benefit the company culture, engagement and morale. 

It improves strategic decision-making.

According to Farmani, a battle rhythm fosters immediate action and long-term thinking.

“This methodology helps enterprises to manage resources effectively, making sure to identify high-impact activities, minimize wastage and efficiently apply time and materials,” he said. “It aids in decision-making because managers can leverage feedback and real-time data to make better decisions and reduce risk.”

Battle rhythm best practices

If you’d like to establish a battle rhythm for your team, follow these best practices to ensure success.

Create strategic routines.

Routine can hamper innovation, but deadlines and reporting routines will give all members of your organization the framework to structure their tasks. They will know what to focus on and deliver updates regularly. 

To set up effective routines, first identify what information or status updates you need for key operational decisions each month. This could be related to inventory, sales or customers, for instance. Then, work backward to determine which inputs are necessary to make those key decisions. 

Develop a cadence for receiving necessary reports, pulling the needed data, conducting manager reviews and reporting on the raw data. This will enable each employee to structure their weeks to develop and prepare the necessary reports.

“Daily or weekly check-ins keep the team aligned,” Lowe said. “Consistent reviews of both short- and long-term goals help ensure everyone’s rowing in the same direction. And accountability check-ins allow you to [course correct] as needed.”

Practice both upward and lateral information sharing.

Battle rhythm strategy involves sharing important information up the chain of command. As the information moves upward, it should gain strategic value. Business owners should leverage their managers’ areas of expertise and years of experience by having them synthesize collected information from their reports.

Reports by base-level employees can be interpreted in a more meaningful way by more senior employees. These higher-level employees will have a better sense of what that data means in the grand scheme of operations. The managers should then deliver meaningful interpretations in an actionable manner. This will help you, the business owner, make the best decisions for the company. Debriefs should include only the information you need to make decisions in the short term. Otherwise, you could easily become overwhelmed by unrelated information that will ultimately confuse decision-making and waste time. 

Additionally, ensure that interdependent teams communicate with each other and that their battle rhythm interlocks as necessary. For example, your hiring team should be in contact with your social media team to share a call for applicants. Your social media team will have to wait until the hiring team has prepared their list of application requirements, so their meeting should be scheduled after the hiring team has theirs. 

Focus on growth.

With the resources and capital you save or earn thanks to your battle rhythm, focus on ways you can grow and expand your business. Try to minimize your risks by expanding an established source of revenue, instead of branching out into an entirely new sphere. You can also try funneling some of your extra resources into improving your customer or client experience. 

You can apply the battle rhythm system to a specific growth goal as well. Begin with the goal, and then determine what benchmarks or improvements need to occur to make it possible. Set the benchmarks and timetables as goals for your departments, and have them determine a work schedule or their own plans for achieving the benchmarks in the time period needed.

Check-ins ahead of benchmarks will hold employees accountable and keep you informed on their progress. Frequent communication will keep you on top of any sudden changes or issues. Work with your managers to ensure that your goals and timetables are correct; you’ll need their support to drive their departments toward the goals.

Understand your role in the process.

Synchronized efforts and clearly defined roles are crucial to a successful and strategic battle rhythm. All employees in your organization should know the business’s goals and how their role contributes to that growth.

Lower levels in the chain will need to know the information required of them to shape their battle rhythm in the first place. You and your upper-level managers can outline company goals to the lower-level teams and explain what you need from them to make your decisions. From there, they can figure out when they need to meet to prepare that data. 

A greater understanding of the rhythm and roles will improve coordination and create motivated employees. Departments within your business can more easily coordinate their activities if they know each other’s battle rhythm.

Pitfalls to avoid when implementing a battle rhythm

Here are some common pitfalls to avoid when establishing your organization’s battle rhythm and what to do instead.

Scheduling too many meetings

Avoid meeting too frequently, as employees need time to actually complete their work. 

“Overloading the rhythm with too many meetings is a common trap,” Lowe said. “It’s not about filling calendars; it’s about making each interaction count.” [Read more about why meetings can kill productivity and what to do about it.]

To avoid meeting fatigue and the associated dip in efficiency, Brown recommended prioritizing key events and activities in your communications.

Being too rigid

While structure is crucial, adhering to it too strictly can quickly veer into inflexibility, Brown said.

“You can’t make a change if your battle rhythm isn’t flexible, so review it and update it often as needs change,” Farmani recommended.

Similarly, businesses don’t always plan for high-stress situations when developing their battle rhythms. It can be easy to institute a routine during your company’s slow period, but that practice can fall by the wayside in high-pressure situations. Factor in your busy times, and be realistic about what your team will be able to accomplish. Build in time buffers and chances for flexibility so you’re as prepared as possible for the unknown.

Lacking follow-through and commitment

To successfully implement a battle rhythm, your entire team will have to be committed to it. One missing link can break the chain, so ensure that every task and communication is accounted for. “If tasks are not followed through on, you don’t have any accountability,” Farmani said. “Keeping a record of what has been accomplished is essential.”

Of course, following a battle rhythm is more than checking boxes; it requires genuine understanding and commitment. “Many organizations fall into becoming complacent and numb through daily routine meetings, where the meeting just becomes a task and loses its original purpose,” Brown said. “[Stay] focused, and [ensure] the purpose of the meeting is always clear and adhered to.”

Finally, when you’re creating a battle rhythm, remember that you don’t have to make all of the changes at once. With time and iteration, you will find the best rhythm for you and your team. “Keep it simple, [and] adapt as you go,” Lowe advised. “And remember, it’s like finding your pace in a marathon — too fast, and you burn out; too slow, and you lose momentum.”

Sean Peek contributed to this article.