The ‘Decision Dominance’ Tactic

Decision dominance in game theory; the ability of one player or group to make a decision that determines the outcome of a game in their favor or direction, regardless of the actions taken by the other players.

Decision dominance in tradecraft is a powerful strategic advantage in covert operations, warfare, business and everyday “normal” social interactions. It’s the ability of a force or individual to quickly and accurately make decisions that give them an overwhelming edge over their adversary.

In general, decision dominance is having influence or control of the outcome of a situation, regardless of what the opposing party attempts.

In the context of warfare and covert operations, this refers to the capability to make faster, better-informed decisions than an adversary, thus gaining a strategic advantage. This concept is fundamental in both conventional military engagements and the nuanced world of clandestine actions. It hinges on superior situational awareness, real-time intelligence gathering, and the rapid processing and dissemination of this intelligence to decision-makers.

The primary objective is to outpace the opponent’s decision cycles, effectively disrupting their ability to respond effectively to unfolding events.

          Military and Covert Ops Applications

Decision dominance is crucial in military planning to assess the relative strength of different forces and determine how a conflict might play out. For example, if one military force has decision dominance over another, it may be able to dictate the terms of the conflict and emerge victorious, even if the other force is larger or better equipped.

Military planners can use decision dominance to identify potential weaknesses and develop strategies to overcome them, or to determine when and how to engage in combat in order to succeed.

In covert operations, decision dominance is achieved through meticulous intelligence collection, encompassing both human intelligence (HUMINT) and signals intelligence (SIGINT), among other sources. Operatives are trained to operate stealthily, gathering critical data without alerting the target of their presence.

This intelligence must then be swiftly analyzed and converted into actionable insights, allowing commanders or field operatives to anticipate the adversary’s moves and counteract them preemptively. This proactive stance can decisively influence the outcome of not only military engagements but also complex geopolitical strategies.

          Civilian and Everyday Life Applications

In everyday normal (civilian) life, decision dominance can play a role in many different situations. For example, in a negotiation, one person may have decision dominance if they have the ability to walk away from the negotiation without reaching an agreement, or if they have a better alternatives.

In a group decision-making process, one person may have decision dominance if their opinion carries more weight than the others, or if they have the ability to veto any decisions that they disagree with.

Decision dominance can also arise in social interactions, where one person may be able to dictate the terms of the relationship with a person / group or control the behavior of the other person(s).

          Enacting Decision Dominance

When it comes to achieving decision dominance, there are four key components that must be taken into account: speed, accuracy, preciseness, and timing. By understanding these elements and how they work together, you can develop strategies that allow you to gain the upper hand in any given situation.

The Speed Element

The Accuracy Element

The Precision Element

The Timing Element

Decision dominance can also be useful in evaluating the potential outcomes of diplomatic negotiations and other non-military / non-combative actions.

This concept means that the dominant player’s decision is the only one that matters in effectively determining the final outcome of the game.

This happens when the other players’ choices are essentially irrelevant, or when the dominant player has the ability to counteract any actions taken by the other players – the advantage being profound.