Red Team Thinking is a multi-faceted approach to decision making and problem solving that originated with the US military, partly in response to the horrific terrorist attacks of 9/11. It’s a mindset and toolset for navigating complexity, identifying threats, developing innovative ideas, and making better decisions in complex environments. The methodology employs taking alternative perspectives, avoiding groupthink, and imagining alternate scenarios that avoid situations where overconfidence or negligence could lead to errors or setbacks.
To acquire bronze level certification, Neuendorff first participated in a lengthy online training program led by Bryce Hoffman, the only civilian graduate of the US Army’s elite Red Team Leader program. Hoffman leveraged this Army training to create a program where executive coaches could learn to apply Red Team Thinking in their sessions with clients.
Neuendorff highlighted the impact of the training, noting that it “featured some powerful exercises.” These methods included a sequential process of writing solutions to problems and sharing them with other participants, “pre-mortem” thinking to anticipate the worst-case scenario and develop mitigation plans, and employing “the six strategic questions” to help clients gain new perspectives and identify hidden, often unexamined, assumptions. Neuendorff’s choice of this program was driven by its strong alignment with BAEC’s core philosophy: “think more, lead better.”
Having achieved bronze-level certification, Neuendorff intends to progressively integrate Red Team Thinking into his firm’s extensive coaching and training programs. He explains:, “Using Red Team Thinking, we aim to challenge our clients to actively engage in their own thinking—and encourage their teams to do the same—rather than merely relying on AI or outside consultants. This will instill our clients with greater capacity and confidence to navigate the complex world we inhabit today.”
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