Commander's Intent : Expressing and Achieving Success

In today's competitive business environment, achieving success requires a clear and concise vision of what success looks like. This vision must be communicated effectively to all members of an organization, from the top echelon to the lowest. In order to achieve this, companies can learn from military operations, where the concept of commander's intent is a critical tool that ensures all members understand the mission and vision of how the mission is to be executed.

What is Commander's Intent?

Commander's intent is a broad description and definition of what a successful mission will look like in its end state. This concept can be applied to branding and decision making within organizations as well. It is the single unifying focus for all subordinate elements, so it must be understood by the echelons below the commander. Commander's intent helps to communicate the vision clearly, describing what success looks like to all members.

How is Commander's Intent Developed?

To achieve success in branding, organizations can develop their own version of commander's intent. This can involve defining the organization's expanded purpose, key tasks, and desired end state. The expanded purpose should go beyond the mission statement and encompass the greater purpose of the organization and its relation to the entire force. Key tasks should be the activities the organization must perform to achieve the desired end state. The desired end state should be the desired future conditions of the organization in relation to its goals, vision, and values.

The Role of Autonomy in Decision Making

Commander's intent helps to ensure members of the organization know their mission and the vision of how the mission is to be executed. It is the commander's task to communicate the intent down the chain of command, making sure that all members have a clear understanding of the vision. When members are clear on the intent, they can make autonomous decisions that are in line with the goals of the organization. This autonomy is essential for effective decision making and ensuring that the organization can adapt to changing circumstances.

The Key to Meeting Commander's Intent

The key to meeting commander's intent is a trained, confident, and engaged staff and unit. All members must understand the plan and their role to ensure the commander's intent is accomplished. But commanders and members alike also need the freedom and confidence to be flexible as the situation changes, taking care to ensure that the changes still fit the overall mission and vision.

Branding and Commander's Intent

Branding is the process of creating a unique name and image for a product or service in the minds of consumers. It is a critical tool for achieving success in today’s competitive business environment. The link between branding and commander’s intent is clear: both require a clear and concise vision of what success looks like. The expanded purpose, key tasks, and desired end state of commander’s intent can be translated into the core values and promises of branding. When all members of an organization have a clear understanding of the commander's intent, they can work together more effectively to make better decisions and ultimately achieve success.

Determine Your Brand's Core Values and Promises

Your brand's core values are the beliefs and principles that guide your company's actions and decisions. Your brand's promises are the commitments you make to your customers about the benefits they will receive from your products or services. By aligning your brand's core values and promises with the expanded purpose, key tasks, and desired end state of commander's intent, you can create a clear and concise vision of what success looks like and communicate it effectively to all members of your organization. This will ensure that all members are working towards the same goal, which is critical in achieving success.

Leadership Skills in the Context of Commander's Intent

In the context of Commander's Intent, leadership skills take on a unique significance. A leader must possess the ability to articulate a clear and compelling vision, akin to the 'intent', that aligns with the organization's mission and goals. This requires exceptional communication skills to ensure that the intent is understood at all levels of the organization. Furthermore, leaders need to foster an environment of trust and autonomy, empowering team members to make decisions that align with the intent. This necessitates a high level of emotional intelligence to understand and respond to team members' needs and concerns. Additionally, leaders must demonstrate adaptability, as the intent may need to be adjusted in response to changing circumstances. Finally, a leader should embody the intent through their actions, setting a powerful example for the team.

Applying Commander's Intent in Startup Operations

The concept of Commander's Intent proves to be a powerful tool for operational success. As demonstrated by Dave Perretz, a former military officer turned startup operations head, this approach can significantly enhance team performance. Perretz would articulate the key tasks, purpose, and future conditions for his team, and consistently review these elements in team meetings. This strategy empowered his team to operate swiftly and decisively, eliminating the need for constant permission-seeking and preventing stagnation when plans needed to change. For instance, during a new product launch, Perretz would clearly communicate his intent for the project, outlining the purpose, essential tasks, and the definition of success upon project completion. This approach not only clarified what needed to be done and why, but also provided the necessary guidance for the team to achieve success. This example underscores the potential of Commander's Intent as a strategic tool in business, especially in agile startup environments where quick decision-making is crucial.

The Southwest Example

Southwest Airlines is a perfect example of how commander's intent can be used to create a successful brand. Herb Kelleher, the longest-serving CEO of Southwest, once said, "We are THE low fare airline. Once you understand that fact, you can make any decision about this company's future as well as I can." This statement is Southwest's commander's intent, and it has guided the actions of the airline's employees for more than thirty years.

Southwest's core idea, "THE low-fare airline," is the central focus. But the very next circle might be "Have fun at work." Southwest's employees know that it's okay to have fun so long as it doesn't jeopardize the company's status as THE low-fare airline. By aligning the brand's core values and promises with the expanded purpose, key tasks, and desired end state of commander's intent, Southwest has created a clear and concise vision of what success looks like and communicated it effectively to all members of the organization. This has ensured that all members are working towards the same goal, which is critical in achieving success.

Conclusion

Commander's intent is an essential tool to express the concept of the mission and vision to all members of an organization clearly and concisely. It keeps everyone focused and together, leading to success in branding and decision making. By developing a clear and concise vision of success and communicating it effectively, organizations can ensure that all members are working towards the same goal, which is critical in achieving success. When all members of an organization have a clear understanding of the commander's intent, they can make better decisions, work together more effectively, and ultimately achieve success.

Key takeaways:

Commander's intent is a critical military concept that describes a broad definition of what a successful mission looks like and can be applied to branding and decision making in organizations.
Developing an organization's commander's intent involves defining the expanded purpose, key tasks, and desired end state, which can be translated into the core values and promises of branding.
Autonomy in decision making is crucial for organizational success, as it allows members to make decisions that align with the organization's goals and adapt to changing circumstances.
Meeting commander's intent requires a trained, confident, and engaged staff, as well as the freedom and confidence to be flexible as situations change.
The Southwest Airlines example illustrates how commander's intent can be used to create a successful brand by aligning core values and promises with the expanded purpose, key tasks, and desired end state.
By developing and communicating a clear and concise vision of success, organizations can ensure that all members work towards the same goal, leading to more effective decision making and overall success.