Operating with Purpose
Study.
How deliberate are you, really?
Borrow One Idea: Commander’s Intent
Many projects and activities fail because no one in the chain of command truly understands the leader’s intention. Sometimes this is the result of poor communication, but more frequently it is due to a lack of deliberate action by a leader at the beginning of an operation.
Successfully framing and communicating a leader’s intent is the result of deliberate, purposeful, and personal effort. It is not an activity to be delegated.
This week, borrow with pride and put into action the development of your own statements of intent, using clear language that can be understood two levels below you in the organization.
The commander’s intent is a clear and concise expression of the purpose of the operation and the desired military end state that supports mission command, provides focus to the staff, and helps subordinate and supporting commanders act to achieve the commander’s desired results without further orders, even when the operation does not unfold as planned. During planning, the initial commander’s intent guides COA development. In execution, the commander’s intent guides initiative as subordinates make decisions and take action when unforeseen opportunities arise or when countering threats. Commanders develop their intent statement personally. It must be easy to remember and clearly understood by commanders and staffs two echelons lower in the chain of command. The more concise the commander’s intent, the easier it is to understand and recall.
ADP 5-0, Section 1-38, pdf pages 19-20
Consider the above and reflect1:
What examples do you remember where this has mattered?
Why is this important to you (or others)?
What is an unexpected place this idea could be applied?
What in your life would benefit, this week, from a deliberate commander’s (or leader’s) intent?
Get Introduced: The Operations Process
Plan. Prepare. Execute. Assess. When in life are you not doing one (or more!) of these four things?
Welcome to the four steps of the US Army’s Operations Process.
The Operations Process, the “Army’s framework for organizing and putting command and control into action…”, is how leaders plan, conceptualize, decide, direct, lead and assess all operations.
Life is a series of operations. You can approach them haphazardly or you can approach them with structure and purpose.
Being deliberate in how you plan, prepare, execute and assess every operation is critical. Should the Operations Process be the preferred framework for organizing and putting command and control into action in your life?
The Guided Discovery for this week will explore the fundamentals of the Operations Process and the leader’s role in guiding the process.
Learn More: Suggested Reading
ADP 5-0, The Operations Process
Pages 1-4 through 1-15 based on printed document (PDF pages 14-25)
An overview of the fundamentals and framework of the Operations Process
These materials will be the focus of Thursday’s Guided Discovery
Catch Up: Last Week’s Content
Links to the Study and Guided Discovery.
Always be asking:
1. What is the connection with my leadership development?
2. How does this change my thinking on management?
3. How does this influence planning for life?
4. What can I borrow with pride to use this week?