The military is tasked with conducting highly complex operations in a life and death environment. Lessons learned since 1775 have evolved the way the military conducts mission command, an evolution that no amount of civilian theory can replicate. When reading military doctrine substitute military lexicon such as commander, mission, and warfighter with the civilian equivalent of your culture (chief executive officer, senior pastor, president; sales, spiritual growth, operations).
The commander is the central figure in mission command. To the commander comes the mission for the unit; in the commander resides the authority and responsibility to act and to lead so that the mission may be accomplished. In mission command, the commander must blend the art of command and the science of control, as he, supported by the staff, integrates all joint war fighting functions. (General Martin Dempsey, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Mission Command White Paper April 2012)
To be effective, from the outset of every mission the commander must:
1. Understand the problem
2. Envision the end state
3. Visualize the nature and design of the operations
4. Describe time, space, resources and purpose for the mission
5. Understand the intent of the mission
6. Clearly translate the intent to subordinates
7. Understand subordinate capabilities and trust (but verify) them to do it
Leadership is the process of influencing people by providing purpose, direction, and motivation to accomplish the mission and improve the organization.
An Army leader is anyone who by virtue of assumed role or assigned responsibility inspires and influences people to accomplish organizational goals. Army leaders motivate people both inside and outside the chain of command to pursue actions, focus thinking and shape decisions for the greater good of the organization.
Without a clear understanding of what the boss wants, organizations will inevitably fail to achieve it. Without the gift of mind reading, success depends on the boss clearly communicating what he wants. This holds true regardless of the nature of the organizations, its size or purpose. Church leaders, business executives, managers, and heads of families could take a lesson from an enterprise that literally depends on communicating intent to save lives.
The military understands that the absence of a clear understanding of the commander’s intent, for any given operation, could result in the unnecessary death of people. The U.S. Army’s manual on the operations process emphasizes this by connecting the commander’s intent to everything about an operation including how the staff plans operations, the disciplined initiative of subordinate commanders when the plan changes, and the level of risk that is appropriate to achieve the ends state.
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 (ARDP 5-0, Pg 1-5 )
Several principles govern the creation of intent:
Commanders (substitute any leader as necessary) must have a vision (end state)
Commanders must create and communicate intent by describing the components of their vision on their own. I have been in too many planning meetings where the boss asks the staff to come up with the intent; this is a responsibility that cannot be delegated.
The intent must be concise and easy to remember, the shorter the better.
The intent should be understood two levels below the commander. In Army terms, a brigade commander will frame intent so that a company commander understands it.
Intent will provide the framework for action, shared understanding and focus until the end state is achieved
“The very essence of leadership is [that] you have a vision. It’s got to be a vision you articulate clearly and forcefully on every occasion. You can’t blow an uncertain trumpet.”— Theodore Hesburgh
With these principles in place, a commander can frame their intent using three components: Expanded purpose statement, list of key tasks, and statement of end state
Expanded Purpose. The Army communicates purpose, or why an action is taken, in the mission statement of an operation order. The expanded purpose gives the context beyond why an action is planned by addressing the strategic implications to success and how it affects other parts of the organization.
Key tasks. A brief list of activities required to achieve the desired end state. Staffs use the key task list to ensure the development of suitable and acceptable plans. When situations changes and significant opportunities present themselves, subordinates use the key tasks to focus their efforts to take initiative and achieve the end state.
End state. Similar to a vision statement, the end state statement in more descriptive in describing the conditions that will exist when the organization has successfully met the commander’s intent. Write the description of end state in present tense as if everything has been actualized and the organization has achieved the best possible outcome.
“The very essence of leadership is [that] you have a vision. It’s got to be a vision you articulate clearly and forcefully on every occasion. You can’t blow an uncertain trumpet.”— Theodore Hesburgh
Every office has a ritual that is as important to the health of the organization as the business meeting…the ritual of dropping in on and catching up with co-workers and bosses following a lengthy holiday. I was reminded of this today as I returned to work following a week off for Christmas and the New Year celebrations. My goals were to finalize my calendar for the coming weeks and clear my desk of the administrative tasks before meetings began again. What happened was a stream of unscheduled visitors leading with the question, “How was your Christmas?” Virtually none of my goals for the day were accomplished.
Because my personality is to focus on my goals the interruptions were not welcome. Mid-morning I realized that leaders don’t manage with processes and goals, they manage with people. The post-holiday ritual is necessary to reestablish the bonds and thinking that create synergistic teams.
Synergy — the bonus that is achieved when things work together harmoniously. Mark Twain
The take away, schedule at least a half-day following a holiday for social protocols. Perhaps a deliberate social event (such as a team breakfast) would fulfill the social cues that human nature demands in a more efficient manner while enabling the team of reestablish the synergy required for an organizational to excel.
Synergy is the highest activity of life; it creates new untapped alternatives; it values and exploits the mental, emotional, and psychological differences between people. Stephen Covey
God created in us the ability to think, reason, and decide (free will). As we grow from infant to adolescent that ability both matures but never reaches our full potential. Our reasoning naturally narrows as our point of view is informed by our culture, religion, and parents to name just a few. Maturity brings complex problems which requires reasoning outside of our point of view. However, few recognize their point of view has been narrowed by their personal biases and in informed assumptions. To move beyond narrow thinking one must deliberately Learn and practice critical thinking.
First of all, not all problems require critical thinking. In fact most decisions are automatic (should I wear my seat belt) or are a choice between few choices. However, when problems are complex, have huge implications, or you realize strong personal views might lead to a poor decision then critical thinking should be used.
We need to first define the problem. If I had one hour to save the world, I would spend 59 minutes defining the problem and one minute finding solutions. Dr. Albert Einstein
Rote learning is good for beginning learning on basic academic subjects, but rote learning fails with time and increased complexity of problem. There comes a time in every life when a person must learn to think critically and explore new ideas without the goading of a teacher, boss, or test. The person who fails to achieve this state is destined to struggle when the inevitable wicked problems of life and occupation arise.
“During your course here no one is going to compel you to work, for the simple reason that a man who requires to be driven is not worth the driving…Thus you will become your own students and until you learn how to teach yourselves, you will never be taught by others.” Major General J. F. C. Fuller
“ . . . the Chinese symbol for crisis is the merging of two signs, one meaning ‘danger’ and the other meaning ‘opportunity.’ A crisis has the potential to transform or destroy. And what is the tipping point toward transformation in the face of crisis? The choice is either to cower in fear or to step forward with courage.”
— Dr. Dan B. Allender, American author, educator, therapist
At work I am often urged to write policy letters to cover every possible contingency of human behavior. These policy letters are reviewed by lawyers to ensure every lawsuit is avoided, operations officers look for the impetuous for action, the employees immediately look for a loop hole which, when found, prompts more policy letters. ENOUGH! You can’t write a standard operating procedure for common sense.
A presentation by Barry Swartz at the TED conference struck a cord with me. In it, Dr. Swartz describes practical wisdom as defined by Aristotle as the “combination of moral will and moral skill.”
This message should ring true to Christians. Sadly, in many Christian religious traditions the basis for their beliefs is rooted in commandments and rules instead of the spirit of Christ. Colossian 2:20-23 reads:
Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules: “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”? These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings. Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence. (NIV)
The church on Colossi was struggling with Gnosticism manifesting in part as a form of Jewish legalism to which Paul reminds them of the internal nature of Christ. In Jeremiah it was prophesied that when Christ comes the laws will be written on our minds and hearts.
“This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel
after that time,” declares the LORD.
“I will put my law in their minds
and write it on their hearts.
I will be their God,
and they will be my people. (Jeremiah, NIV)”
God’s plan for us is to live with wisdom within the context of His will. Even the Bible, as perfect as it is, can not regulate every action of the human mind. My children are fond of justifying their actions by the phrase, “but the Bible doesn’t specifically say we can’t….”
That’s why Paul’s message and prayer to the church in Colossi was that “… we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. (NIV, Colossians 1:9)”
Practical Christian wisdom is a combination of Spiritual will and Biblical skill. As Christians we must continue to study the scriptures and let the spirit of God take control of our lives. Choosing a life filled with the Spirit instead emptied by sets of rules
James 3
Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.
But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.
Proverbs 10:13-14
Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning,
but a rod is for the back of him who lacks judgment.
Wise men store up knowledge,
but the mouth of a fool invites ruin.
“Your credibility suffers when you rely on rules and policies instead of being flexible enough to help others solve problems. It’s easy to say, ‘That’s against the rules!’. It’s better to say, ‘Let’s identify the problem and see if there is a way to solve it.’ People trust problem-solvers.” Sandy Allgeier, “Can You Be Trusted?, “ Personal Excellence, June 2009
