Guidelines for maintaining transparency and focus amidst periods of uncertainty
In the ever-evolving business landscape, particularly amid the challenges posed by remote work and the COVID-19 pandemic, a clear and concise expression of mission purpose and desired end state can make all the difference. This is where the Commander's Intent principle, originally from military leadership, comes into play.
Published by the Harvard Business Review in 2022, the article highlights the importance of this principle in business management and crisis response. The Commander's Intent is a statement that explains why an operation is conducted, what outcomes to achieve, and the conditions for success. It guides decision-making, empowers subordinate leaders to improvise, and keeps everyone moving toward the same goal despite unforeseen changes.
In a business context, adopting the Commander's Intent principle can bring about several benefits:
- Clarify Purpose and Desired Outcomes: Leaders articulate the fundamental why behind initiatives or crisis responses, not just the what or how, enabling teams to understand the ultimate objectives and priorities without waiting for detailed instructions.
- Empower Distributed Decision-Making: In remote or crisis conditions where rapid, autonomous decisions are necessary, employees can improvise solutions aligned with the intent instead of rigidly following orders, maintaining momentum despite uncertainty or changing conditions.
- Maintain Alignment Amid Uncertainty: A clear commander's intent keeps dispersed or virtual teams coordinated and focused on the same end state, even if direct communication is disrupted or plans evolve due to pandemic-related challenges.
- Adapt to Dynamic Environments: Just as military commanders delegate authority and expect initiative within intent parameters, business leaders can trust remote teams to adapt tactics while staying within the strategic framework during crises like COVID-19.
The principle underscores the need for companies to focus on the seven critical factors necessary to realize the full benefits of agile processes. These include empowering teams to make decisions around critical parameters, giving them autonomy, and understanding that intent alone is not sufficient nor are investments enough to achieve enterprise agility.
Moreover, success is due to team effort, not individual effort. An estimated $20 trillion is invested in various projects across all industries worldwide, employing about 88 million people. However, only about 35% of these projects are considered successful. This highlights the importance of clear communication and empowered decision-making in achieving enterprise agility.
The customer must be the focus in all decisions. In the face of the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, companies that quickly defined success for their employees succeeded in the transition. Overmanaging and detailed instructions during the transition led to struggles. Thus, adopting the Commander's Intent principle helps organizations operate resiliently during disruptions by focusing on mission clarity, empowering initiative, and ensuring alignment across remote or hybrid workforces.
While the article does not directly discuss the principle applied to business during COVID-19, the military definitions and concepts from reliable sources strongly support this synthesis. The approach aligns with management best practices recommending clear objectives and decentralized decision-making in times of crisis and remote operation.
- In the realm of remote work, adhering to the Commander's Intent principle can aid business leaders in finance by clarifying the purpose and desired outcomes of initiatives, allowing teams to make swift, informed decisions and stay aligned during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- A career in leadership can significantly benefit from the implementation of the Commander's Intent, as it provides guidance in fostering enterprise agility, empowering distributed teams to manage crises and adapt to rapidly changing business environments, such as remote work scenarios.
