Delegate with Autonomy Using Commander’s Intent

Successful delegation hinges not only on the individual leader’s capabilities but also on the prevailing team culture. Cultivating an environment where effective delegation thrives—allowing team members autonomy in decision making and the opportunity to grow without being micromanaged—is a deep topic. 

A concept that I love from the US Military is known as Commander’s Intent. Simply defined: it is the end-state of the battlefield if the mission is a success. In a business context, this means the leader articulates a detailed vision of the end-state for a successful project to the team but allows the time to define the plan and path to that end state. This approach requires the team to not only devise with their own plan but empowers them to make decisions without the need to go all the way up the chain because a clear final goal has been established

Implementing Commander’s Intent

Below are several concrete steps to use this process when kicking off a project.

1. Define End-State Success

Clearly define what success looks like for the project through objectives and outcomes. An Objective is a desired goal that is both inspirational and easy to understand. An Outcome is a measurable want, need, or change from the current state.

2. Set Constraints and Requirements

Identify the constraints and requirements of an end-state victory provides the guard rails for the team to start problem solving and establishing a plan of action. Constraints are limitations or restrictions on any plan or process to reach the desired end state. Requirements are any necessary conditions for the end-state victory.

3. Determine Anti-Goals

Define what failure looks like. This helps to clarify what success does not entail and assists in avoiding undesired end-states. Anti-goals include scenarios where the outcomes and objectives might be met, but the project is still considered unsuccessful.

4. Question and Redefine

Ensure the entire team understands the Commander’s Intent. Any potential judgment call or unclear circumstance should be brought up and discussed. Each of the previous steps will work better as open dialogs. If they are prescribed ahead of time, it is critical to allow for discussion and redefinition before commencing the project.

Final Thoughts

The Commander’s Intent is explicit intent. This end-state definition is shared widely and clearly to the entire team. Explicit intent alone is not enough to properly deliver successful results, implicit intent is also required. Implicit Intent is the culture of the team, the rules of engagement, the norms and values the team wants to uphold along with any habits that allow them to function