Operating Within Commander’s Intent
By David Jessop, USAREC, Doctrine Division
Sept. 19, 2014
"Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity."
--- General George S. Patton, Jr
Army doctrine specifies that operations are executed using the principles of mission command outlined in Army Doctrine Publication and Army Doctrine Reference Publication 6-0, Mission Command.
Commanders leverage mission command to drive the operations process. A major function of the operations process is for commanders to understand their environment through visualization, describing, and directing actions.
In accordance with ADRP 5-0, The Operations Process, a key principle for commanders is providing a clear commander’s intent that facilitates a shared understanding and focus on the overall conditions that represent mission accomplishment.
However, there is a tendency to overlook the importance of developing a clear and articulate commander’s intent. A poorly developed commander’s intent often results in flawed planning and poor mission execution.
What constitutes a well-constructed commander’s intent? Recently released Field Manual 6-0, Commander and Staff Organization and Operations, provides guidance on developing and issuing a commander’s intent.
The commander’s intent explains the broader purpose of the operation beyond that of the mission statement and significant performance actions and activities that will result in mission success. Each commander’s intent nests within the higher commander’s intent. Based on their situational understanding, a commander summarizes their visualization in their initial commander’s intent statement and links the operation’s purpose with conditions that define the desired end state. The commander then personally prepares an intent statement. It is delivered, along with the order, personally, when possible. Face-to-face delivery ensures mutual understanding of what the issuing commander wants by allowing immediate clarification of specific points. The commander’s intent includes:
Expanded Purpose – an expanded description of the operation’s purpose beyond the why of the mission statement.
Key tasks – those significant activities the force as a whole must perform to achieve the end state.
End state – a description of the desired future conditions that represent success.
These elements provide focus to the staff and helps subordinate leaders achieve the commander’s desired results without further orders. The commander’s intent allows subordinate commanders and Soldiers to gain insight into what commander expects of them, what constraints apply, and most importantly, the purpose of the mission. Commanders may change and refine their intent statement as planning progresses and more information becomes available.
All too often, commanders fall into two common traps or extremes when developing an intent statement. One is being long-winded and lengthy in their presentations, resulting in dictating the how-to, as well as the what. This micromanages subordinate action and stifles their ability to adapt and flex as needed.
The other extreme is too much flexibility by providing insufficient information and clarity to subordinates. The commander’s intent must be easy to remember and clearly understood by leaders two echelons lower. The shorter the commander’s intent, the better it serves these purposes. Typically, the commander’s intent statement is three to five sentences long and contains the purpose, key tasks, and end state.
So what does it mean to operate within the context of the commander’s intent? The principles underlying commander’s intent are that front-line leaders and Soldiers need to be empowered and trusted to use their judgment and creativity in the face of unexpected events. An operation may be well planned; however, mission execution often results in marked confusion and ambiguity. Things will still go wrong.
With this in mind, subordinate leaders and Soldiers must have a clear understanding of the overall objective so that if things go wrong, they can quickly adapt and keep pursuing the objective in an unscripted manner. Subordinates must have their superior’s trust, in that if deviation occurs from the original plan, their leaders will support them.
Example: Brigade Recruiting Partnership Council (IAW AR 601-2)
MISSION: A recruiting brigade conducts the Brigade Annual Partnership Zone forum to establish a perpetual partnership, improve communications and synchronize recruiting efforts between brigade elements and the supported USAR units and ARCD personnel within brigade’s areas of operation from 120800AUGXX thru 141200AUGXX.
Recruiting Brigade Commander’s Intent:
Purpose: Create a collaborative environment for our partners to develop immediate and specific actions to accomplish the current fiscal year Army Reserve mission while setting conditions for a successful partnership in fiscal year XX and beyond.
Key tasks:
- Develop a common understanding of the operating environment
- Develop best practices and TTPs for vacancies, training seat losses, and partnership opportunities
- Identify immediate actions to close out the current fiscal year AR mission
- Identify new and innovative partnering in an increasingly resource constrained environment
End state: The command and the PZ partners depart with a common understanding of the operating environment and establish agreements set to achieve recruiting mission success.
In this example, did the commander construct a commander’s intent that provides an overall clear, concise statement of what tasks the force must do and conditions the force must establish? Did the commander briefly explain the broader purpose of the operation beyond that of the mission statement and provide a concise end state that describes the desired future conditions of success? In your current operations, have you provided a well-written commander’s intent?
Recruiting operations are complex. Recruiting force behaviors can be uncertain because of the effects of stress, mistakes, chance, or friction.
Commanders and subordinates must learn from experience, anticipate change, and develop adaptability, so they can conduct operations more effectively. With a well-written commander’s intent, mission command enables commanders to capitalize on the human ability to take action, develop the situation, and integrate military operations to achieve the commander’s desired end state.
By David Jessop, USAREC, Doctrine Division
Sept. 19, 2014
"Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity."
--- General George S. Patton, Jr
Army doctrine specifies that operations are executed using the principles of mission command outlined in Army Doctrine Publication and Army Doctrine Reference Publication 6-0, Mission Command.
Commanders leverage mission command to drive the operations process. A major function of the operations process is for commanders to understand their environment through visualization, describing, and directing actions.
In accordance with ADRP 5-0, The Operations Process, a key principle for commanders is providing a clear commander’s intent that facilitates a shared understanding and focus on the overall conditions that represent mission accomplishment.
However, there is a tendency to overlook the importance of developing a clear and articulate commander’s intent. A poorly developed commander’s intent often results in flawed planning and poor mission execution.
What constitutes a well-constructed commander’s intent? Recently released Field Manual 6-0, Commander and Staff Organization and Operations, provides guidance on developing and issuing a commander’s intent.
The commander’s intent explains the broader purpose of the operation beyond that of the mission statement and significant performance actions and activities that will result in mission success. Each commander’s intent nests within the higher commander’s intent. Based on their situational understanding, a commander summarizes their visualization in their initial commander’s intent statement and links the operation’s purpose with conditions that define the desired end state. The commander then personally prepares an intent statement. It is delivered, along with the order, personally, when possible. Face-to-face delivery ensures mutual understanding of what the issuing commander wants by allowing immediate clarification of specific points. The commander’s intent includes:
Expanded Purpose – an expanded description of the operation’s purpose beyond the why of the mission statement.
Key tasks – those significant activities the force as a whole must perform to achieve the end state.
End state – a description of the desired future conditions that represent success.
These elements provide focus to the staff and helps subordinate leaders achieve the commander’s desired results without further orders. The commander’s intent allows subordinate commanders and Soldiers to gain insight into what commander expects of them, what constraints apply, and most importantly, the purpose of the mission. Commanders may change and refine their intent statement as planning progresses and more information becomes available.
All too often, commanders fall into two common traps or extremes when developing an intent statement. One is being long-winded and lengthy in their presentations, resulting in dictating the how-to, as well as the what. This micromanages subordinate action and stifles their ability to adapt and flex as needed.
The other extreme is too much flexibility by providing insufficient information and clarity to subordinates. The commander’s intent must be easy to remember and clearly understood by leaders two echelons lower. The shorter the commander’s intent, the better it serves these purposes. Typically, the commander’s intent statement is three to five sentences long and contains the purpose, key tasks, and end state.
So what does it mean to operate within the context of the commander’s intent? The principles underlying commander’s intent are that front-line leaders and Soldiers need to be empowered and trusted to use their judgment and creativity in the face of unexpected events. An operation may be well planned; however, mission execution often results in marked confusion and ambiguity. Things will still go wrong.
With this in mind, subordinate leaders and Soldiers must have a clear understanding of the overall objective so that if things go wrong, they can quickly adapt and keep pursuing the objective in an unscripted manner. Subordinates must have their superior’s trust, in that if deviation occurs from the original plan, their leaders will support them.
Example: Brigade Recruiting Partnership Council (IAW AR 601-2)
MISSION: A recruiting brigade conducts the Brigade Annual Partnership Zone forum to establish a perpetual partnership, improve communications and synchronize recruiting efforts between brigade elements and the supported USAR units and ARCD personnel within brigade’s areas of operation from 120800AUGXX thru 141200AUGXX.
Recruiting Brigade Commander’s Intent:
Purpose: Create a collaborative environment for our partners to develop immediate and specific actions to accomplish the current fiscal year Army Reserve mission while setting conditions for a successful partnership in fiscal year XX and beyond.
Key tasks:
- Develop a common understanding of the operating environment
- Develop best practices and TTPs for vacancies, training seat losses, and partnership opportunities
- Identify immediate actions to close out the current fiscal year AR mission
- Identify new and innovative partnering in an increasingly resource constrained environment
End state: The command and the PZ partners depart with a common understanding of the operating environment and establish agreements set to achieve recruiting mission success.
In this example, did the commander construct a commander’s intent that provides an overall clear, concise statement of what tasks the force must do and conditions the force must establish? Did the commander briefly explain the broader purpose of the operation beyond that of the mission statement and provide a concise end state that describes the desired future conditions of success? In your current operations, have you provided a well-written commander’s intent?
Recruiting operations are complex. Recruiting force behaviors can be uncertain because of the effects of stress, mistakes, chance, or friction.
Commanders and subordinates must learn from experience, anticipate change, and develop adaptability, so they can conduct operations more effectively. With a well-written commander’s intent, mission command enables commanders to capitalize on the human ability to take action, develop the situation, and integrate military operations to achieve the commander’s desired end state.