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MISSION COMMAND (MC)
So you want a team of high achievers that requires little hand-holding and frees you up to do higher-order thinking?
You have one path - "Aufragstaktik".
Or, "Mission Command".
Quick thread below...
1/
So you want a team of high achievers that requires little hand-holding and frees you up to do higher-order thinking?
You have one path - "Aufragstaktik".
Or, "Mission Command".
Quick thread below...
1/
WHAT IS MC?
"The use of management by intent."
The US Army and Marines have long-adopted MC as their primary leadership structure, and in proper military fashion, have created extensive layers of doctrine around a philosophy.
Of course, this ruined it.
It's not a system.
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"The use of management by intent."
The US Army and Marines have long-adopted MC as their primary leadership structure, and in proper military fashion, have created extensive layers of doctrine around a philosophy.
Of course, this ruined it.
It's not a system.
2/
CONCEPT
MC is the opposite of a system.
It's an extremely basic framework that emphasizes delegation to subordinates.
It also presumes their competence and willingness to carry out the leader's overall strategic intent.
This puts a responsibility on leader and led.
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MC is the opposite of a system.
It's an extremely basic framework that emphasizes delegation to subordinates.
It also presumes their competence and willingness to carry out the leader's overall strategic intent.
This puts a responsibility on leader and led.
3/
ROLES
Leader - must be able to simply and coherently express his desired end state, and delegate downward
Led - must commit to training, standards, and having the balls to step up to the iron throne if required
The key is breaking boys and rebuilding them as men.
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Leader - must be able to simply and coherently express his desired end state, and delegate downward
Led - must commit to training, standards, and having the balls to step up to the iron throne if required
The key is breaking boys and rebuilding them as men.
4/
TRAINING
Men, in this context, embody three virtues: accountability, adaptability, and initiative.
Deliberate, difficult training is the only way to select for these virtues. This is why apprenticeships work.
Businesses must train their people hard, and weed out the weak.
5/
Men, in this context, embody three virtues: accountability, adaptability, and initiative.
Deliberate, difficult training is the only way to select for these virtues. This is why apprenticeships work.
Businesses must train their people hard, and weed out the weak.
5/
ACCOUNTABILITY
Here again, MC does not tolerate excuses.
If you mess up, own it.
The leader and teammates must all know, to their very marrow, that each of them will take pride in his job.
Mistakes happen.
Excuses cannot.
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Here again, MC does not tolerate excuses.
If you mess up, own it.
The leader and teammates must all know, to their very marrow, that each of them will take pride in his job.
Mistakes happen.
Excuses cannot.
6/
ADAPTABILITY
This is no mere ability to dance on fire.
It means resilience, and an ability to recognize incoming attacks while either mitigating the damage, or avoiding it entirely.
The proficient can also use a defensive posture to go on offense without delay.
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This is no mere ability to dance on fire.
It means resilience, and an ability to recognize incoming attacks while either mitigating the damage, or avoiding it entirely.
The proficient can also use a defensive posture to go on offense without delay.
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INITIATIVE
The pure bias for action.
Not making a choice IS making a choice. And it's a stupid one.
This is why John Wick's tattoo says "Fortis Fortuna Adjiuvat".
Fortune favors the bold.
Don't argue with the man you send to kill the Boogeyman.
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The pure bias for action.
Not making a choice IS making a choice. And it's a stupid one.
This is why John Wick's tattoo says "Fortis Fortuna Adjiuvat".
Fortune favors the bold.
Don't argue with the man you send to kill the Boogeyman.
8/
Seriously.
Be John Wick.
Move. Shoot. Win.
Be John Wick.
Move. Shoot. Win.
DISCIPLINE
Under MC, leaders rarely jump ugly when someone shows initiative and makes an error.
They discipline for lack of effort, failure to prepare, or lack of emotional control.
Teammates should enforce peer discipline as well.
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Under MC, leaders rarely jump ugly when someone shows initiative and makes an error.
They discipline for lack of effort, failure to prepare, or lack of emotional control.
Teammates should enforce peer discipline as well.
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STANDARDS
This means two things concurrently:
1. Enforcing baseline expectations on behavior, performance, and attitude (see: Discipline)
2. Automating repetitive tasks through systems and SOP's to free up the humans for higher-order thinking and work.
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This means two things concurrently:
1. Enforcing baseline expectations on behavior, performance, and attitude (see: Discipline)
2. Automating repetitive tasks through systems and SOP's to free up the humans for higher-order thinking and work.
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FULL CIRCLE
All of the preceding components are foundational to implementing MC.
It will be a goat rodeo without them.
You cannot trust complexity to people who haven't shown an aptitude for resolving square peg/round hole problems, or an ability to self-correct.
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All of the preceding components are foundational to implementing MC.
It will be a goat rodeo without them.
You cannot trust complexity to people who haven't shown an aptitude for resolving square peg/round hole problems, or an ability to self-correct.
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DELEGATION
Congrats, your team has successfully tamed their moron hindbrains and you have a crew of winners.
They're not the gap.
You are, as the leader.
I promise you suck at delegating.
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Congrats, your team has successfully tamed their moron hindbrains and you have a crew of winners.
They're not the gap.
You are, as the leader.
I promise you suck at delegating.
12/
TRUST
We have now arrived at the most essential component.
Leaders who don't trust their subordinates are not leaders.
They are managers.
Monkeys enforcing process and rigidity on others because they have no people skills, competence, or self-confidence.
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We have now arrived at the most essential component.
Leaders who don't trust their subordinates are not leaders.
They are managers.
Monkeys enforcing process and rigidity on others because they have no people skills, competence, or self-confidence.
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TRUST (1/2)
Without trust, you're a bureaucrat managing bureaucrats.
Success will elude you because you cannot delegate correctly.
Insight will not flow up the chain from the people closest to the challenges.
Strategy will not flow down and out.
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Without trust, you're a bureaucrat managing bureaucrats.
Success will elude you because you cannot delegate correctly.
Insight will not flow up the chain from the people closest to the challenges.
Strategy will not flow down and out.
14/
TRUST (2/2)
You will be handicapping the people you must rely on to be successful.
And they will rebel, or tune you out.
Either outcome is a killer.
You are not an omniscient deity.
Moreover, if you hire right, you're not even the smartest in the room.
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You will be handicapping the people you must rely on to be successful.
And they will rebel, or tune you out.
Either outcome is a killer.
You are not an omniscient deity.
Moreover, if you hire right, you're not even the smartest in the room.
15/
EGO
Which brings me to Ego.
You have one. So do I.
BUT SO DO YOUR PEOPLE.
They have a sense of pride and desire to please.
Failing to train, empower, and trust them will trigger their egos.
Good luck trying to run an organization with that happening.
16/
Which brings me to Ego.
You have one. So do I.
BUT SO DO YOUR PEOPLE.
They have a sense of pride and desire to please.
Failing to train, empower, and trust them will trigger their egos.
Good luck trying to run an organization with that happening.
16/
CONCLUSION
A successful organization requires an MC mindset.
You must employ systems and processes for baseline tasks.
You must show humility, trust, and resolve.
Your team must show accountability, adaptability, and initiative.
This alchemy breeds cohesion and victory.
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A successful organization requires an MC mindset.
You must employ systems and processes for baseline tasks.
You must show humility, trust, and resolve.
Your team must show accountability, adaptability, and initiative.
This alchemy breeds cohesion and victory.
17/
If you want to deepen your understanding of MC, check out the work done by Chet Richards, Fred Leland, Don Vandergriff, and Chuck Spinney.
All fantastic writers and thinkers, and experts on MC.
Credit to @jowmannn for resurfacing this old thread of mine from February.
All fantastic writers and thinkers, and experts on MC.
Credit to @jowmannn for resurfacing this old thread of mine from February.
