What it corrects
Detailed plans decay when reality changes. Without a clear purpose, people either follow obsolete instructions or improvise toward different goals. Commander’s Intent preserves coordinated judgment by defining purpose, essential tasks, and the desired end state.
It tells people what must remain true while leaving tactics adaptable.
How it works
- State why the action matters — the purpose.
- Name the small number of tasks or constraints that are non-negotiable.
- Describe the end state in observable terms.
- Remove instructions that do not need to be centralised.
In a Business Case Weekly case
In the McDonald’s case, a scalable operating model cannot specify every local event in advance. It needs a purpose and constraints strong enough that people can adapt without breaking the customer promise or the economics.
In your answer
- “The purpose of this move is …”
- “Whatever changes, we must preserve …”
- “The end state is visible when …”
Common misuse
A slogan is not intent. “Win the market” provides no basis for a trade-off. The statement should help two reasonable people make the same difficult local choice without asking the leader again.