(Repost from here)

There’s a cliche that moving a large organisation is like manoeuvring an oil tanker.

It occurs to me that it’s more like asking a flotilla of many different boats (yachts, powerboats, dinghies) to all turn at the same time and go at the same speed. And of course, they’ll get in the way of each other, there will be lots of waiting.

There will likely be crashes.

To ensure everything goes smoothly, you’re going to have to put in place rules. Lots of ‘process’. Maybe check with all the other boats when you want to change direction. Everybody has to compromise and coordinate: It’s unlikely any of the boats will be able to go at top speed, or even travel in the most efficient way.

But maybe you don’t actually need them to all turn at the same time and go at the same speed. Maybe the most important thing is that they all get to the same place at the same time. And if that’s your aim, maybe some boats set off later, some take a less direct route. Maybe you leave it to the crews to decide.

And maybe you don’t even need them to arrive together. Maybe you have regular arrivals. A ‘cadence’, if you will…

This is Mission Command (or ‘Auftragstaktik’). Trust your people, your teams, align them to the outcome (the ‘mission’), then give them what they need and get out of their way.