Mission Command is more than a method. It’s an art. More specifically, it’s an approach centered on the art of command. According to a Joint Staff paper published last year,
“The art of command is the creative and skillful use of authority, instincts, intuition, and experience in decision-making and leadership to enhance operational effectiveness. The art of command is supported by the science of control, the systems and procedures that improve a commander’s understanding and support the execution of missions. Effective joint commanders leverage both art and science; it is not one or the other.”
The evolution of Mission Command, then, is a delicate dance of art and science, creativity and discipline, Truth and exploration, complexity and uncertainty. At TIL, we understand not only the principles of Mission Command but we are creatives who dare to imagine the art of the possible for defense innovation. Mission Command in the era of Strategic Competition needs both creativity and discipline. We lead the way in developing new concepts and approaches that support SOF and Defense Department professionals so that they may succeed in a 21st century environment.
There are six overlapping elements of Mission Command according to the U.S. Army. They are:
Team building through shared trust; Creating shared understanding; Developing a clear commander’s intent; Demonstrating disciplined initiative; Proper use of mission orders; And, perhaps most significantly, a willingness to accept risk.
Mission Command will need to adapt for the needs of the 21st century war fighter, but what exactly does that mean? What will it look like in years to come? What skills and methods will be needed? Our team at TIL loves helping our clients in thinking through these complex problem sets. We are experts in Human Centered Design, Big Data, AI, and Data Visualization. All will be integral to Mission Command in the future. All will be needed to achieve all six elements.
We know it will take a trifecta of industry, academia and government working together to create meaningful solutions that are always people-first. But to understand where we can go in the future means we also need to understand where we came from.
This short video created at our TIL South office in Florida captures Mission Command’s past and it’s future. Check it out and subscribe to our YouTube channel. What do you think the future of Mission Command will be? Drop your thoughts in a comment. We’d love to hear from you!
- The TIL Social Team
