Day 9-Commander's Intent

The Pivot: Cast a clear vision—especially when the plan falls apart.

Most leadership friction comes from a lack of clarity—not about tasks, but about intent.
You might say, “Supervise the kids,” and get frustrated when something goes wrong.
But did you share what good supervision actually looks like—or just give an order?

Commander's Intent is the tool that helps your team know what to do when the plan breaks. When they understand the why, they can make strong decisions in the moment—without needing your constant input.

The Lesson: Purpose Over Process

In military leadership, Commander's Intent is a statement of what a successful mission looks like—even if everything goes sideways. It focuses not on how to do something, but why it matters.

In early childhood, things rarely go exactly to plan. When the routine breaks down—because a parent shows up early, a child throws a tantrum, or the lunch delivery is late—your staff needs a compass, not a script.

When your team only gets tasks, they freeze or fail when something unexpected happens.
But when they understand intent, they adapt. For example, when explaining policy or procedure it should always point back to the purpose (e.g. child and staff safety, parent expectation, scientific study).

• The Task: “Watch the kids on the playground.”
• The Intent: “Make sure every child is within your line of sight and never left alone—even when another child needs help—so that every child is safe with us.”
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• The Task: “Handle the conflict between those two children.”
• The Intent: “Use conflict as a moment to teach—not just to punish—so that the child feels seen, safe, and still part of the group.”

The Strategy: The Outcome-First Directive

Today, when you assign a task or give feedback, add the phrase “so that…” to clarify the bigger picture. This helps connect the action to the outcome.

Examples:

• “Please help with this transition quietly so that the toddlers in the next room can stay asleep.”
• “Please supervise from here [show where to stand on the playground] so that you can see the full group completely to ensure their safety, and be able step in if anyone is at risk.”
• “Take a moment to talk with that child after their behavior so that they understand what happened and that you still care about them.”

The Practice: Personas and Intent

Firefighter-Don’t default to barking orders. Take an extra 10 seconds to explain the outcome you’re after. Clarity now means fewer “fires” later.

Peacekeeper-Be specific. You tend to avoid directness to keep the peace, but clarity is kindness. Don’t hint—paint a clear picture of what good looks like.

Perfectionist-Focus on outcomes, not methods. You may want things done your way, but leave space for others to get there differently—as long as the result aligns with your intent.

Day 9 Exercise: The Clarity Check

After giving a directive with a clear “so that…”, ask this follow-up:

“If I wasn’t here and [insert obstacle] came up, how would you handle it?”

Their answer will reveal whether they understand your vision—or just memorized your task. This is how you move from giving orders to building thinkers.

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Director’s Journal Prompt

“Today, I noticed that when I explained the ‘why’ behind a task, the staff responded by [Behavior]. I am realizing that leadership isn’t about being everywhere—it’s about casting a vision they can follow when I’m not in the room.”