Aligned Autonomy

Directed Opportunism

"Tell people what you want to achieve and why,
then let them figure out how."

The principle of directed opportunism is quite simple: the leaders defines what must be achieved (the intention), but the leader doesn't tell how it must be executed. People close to the action will decide how they execute, so they can better tackle obstacles, opportunities or changing circumstances. The consequence of this all is coordinated autonomy.

In general this aligns with leadership prividing clarity and defining the playground based on the "why" and the "what". The individuals and teams are given the time and space to work on the how, as long as they are moving in the right direction. 

Directed Opportunism promotes agility, stimulates ownership and taking initiative, increases effectiveness. 

Helmuth von Moltke (1800-1891)

Helmuth von Moltke was a prominent Prussian military leader and strategist known for his significant contributions to modern warfare. A cornerstone in his approach was the way trusted his armies to make the right decision because: plans are only useful until the first contact with the enemy. After that moment, it's up to the decisiveness of individuals to seize the initiative and make the right decisions in the moment. Boots on the ground have the most accurate information and thus know what to do. 

This was revolutionary within warfare because typically going to war was based on the principle of command and control.
All of a sudden, execution is with the boots on the ground, as long as it is line with the strategical intention.