“I Intend To . . .”

Proactive Language Shift

During his command, David Marquet introduces a transformative language mechanism aboard the USS Santa Fe to enhance proactive behaviors among the crew. The phrase "I intend to..." is adopted by officers and extended to non-officers, shifting ownership of actions to individuals and moving away from passive, permission-seeking language.

Implementation and Results

  1. Immediate Impact: The mechanism of stating intentions is readily accepted by the crew, fostering a sense of empowerment and active participation in decision-making processes.
  2. Challenges: Marquet finds the need to restrict this practice to times when he is awake, fearing a lack of control over critical decisions made in his absence.

Extended Practice

Marquet encourages a culture where subordinates not only state their intentions but also provide justifications for their actions to preemptively answer potential concerns about safety and appropriateness, thus fostering deeper strategic thinking and responsibility.

Leadership Development Benefits

This linguistic shift inadvertently acts as an ongoing leadership development program, where crew members learn to think and act at the next higher level of command, fostering a sense of responsibility and developing leadership skills organically through everyday operations.

Reflection on Traditional Leadership Models

Marquet critiques conventional naval leadership models that rely heavily on top-down directives. He reflects on the broader implications of passive adherence to commands and the challenges it poses in cultivating decision-making skills among leaders-to-be.

Questions to Consider

  • Control Dynamics: What prompts leaders to take control when they should be giving it?
  • Adherence to Authority: Can you recall incidents where subordinates followed orders based on assumed secret knowledge?
  • Implementation Challenges: What obstacles might arise in implementing the "I intend to..." practice in your organization?
  • Managerial Competence: Could your mid-level managers comprehensively defend their action plans for major projects?

Through the introduction of "I intend to...", Marquet significantly alters the leadership and communication dynamics aboard the USS Santa Fe, empowering individuals and challenging traditional hierarchical structures.