How Mission Command Solves The Strategy–Execution Gap | Stephen Bungay
Tue Feb 03 2026
Strategy only matters if it changes what people do tomorrow. We bring Stephen Bungay, author of The Art of Action, to unpack how mission command turns intent into execution without drowning teams in detail. Instead of orders that prescribe how to act, directives clarify what to achieve and why it matters—freeing people to adapt their methods as conditions shift.
We trace the roots from Prussian Auftragstaktik to modern NATO doctrine, then translate the core ideas into the boardroom. Stephen lays out a practical framework: share the real context, state higher intent and your own intent, surface implied tasks, and set clear boundaries. The heartbeat is the backbrief: teams explain how they’ll deliver the outcome, leaders confirm alignment, and everyone moves faster with fewer escalations. Along the way, we tackle the persistence of Taylorism, why lists and slide decks masquerade as strategy, and how over‑control smothers initiative while under‑guidance invites chaos.
If you lead teams in uncertain markets, this conversation gives you tools to create high alignment and high autonomy at the same time. You’ll hear battle‑tested examples, from SOPs that help without handcuffing, to writing intent that drives real trade‑offs, to building situational awareness so people can decide well under pressure. Start small: give problems, not solutions; ask for a backbrief; reward judgement over compliance. Subscribe for more conversations on strategy that survives contact with reality, and leave a review to share where you’ll test mission command first.
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🔗 Full episodes, show notes, and resources: https://www.lbiconsulting.com/strategymeetsreality-podcast
📺 Watch on YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@StrategyMeetsReality
Connect with host Mike Jones → https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-h-jones/
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Strategy only matters if it changes what people do tomorrow. We bring Stephen Bungay, author of The Art of Action, to unpack how mission command turns intent into execution without drowning teams in detail. Instead of orders that prescribe how to act, directives clarify what to achieve and why it matters—freeing people to adapt their methods as conditions shift. We trace the roots from Prussian Auftragstaktik to modern NATO doctrine, then translate the core ideas into the boardroom. Stephen lays out a practical framework: share the real context, state higher intent and your own intent, surface implied tasks, and set clear boundaries. The heartbeat is the backbrief: teams explain how they’ll deliver the outcome, leaders confirm alignment, and everyone moves faster with fewer escalations. Along the way, we tackle the persistence of Taylorism, why lists and slide decks masquerade as strategy, and how over‑control smothers initiative while under‑guidance invites chaos. If you lead teams in uncertain markets, this conversation gives you tools to create high alignment and high autonomy at the same time. You’ll hear battle‑tested examples, from SOPs that help without handcuffing, to writing intent that drives real trade‑offs, to building situational awareness so people can decide well under pressure. Start small: give problems, not solutions; ask for a backbrief; reward judgement over compliance. Subscribe for more conversations on strategy that survives contact with reality, and leave a review to share where you’ll test mission command first. Send Mike a Message Enjoying the show? Subscribe and leave a review on your favourite platform — it helps more people find the podcast. 🔗 Full episodes, show notes, and resources: https://www.lbiconsulting.com/strategymeetsreality-podcast 📺 Watch on YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@StrategyMeetsReality Connect with host Mike Jones → https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-h-jones/