DEVELOPING AND EXECUTING PLANS

DEVELOPING AND EXECUTING PLANS
A plan is a proposal for executing a command decision or project. Planning is the means by which the leader or commander envisions a desired outcome and lays out effective ways of achieving it. In the plan, the leader communicates his vision, intent and decisions and focuses his subordinates on the results he expects to achieve.--
FM 3-0

In daily peacetime or combat training and operations, a leader’s primary responsibility is to help the organization function effectively. The unit must accomplish the mission despite any surrounding chaos. This all begins with a well thought out plan and thorough preparation.

PLANNING
Leaders use planning to ensure that an approach for reaching goals will be practical. Planning reduces confusion, builds subordinates’ confidence in themselves and their organization, and allows flexibility to adjust to changing situations. Good planning boosts shared understanding and ensures that a mission is accomplished with a minimum of wasted effort and fewer casualties in combat. FM 6-0
discusses the different types of plans in more detail.