Disciplined initiative is an aspect of Mission Command that implies that subordinates have to exercise discipline while following their commander’s orders as long as they find the realization of those orders appropriate in the situation. The situation may become unsuitable for the realization of the orders due to different reasons, such as new threats, opportunities, or other unforeseen circumstances. In this case, the subordinate leaders have to take initiative and adjust the course of action so that the commander’s intent can be achieved under the new circumstances.
An example that represents disciplined initiative can be found in the article on the 1983 Operation Urgent Fury and the U.S. Marines in Grenada. Before the beginning of the operation, the U.S. marines did not have enough information about the features of the shore. While “marine ground units normally use military maps”, they did not have any maps available in the case of Grenada (Spector, 1987, p. 2). Without grid lines and other important data, their actions could have had limited usefulness on the shore.
However, one of the leaders, Commander Richard A. Butler, the chief staff officer of the amphibious squadron, took initiative and conducted a superficial analysis of the main and most important features of the shore. In his past, he had had some experience as a yachtsman, which allowed him to note certain features of the coast, tides, surf, and beach (Spector, 1987, p. 2). Thus, using his knowledge of Grenadian waters, Commander Richard A. Butler was able to take disciplined initiative and help to develop a new plan of actions. This proved invaluable to Operation Urgent Fury, the execution of which could otherwise be jeopardized due to the lack of intelligence.
Reference
Spector, R. H. (1987). U.S. Marines IN Grenada 1983. History and Museums Division Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps Washington, D.C.