Intent-Based Leadership (IBL)® is a language for high performing teams used on nuclear submarines which enables both distributed decision-making and organizational alignment. The language stresses the word intent, where leaders convey to teams what they are trying to achieve (organizational intent), and decision-makers report how they intend to achieve these goals.

Intent differs from the normal permission because with intent, the default is action absent a veto whereas with permission the default is stasis absent approval.

Since “I intend to…” is level 5 on the Ladder of Leadership® we say, “Strive for Five.” The result is a leader-leader organization rather than a leader-follower organization, where everyone thinks of themselves as a leader, leading toward organizational success.