Every day, politicians, business people and others make statements that speak about good intentions. They mark out these intentions with statements which usually include the phrase “we are committed to”. What they mean is that they will try their best to do whatever it is that they are committed to. Most of the time, this won’t be enough.
From our very beginnings, one of the underlying philosophies of Global Leadership Foundation has been that we will always act with ‘intent’, not ‘intention’. There is a subtle but significant difference.
Every day, Malcolm and I get in touch with each other and share our intent for the day. We do this through sharing how we want to be, or be seen, for the day. So, for instance, if I am facilitating I might say that my intent is to be ‘insightful’, or ‘engaging’, or ‘inspiring’. If I’m working in the office my intent might be something like ‘focused’, or ‘calm’, or ‘clear’.
If I were stating an intention in these cases it would be quite different. The intention for a workshop might be to get receive effective evaluation scores, or to finish on time. The intention in the office might be to finish my to-do list, or complete a particular project.
Can you see the difference?
Where stating an intention would be all about saying what I want to do, using intent is all about saying how I want to be. Intention is largely about hope; it’s about ‘try’ and ‘should’ and ‘might’. Intent is much stronger. It’s about a state of mind; it’s about establishing a designated quality of behaviour, which in turn creates appropriate actions consistent with that quality.
Intent can be really powerful, whether for a day, a year, a decade or even longer.
On a small scale, it is quite common for Malcolm and myself to share our intent of being ‘seamless’ when facilitating a workshop together. We don’t communicate this intent publicly with the workshop participants, yet often someone will come up to us, unprompted, during the day and comment on how seamlessly we work together – using that exact word. The same thing often happens when we share an intent to be ‘collaborative’.
On a longer-term scale, it is intent that keeps our organisation on track, year after year. When we set up Global Leadership Foundation our intent was three-fold: to be self-aware, collaborative and stewards for community (environment, social, local and global). This intent has constantly guided our decision making and presented opportunities which are in tune with how we want our organisation to be.
We also use the concept of intent with the leaders who work with us.
A very standard question of a leader would be “what do you want to achieve [i.e., to do]” to which the response is usually something to do with following a strategic direction or achieving budget or implementing the business plan.
We ask a different question: “How do you want to be or be seen?” The answers provide a completely different way of being. They typically revolve around words like ‘confident’, ‘inspiring’ or ‘engaging’ – words, and intent, that can completely change the way a leader presents and works with others.
Working with intent, rather than intention, can underpin the way you approach a day, a task or even a career.
In my next post, I will talk about how you can make this concept of intent work for you.
I can recommend the concept (actually the practice)of intent. We use intent each day too – thanks Gayle and Malcolm – and I find myself more present, effective, peaceful, direct, honest etc as a result. i am learning about being present and having that s an intent each day does seem to have put me more in touch with me. So far so good – try it, you might just like it!
I have just spent the afternoon with an MD whose (stated) intention appears to be at odds with the “intent” he communicates in meetings and discussions. Thank you for this reminder about the distinction. I will ask a different question of him during our next meeting about the implementation of a major change initiative.
The intent/intention distinction is helpful. Intent is deeper, more essential, and understandably more change evoking.
Love it!
Really inspiring and great to really think about.
Dear Gayle
Your article spells out perfectly how it is that good intentions, (like mine to stay firmly in touch with you and Malcolm), can lead to no actual action and yet how being prompted by reading your blog to realise how I wish to be ‘known as’ or ‘seen as being’ can motivate me to write to you immediately whilst actually being in the middle of the most chaotic family move (from Malaysia to Abu Dhabi), I have ever experienced, (& that’s saying something as the 9th move in 12 years).
Thank you!
What a gift of a realisation.
Sincerely my INTENT is to be connected!
More anon- ( newly arrived in Abu Dhabi and the kids and I living out of a suitcase in a hotel and dealing with school arrangements at the start of the school year at 3 totally different school in 3 totally different locations , jet lag and intense heat ( 55 degrees!)- but definitely more to say
Deborahx
Hello Gayle, I like the way you are using the distinctions Intent and Intention sounds familiar
maybe a little QuantumThinking here:) Another aspect of Intent according Dianne Collins is that it creates a resonant field for infinite possible ways that your intent can be realized where Intention is related to one specific outcome like a goal.
The Distinction Allowing also plays an important role in being able to see the subtleties related to the manifestion of ones intent That can be found in Dianne Collins Book, Do You QuantumThink? New Thinking That Will Rock Your World. Chapter 5 Part 2 – Alan Collins
And it’s useful for giving feedback and for recognising people’s contributions. I always find it strange when people can’t think up things to recognise in others – if you consider intent, you can always find something. And sometimes, when people are achieving their targets or KPIs but not doing this with the right intent, thinking about the intent can mean it is easier to explain your expectations and give feedback about performance. Performance isn’t just about what we achieve, it’s how we go about it and this can be really hard to articulate.
Thanks Gayle ( and hello!)