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(TLPs). Designed to help leaders plan and execute missions at the small-unit level, TLPs give structure to chaos and clarity to complexity. They help leaders move quickly, make smart decisions, and ensure everyone understands the mission.
Here’s the best part: you don’t need to wear a uniform to use them.
Teachers, coaches, administrators, youth leaders, and business owners can all benefit from the same process soldiers use to turn mission into action.
Let’s break down the TLPs step-by-step—and translate them into civilian life.
The 8 Troop Leading Procedures (TLPs)
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Receive the Mission
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Issue a Warning Order (WARNO)
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Make a Tentative Plan
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Start Necessary Movement
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Reconnoiter
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Complete the Plan
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Issue the Order
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Supervise and Refine
They’re simple, powerful, and built for real-world friction—not idealized, perfect scenarios.
Now, here’s how they apply to everyday leadership.
1. Receive the Mission
In the Army, this is where leaders get their task from higher headquarters.
In civilian life, it means:
• Understanding the assignment
• Clarifying the goal
• Identifying constraints
• Defining success
Before you start, know the mission—and make sure everyone else will too.
2. Issue a Warning Order (WARNO)
A WARNO tells your team:
“A mission is coming. Start preparing.”
Teachers can use it when a big project is coming up.
Coaches use it before tough practices or game weeks.
Businesses use it before major deadlines or events.
Early heads-up = better preparation, less stress.
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3. Make a Tentative Plan
This isn’t the final plan—it’s the first draft.
Leaders sketch out:
• Possible approaches
• Obstacles
• Needed resources
• Time constraints
The goal is not perfection—it’s momentum.
4. Start Necessary Movement
In the Army, soldiers might move equipment, prep vehicles, or begin rehearsals.
Civilian equivalent:
• Reserve venues
• Gather materials
• Inform stakeholders
• Start setting conditions early
You don’t need the final plan to start the first steps.
5. Reconnoiter
Recon is checking the facts before committing.
Teachers: visit the computer lab, check materials, inspect the classroom setup.
Coaches: walk the field, study the opponent, evaluate players.
Business leaders: review data, check budgets, verify timelines.
Recon saves you from being surprised later.
6. Complete the Plan
Once you’ve gathered intel, you update your preliminary plan and finalize details.
This is where the plan becomes:
• Clear
• Detailed
• Realistic
• Executable
The plan must match the mission and the time available.
7. Issue the Order
In the Army, leaders give a clear, structured operations order.
In any organization, this step is simple:
Communicate the plan clearly.
People need to know:
• What they’re doing
• Why it matters
• How it will happen
• Their role in the execution
• The timeline
Clarity beats complexity every time.
8. Supervise and Refine
This is the most important—and most forgotten—step.
Great leaders:
• Circulate
• Check understanding
• Offer guidance
• Correct course
• Make adjustments
• Keep standards high
No plan survives first contact untouched. Leadership does the refining.
How TLPs Help Any Organization
For Teachers
TLPs help with:
• Unit planning
• Group projects
• Field trips
• Classroom procedures
• School events
The structure keeps things predictable and builds calm in busy environments.
For Coaches
TLPs streamline:
• Practice plans
• Game-week preparation
• Scouting
• Travel logistics
• Player communication
Coaches who use TLPs eliminate chaos and build discipline.
For Businesses
Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash
TLPs support:
• Project management
• Event planning
• Team tasking
• Staff communication
• Training programs
Any business moving fast needs a repeatable system. TLPs do exactly that.
Why TLPs Work Everywhere
Because they provide:
• Early communication
• Predictable structure
• Clear expectations
• Logical sequencing
• Space for adjustment
• Built-in supervision
They reduce confusion and increase ownership—and they work in any environment that requires people to coordinate effort and execute tasks under time pressure.
Final Thought
The Army’s Troop Leading Procedures are more than a military tool—they’re a leadership framework that brings clarity, structure, and calm to any mission.
Whether you’re running a classroom, a locker room, a youth group, or a business team, TLPs help you think like a leader and execute like a professional.
Try them.
Adapt them.
Use them.
You’ll be surprised at how much smoother everything becomes.
—Mr. VanDusen
Sources & Credits
The Troop Leading Procedures are outlined in U.S. Army doctrinal publications including ATP 5-0.1 and FM 6-0. Adaptations in this article translate these concepts into educational, athletic, and organizational settings.
This post was drafted with the assistance of AI (ChatGPT) and edited by Mr. VanDusen.
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