| Traditional Thinking | The Vanguard Method Thinking | |
| Top down, hierarchy | Perspective | Outside in, system |
| Functional specialism | Design | Demand, What Matters, Value, Expertise |
| Separated from work | Decision making | Integrated with work |
| Outputs, targets, standards: related to budget | Measurement | Capability and variation: related to purpose |
| Contractual | Attitude to customers | What matters? |
| Contractual | Attitude to suppliers | Co-operation, mutuality |
| Make the numbers and manage people | Role of management | Act on the system |
| Control | Ethos | Learning |
| Reactive, projects, by plan | Change | Adaptive, integral, emergent |
| Extrinsic | Motivation | Intrinsic |
Command and control management is a collection of beliefs and norms that have evolved as our organisations have evolved.