Flexible command includes knowing when to obey

How should Nelson-style flexibility be reconciled with following orders?

An intelligent officer adapts when circumstances require it and follows orders when the plan remains the best way to use the force.

Blind obedience and constant improvisation are both poor rules for command. In some situations the order already represents the best use of the available force. A capable officer must recognize when circumstances justify adaptation and when coordination depends on following the plan. Professional training should develop that judgment instead of encouraging reflexive rule-breaking.