Extreme Ownership

Extreme Ownership by Navy Seals Jocko Willink and Leif Babin is a leadership books where the coauthors apply lessons they learned serving in Iraq and apply them to the business world. They now run a leadership consulting company called Echelon Front. Every chapter has a different story that relates to a specific principle.

Extreme Ownership is the idea that leaders must own everything in their world. When something goes wrong, responsibility needs to be taken by the leader. If their subordinate makes a mistake then it is the leader’s fault that the subordinate made that mistake, perhaps due to unclear instructions or not preparing them properly. In an environment of blame from leadership, blame is passed around and nobody takes ownership. Conversely, when leaders take responsibility, it is easier for everyone else to own up to their mistakes.

There are no bad teams, only bad leaders. If a team isn’t performing well, it is likely the leader’s fault. There are two types of leaders, effective and ineffective, winning and not. A bad team can be transformed by a good leader and a well performing team can be brought down by a poor leader. What leaders tolerate from their team dictates standards, not necessarily what they preach. For example, if a leader says that they expect the whole team to be in office at their desks by 9:30 and consistently people are showing up late then the standard is the later time if the leader does nothing to enforce this rule. Consequences need to be quick and observable for them to have an impact.

A leader must be a true believe in the mission. If they convey uncertainty in their actions or do not understand the purpose of them, then their team will pick up on this through their words and actions and come to doubt the mission, themselves, and their leadership. Leaders must ask themselves why they are being asked to complete a specific mission and understand the strategy of it when it comes to the bigger picture.

Egos need to be controlled. Unchecked egos create conflict and invite mistakes. A person’s preservation of their ego makes them unable to take advice/criticism which makes things worse for everyone.

Cover and move. Within an organization there needs to be mutual support for a single goal. Working together ensures that everyone will succeed.

Plans and instructions must be simple, clear, and concise. When instructions become convoluted and unclear people will act incorrectly. When things go wrong, having a simplified plan makes it easier to understand the situation and know what to do next.

Prioritize and execute. The most important tasks should be taken care of first and dedicated the most resources. Rather than have 12 concurrent objectives, have a limited number that you can dedicate the proper amount of time to.

Decentralize command and power. Limit the number of reports a single person has. Teams need to be small enough to be manageable. This ensures that everyone understands the mission (their why) and their responsibility. Boundaries are established and guidance is clear.

Plan and understand. Understanding the why of the mission and the desired end state. “What does done/success look like?”

Lead down and up the chain. If you are leading people, then it is your responsibility to make sure they understand how their actions contribute to the bigger picture. When this is accomplished, they understand their role and learn to act correctly. Similarly, for those who above you in the org chart, you need to communicate with for similar reasons. Supporting higher ups by sharing knowledge and insights allows them to manage you better. You cannot be upset over a boss’s ignorance if you do nothing to get rid of it.

Discipline = Freedom. While it may seem like structure takes away freedom, it gives more freedom in the long run. Having the discipline to start your day earlier gives you more free time later in the day. Working hard now means you can work less in the future or take on more challenges you didn’t previously have the opportunity for. Discipline brings freedom.

There have been periods in my life where I have been very disciplined. Right now, it feels like that is less so. With the things I have coming up in my life, I know I will need to change that, so I am happy to have read this playbook simply for this last point.

This book was recommended to me and I’m glad it was. It isn’t something I would ever pick for myself which made it a much-needed diversity read to help me broaden my view on the world around me.