I am very pleased to share with you another great book that has tremendously influenced my way of thinking. The brain child of two former SEAL commanders, Jocko & Leif, this book provides great insight into responsibility and what in fact that entails. Especially, when there is so much on the line in the frame of war.
Jocko, left. Leif, right.
“Who are we to write to write such a book?…But we are far from perfect. We continue to grow and learn as leaders every day, just as any leaders who are truly honest with themselves must…This book is our best effort to pass those [valuable] lessons on, not from a pedestal or a position of superiority, but from a humble place, where the scars of our failings still show.” - book preface
This will be a common factor I dwell on. Coming from a place of enlightenment (relative to my previous way of life), I can definitely come off as preachy. The last thing I would want to put off is a better-than-X vibe. All I’m trying to do is share knowledge that has positively affected me and could quite possibly do the same for you. Whether you follow similar footsteps or you make your own way. There are many avenues to create a rich and meaningful existence.
“The best leaders checked their egos, accepted blame, sought out constructive criticism, and took detailed notes for improvement.” Ch1: Extreme Ownership
When a plan fails or when a new initiative falls flat, there is no one else to blame but the leader. And the leader must willingly take the blame. It can’t pushed on them. They must rise up and accept fault. Fault for the poor communication. Fault for the poor execution. Fault for not setting clear roles and expectations. To properly lead, one must own the failings and have a plan to correct them.
“There are no bad teams, only bad leaders.” - Ch2: No Bad Teams, Only Bad Leaders
Whew! This book is filled with hard-to-swallow pills. Any team consisting of determined members can fall prey to poor leadership. Leaders who don’t practice extreme ownership and pass the blame are a virus. A leader must build a team of individuals that compliment each other. Every person having a specific role and in the eyes of the team, one that is equally important to the unit as a whole. A leader must elevate their team members and acknowledge their accomplishments while also holding them accountable of their shortcomings. While a leader must be direct in their intents, but practice tact. One cannot just be blunt under the guise of honesty.
“The issue is not that they don’t understand the plan, but that they don’t understand why the plan is being implemented. They don’t believe in it.” - Ch3: Believe
We’ve all been there. A new initiative is struck forth by management. But most of the time, management isn’t on the front lines. They don’t actually have to execute the new measures. A leader must convey the goal, properly. Without a clear understanding of the mission, it fails before it has even begun. In just about every case, upper-management believes the new initiative will be profitable. Whether it’s to make more money or save more money. No one is in the business of losing money over nuanced directives. The leader, themselves, must first believe in the mission set forth to be able to effectively lead the team. Once the leader believes then the team can get behind them.
“Ownership is everything!…This isn’t his fault, it’s yours. You are in charge, so the fact that he didn’t follow procedure is your fault. And you have to believe that, because it’s true.” Ch4: Check the Ego
It is extremely hard to let our ego take the blow. But, that is exactly how a leader can win the team over. By accepting the blame for an employee’s snafu, a leader takes ownership and reveals their strength. It is not a weakness, but an ultimate show of strength. “It was my mistake and here is what I’m going to to do correct it here on out.”
“They don’t work for me. We don’t work for the same bosses. They are a different company…Besides, they aren’t my problem. I have my own team to worry about…What’s worse, because corporate owns them, we are forced to use their services." Ch5: Cover and Move
The leader quoted here was venting about a company they were forced to work with because they were owned by the same parent company. He saw them as an obstacle and an enemy. Mostly because the company always seemed to make them fall behind. The leader had to acknowledge that that company was in fact his problem. Because they caused him to miss his own targets the leader had to own the fact that he didn’t cultivate the best relationship with them. We need to acknowledge that the companies we deal with generally have our best interests in mind. If we succeed, they succeed. Prosperity is very much a byproduct of great relationships.
“When plans and orders are too complicated, people may not understand them. And when things go wrong, and they inevitably do go wrong, complexity compounds issues that can spiral out of control into total disaster.” Ch6: Simple
in fact, this is where i realized i may be crossing a huge gray area. there are so many great points in the chapters left to cover and taking too much from the book can infringe on copyright laws. I do not know if i’m in clear violation of that, but I really wanted to share the tremendously useful information with you all- in hopes it helps you in some way. much like it has transformed my outlook.
please go and get your hands on this book! you will not regret it. an enormous thanks to the authors for sharing their philosophy.
Peace, Love, and Prosperity
Juan