ExtremeOwnership

Extreme Ownership (Jocko Wilnick)

  • Very good
  • Overly wordy, but many good points

  • Extreme Ownership:

    • requires looking at reality objectively. Without emotional attachment, agenda, or plans
    • requires leader to set aside ego/accept responsibility for failure
  • There are no bad teams, only bad leaders

Leadership

  • Leadership is the single greatest factor in any teams performance

Leadership

  • Ego clouds/disrupts everything (most difficult ego to deal with is your own)
  • Cover and Move: "The most fundamental tactic, perhaps the only tactic"

Tactics

  • "Relax, look around and make a call" (Detach)
  • For any team, it is essential to develop standardized planning process
  • Commanders Intent most important part of brief
  • Giving front-line troops ownership of even small piece of plan gets buy-in
  • Best teams employ constant analysis of tactics and measure effectiveness to adapt
    • Done through post-operational debrief. What went right ? wrong ? more effective ?
  • Paramount that senior leaders explain to jr leaders their role and how it fits the big picture
  • One of the most important jobs of any leader is to support your Boss.
  • Factors for leadership (leading up and down the chain of command)
    • Take responsibility for everyone in your world: subordinates and superiors
    • If someone isn't doing what you want/need, determine what you can do to enable
    • Dont ask your lead what you should do, tell them what you are going to do

Leadership

  • Dichotomy of Leadership (see 80/20 and diminishing returns)
    • Confident not cocky
    • Leader and follower
    • Quiet not silent
    • competitive but gracious
    • humble not passive
    • calm not robotic
    • attentive but not obsessed by detail
    • aggressive not over-bearing
    • Extreme Ownership vs Decentralized Command
  • This is simple, not easy: Be Honest. Show Integrity. Take ownership.
  • Dont do the leadership "comb-over"
  • Good performance comes from Rehearsal
  • When you (as a leader) have someone stepping up and taking charge and you start to feel intimidated. Ask:
    • "Why am I intimidated by this situation? "
    • Its probably your ego. You are being a weak leader.
  • IF you have a weak leader: LUCKY YOU!
    • Have an opportunity to take advantage and LEAD
    • Do what you want. Motivate yourself ! Take charge. Take advantage.
  • Start with micromanagement and morph into de-centralized command.
  • The worst thing you can do if you make a mistake is to avoid taking blame for it
  • Build Trust: Do what you say and say what you do.
  • When you are too embarrassed to ask for help: That's a little knock at the door saying "You're insecure!"

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