Extreme Ownership Summary

Extreme Ownership: How U.S Navy SEALs Lead and Win 

Authors: Jacko Willink and Leif Babin 

U.S navy SEALs are one of the best forces in the world. Their extreme level of training and their highest level of mental and physical efficiency makes them the best of the best to conduct operations. 

We all know that an operation is much more than just firing bullets, it requires an extreme level of leadership if you are leading, it requires many tactics and strategies to focus on the field to get successful conduct of the operation. 

Related: Best books to read. 

The Authors of Extreme Ownership: How U.S Navy SEALs Lead and Win Jacko Willink and Leif Babin are the Decorated officers of navy SEALs and founder of Echelon front where they serve as the Leadership Instructor, speaker, and executive coach.  

The two Authors bring the management and leadership lessons from the battlefield to apply in the at your workplace. 

Lessons from the Extreme Ownership: How U.S Navy SEALs Lead and Win book.

A leader must take responsibility for every outcome of a mission. If win glory must be sprayed over the team members but if any mistake happens then-leader must take its responsibility. 

In worst-of-bad situations, leaders must be calm and effective. Relax, look around, make a call. The simple thing is to prioritize the tasks and take action effectively.

Managing risks before they pop up. Do the planning in such a way that keeping in mind every possible risk they may face before the action starts and keep ready for the same.

Let's have a look at the 12 Principles given in Extreme Ownership: How U.S Navy SEALs Lead and Win.

Principle 1: Extreme ownership

Leaders must own everything in their world, there's nobody else responsible.

-Extreme Ownership: How U.S Navy SEALs Lead and Win 

It's 2012 Jacko Willink finds himself in Ramadi, Iraq leading a Navy SEALs operation. The team was about to storm a building when they realized that it was friendly fire from another unit. However, there had already been casualties one Iraqi soldier has died and one SEAL was injured. The senior leadership was furious at this incident. During the investigations, Jacko took all the blame and responsibilities of even other minor mistakes made by the team on him and improved the standard operating procedure to avoid any mistake in the future. In doing so he not only gained the trust of his superiors but also create an example of Extreme Leadership.

A leader is responsible for every plan, strategy, tactics, and the conduct of a mission.

Principle 2: Not Bad Teams, Bad Leaders.

There is a difference in "a dog leading 100 lions" and 'a lion leading 100 dogs." 

How the leader acts and conduct puts a strong impression on the subordinates. They follow and copy their leader. If you are brave people below you will show their bravery. 

Leaders should always put examples of the highest order to keep the morale high of the team members. 

Take the responsibilities others will also take theirs. 

Principle 3: Be A Believer

We learned that leadership requires belief within the mission and unyielding perseverance to realize victory. 

-Extreme Ownership: How U.S Navy SEALs Lead and Win 

The clarity of the task and the belief in the mission by a leader makes his team members believe in the mission and this will lead them towards success. 

A leader can only inspire and convince his team members for the mission if he/she has believed in his mission and the clarity of the same.

Principle 4: Check the Ego.

It is not what you preach, it's what you tolerate.

-Extreme Ownership: How U.S Navy SEALs Lead and Win 

Being a leader a person has to face some criticisms. Sometimes your ideas may not work and any of your team members have a better workable idea. In such kind situations keep the personal ego aside. The success of a team is above the personal ego. Ego may disrupt everything. 

Leaders should operate with the understanding that they're a part of something greater than themselves and their own personal interests. 

Principle 5: Cover and move.

"Cover and move" is one of the military tactics. It simply means TEAMWORK. when team members work in close coordination with their leader the expectations of the success are higher. In such situations one and one becomes Eleven. 

Principle 6: Priorities and execution.

Let's handle a situation you are a group of friends going on a picnic. One of your friends make himself injured, suddenly you saw a serious accident on the road, a few seconds later a person informed you that few decoits kidnapped a kid and rushed in the jungle and also you are getting late to reach your pre-planned place. This is a Kind of situation you have to solve then what will be your immediate reaction. 

A leader must be effective and calm in such situations. Mantra is Relax, look around, make a call.

In simple take a look at each situation and priorities them and handle them one at a time. Keeping in mind to take swift and effective decisions. 

Principle 7: Keep it simple

 

A simple plan is easy to understand and execute. The complexity of plan hinders the team members to execute well. Keep the plan simple and easy to understand and present the same effect with clarity.

Principle 8: Decentralise command

The idea is to assign a few junior team leaders and give them the details of the plan and tell them about their tasks. Guide them and let them make their decisions. It not only saves time to do other important things but also the leader uses resources effectively. It will fill other team members with leadership skills and make them responsible.

Principle 9: Plan

Great leaders make a good plan before coming into action. Divide it into smaller parts and provide the reason why of the action. 

In plan, they discuss every possibility of failure and risks and create well-planned ideas to deal with such adverse conditions in detail before the task. 

During operation, a great leader always prepared for any situation and how to deal with them because of the homework he/she did before the mission.

Principle 10: Leading up and down the chain of command.

A great leader also gives ideas, updates, and information to their leaders and give instructions and briefs to their team members to better execute the plan. 

Principle 11: Act Decisively

No plan is 100% correct and during a mission, the picture is not completely clear but a great leader is comfortable with the present information and updates and able to make a quick and best possible plan. Also, a leader must be ready to update its plan with the coming intelligence and updates.

Keep one thing in mind quick decision is not a synonym to fast decision. In a quick decision, a leader has to act according to the situation and given time. Quick analysis and making a plan is the key. It is also true that waiting for a 100% accurate plan and can make the mission delay and it only put the team at more risk.

Principle 12: Discipline equals freedom.

Our freedom to work and manoeuvre had increased substantially through disciplined procedures.

-Extreme Ownership: How U.S Navy SEALs Lead and Win 

Instead of making is rigid discipline males us more creative and flexible, more adaptable, and more efficient.

Some teams in the imposed discipline act so restricted that they inhibit the team's and leader's ability to act flexibly and freely.

 

Discipline means freedom. It gives freedom to execute a plan according to the present situation and free to decide the required action.

These are the principles given in the book Extreme Ownership: How U.S Navy SEALs Lead and Win by Jacko Willink and Leif Babin. 

I presented the ideas in brief. The ideas and the examples are given to justify them in the book by the authors are very interesting and useful. I recommend this book to everyone. Read the complete book. This is one of the best Leadership books I have read. 

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