Vital mindset shift to becoming an effective leader - Extreme Ownership

Here lies a fundamental aspect of becoming a great leader, proven to being effective for those fighting evil in war torn countries and those fighting to climb the corporate ladder. This concept has been popularised by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin in their book ‘Extreme Ownership’. The book lays out the principles of Extreme Ownership while providing real world examples which they experienced during their time serving as Navy Seals in Iraq. Both Jocko and Leif were stationed in Ramardi which ISIS had declared to be their capital Since retiring from the Navy Seals Jocko and Leif founded Echelon Front which gave leadership training to executives in a range of corporate industries teaching the Extreme Ownership framework.

Here are Key 5 Takeaways from the Book Extreme Ownership

• 1 Take Full Responsibility This is the core principle of the book, highlighting why it is imperative that leaders must take full responsibility for everything that happens under their command. By taking accountability for any mistakes or failures the leader can act more effectively.

• 2 No Bad Teams, Only Bad Leaders The book emphasises the impact a strong leader can have on a poorly performing team and how a weak leader can drag down even a highly skilled team.

• 3 Believe in the Mission The leader should have no doubt in why they are completing a mission as this will reflect on the teams performance. A leaders conviction is a critical component for achieving buy-in from the wider team.

• 4 Prioritise and Execute This is a framework for leaders when they find themselves in high-stress situations to prevent becoming overwhelmed, the leader must prioritise the most critical task and execute on it first. 

• 5 Decentralised and Command It is impossible for a leader to manage every detail. This is why it is important for leaders to empower their team to make decisions within their area of responsibility.

In Jocko Willinks TED Talk he recalls an incident of friendly fire which involved members of his unit and others fighting against ISIS in Ramardi. He details how many mistakes were made from a list of personnel, in which most would agree was out of Jockos control. When higher ups demanded who was at fault Jocko took full accountability and was shocked with the outcome. He was not fired but instead gained respect from those around him.

Impact on the corporate world

By encouraging leaders to take full responsibility for their teams poor outcomes, companies have seen a shift away from blame culture. This has lead to employees at all levels to own up to their mistakes and then learn from them. Employees have become more empowered to make decisions through the concept of decentralised command. This has allowed organisations to become more agile and responsive to change due to people lower down the hierarchy not waiting for their managers to make a decision.

Extreme ownership encourages you to take charge of your own life. If you are not where you want to be with your fitness or career, take accountability for your current position and act accordingly to get where you want to be.