Book Report - "Extreme Ownership" by Jocko Willink & Leif Babin
Hopefully concluding a pretty heavy run on leadership books, I recently finished a thoroughly military approach to leadership by some Navy seals.
Being written by some Spec Ops guys, this book is obviously geared toward military situations. In many cases, these are pulled directly from the Iraq war following the September 11th terrorist attacks. I’m not one to lean heavily into patriotism or military action, but it’s a fantastic example of high stakes and exactly what can go wrong in the best or worst case scenarios.
Though the military operations are the primary examples, Willink and Babin provide more generalized interpretations and applications that are relevant to civilian and business life. Each chapter consists of a military example, and the ways that those events translate to wisdom in the lives of anyone. The formula is honestly really effective.
One thing I like about “Extreme Ownership” is how practical it is. There is never a case when you need a philosophy degree to understand the point that the authors are making. They present a problem, a potential catastrophe, and how they overcame the problem. It’s simple and straightforward, and it usually applies directly to something we could all use in our personal and business lives.
Leading up the chain is probably the most novel and interesting idea for me. Authority is typically seen as a one way street. Crap rolls downhill. You do what your boss tells you, or you somehow offload that to your reports. Willink and Babin suggest that there is a capacity with which control flows the other direction. Obviously, I don’t have control over my superior or what decisions he makes, but I can influence his decision. I can provide information and suggestions. He is ultimately in charge of making that decision, but I don’t have to stand by with no say in the situation. I can give him the information I know and help him make a more informed decision. That sort of reversal of the traditional flow was really refreshing and something I hadn’t considered before.
What I find particularly interesting is how a lot of leadership books seem to offer similar riffs on the same themes. I don’t mean this as an insult to the authors of these books, and I certainly don’t intend to suggest that these books are identical and not worth reading. The different flavors and perspectives resonate differently with people depending on your background and personality type. Once you’ve read a few, though, you begin to pick up on trends that are effectively universal to leadership in any capacity.
The common idea that I can particularly relate to is the idea that you should only focus on issues that you can directly impact. There are many things in your day to day life that concern you in some form. However, there are comparatively very few that you can influence and even fewer that you can control. Don’t waste effort on the large swath of issues that concern you when you can gain more from focusing on the circles of control and influence. Apply your attention and effort where you gain the most impact from them.
Understanding is another concept that seems to be everywhere once you’re looking for it. We want to air our grievances and be understood by our peers and leaders, but so rarely do we take the time to understand them. If we make a point to inquire why, understand the response, and propagate that to our reports, it becomes so much easier to get everyone on the same page. You don’t get buy-in if the people involved don’t understand why.
KISS - Keep It Simple, Stupid. It’s been echoed everywhere to the point of cliche, but it’s honestly such a great principle. Complexity adds risk. You depend on all parties understanding the idea and executing appropriately. With less complexity, there is less risk, and thus a greater probability for success. If your plan is large and complicated, break it down into individual phases. Whatever you can do to strip out complexities and remove the requirement for contingencies will improve your overall odds for a positive outcome. Simplicity is key.
Finally, we all benefit by trusting the leadership of your superiors. You don’t have to agree with everyone up the food chain, but you do have to accept that they have rank and they are typically acting in the best interest of everyone involved. If you disagree with an initiative or plan, voice those concerns but then let them make the call. Any leader worth their role is going to take ownership if the plan tanks, so give them the space to do so.
In conclusion, I’ve found that bad leaders typically don’t last. It may be a few weeks or it may be a few years, but someone not cut out for leadership rarely lasts. All you can do is take what is given to you and execute on it to the best of your ability. It all comes out in the wash, and I would much rather end the day knowing I performed the tasks that were given to me as well as I could, than realize I have to answer for faking it and blaming others.
Being written by some Spec Ops guys, this book is obviously geared toward military situations. In many cases, these are pulled directly from the Iraq war following the September 11th terrorist attacks. I’m not one to lean heavily into patriotism or military action, but it’s a fantastic example of high stakes and exactly what can go wrong in the best or worst case scenarios.
Though the military operations are the primary examples, Willink and Babin provide more generalized interpretations and applications that are relevant to civilian and business life. Each chapter consists of a military example, and the ways that those events translate to wisdom in the lives of anyone. The formula is honestly really effective.
One thing I like about “Extreme Ownership” is how practical it is. There is never a case when you need a philosophy degree to understand the point that the authors are making. They present a problem, a potential catastrophe, and how they overcame the problem. It’s simple and straightforward, and it usually applies directly to something we could all use in our personal and business lives.
Leading up the chain is probably the most novel and interesting idea for me. Authority is typically seen as a one way street. Crap rolls downhill. You do what your boss tells you, or you somehow offload that to your reports. Willink and Babin suggest that there is a capacity with which control flows the other direction. Obviously, I don’t have control over my superior or what decisions he makes, but I can influence his decision. I can provide information and suggestions. He is ultimately in charge of making that decision, but I don’t have to stand by with no say in the situation. I can give him the information I know and help him make a more informed decision. That sort of reversal of the traditional flow was really refreshing and something I hadn’t considered before.
What I find particularly interesting is how a lot of leadership books seem to offer similar riffs on the same themes. I don’t mean this as an insult to the authors of these books, and I certainly don’t intend to suggest that these books are identical and not worth reading. The different flavors and perspectives resonate differently with people depending on your background and personality type. Once you’ve read a few, though, you begin to pick up on trends that are effectively universal to leadership in any capacity.
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| Source: https://positivepsychology.com/circles-of-influence/ |
The common idea that I can particularly relate to is the idea that you should only focus on issues that you can directly impact. There are many things in your day to day life that concern you in some form. However, there are comparatively very few that you can influence and even fewer that you can control. Don’t waste effort on the large swath of issues that concern you when you can gain more from focusing on the circles of control and influence. Apply your attention and effort where you gain the most impact from them.
Understanding is another concept that seems to be everywhere once you’re looking for it. We want to air our grievances and be understood by our peers and leaders, but so rarely do we take the time to understand them. If we make a point to inquire why, understand the response, and propagate that to our reports, it becomes so much easier to get everyone on the same page. You don’t get buy-in if the people involved don’t understand why.
KISS - Keep It Simple, Stupid. It’s been echoed everywhere to the point of cliche, but it’s honestly such a great principle. Complexity adds risk. You depend on all parties understanding the idea and executing appropriately. With less complexity, there is less risk, and thus a greater probability for success. If your plan is large and complicated, break it down into individual phases. Whatever you can do to strip out complexities and remove the requirement for contingencies will improve your overall odds for a positive outcome. Simplicity is key.
Finally, we all benefit by trusting the leadership of your superiors. You don’t have to agree with everyone up the food chain, but you do have to accept that they have rank and they are typically acting in the best interest of everyone involved. If you disagree with an initiative or plan, voice those concerns but then let them make the call. Any leader worth their role is going to take ownership if the plan tanks, so give them the space to do so.
In conclusion, I’ve found that bad leaders typically don’t last. It may be a few weeks or it may be a few years, but someone not cut out for leadership rarely lasts. All you can do is take what is given to you and execute on it to the best of your ability. It all comes out in the wash, and I would much rather end the day knowing I performed the tasks that were given to me as well as I could, than realize I have to answer for faking it and blaming others.
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