In light of Memorial Day.
Jocko Willink. Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win. New York, NY: Saint Martin’s Press, October 20th 2015. 320 pp.
5 out of 5
Purchase: Amazon
How well do you own up to your own fault and flaws? Do you often blame other people and your circumstance when you should be admitting your own fault? This was a good book on leadership by a combat leader in the Navy SEALS. It wasn’t only just a good book on leadership; it was also a good book of how to be under leaders as well. The title of the book captures the subject of the material well; it is a book on taking personal responsibility of what you do. Taking responsibility is a big important mark of a good leader versus a bad leader.
The author Jocko Willink has an interesting background and experience. Willink was the commander of a Navy SEAL task force called Task Unit Bruiser in Iraq. As its commander he oversaw the Navy SEAL’s effort of bringing the fight to the enemy during the Battle of Ramadi. His experience and his contemplation of leadership makes him a qualified leader on this subject and I love how he’s not just teaching this for those in the military but he’s conscious of teaching his readers the importance of leadership for many other areas of work such as law enforcement, business, and even in one’s personal life. Yet Willink throughout the book teaches on leadership with a humble spirit of admitting his own failure and need to continue to still improve and grow. It was quite encouraging.
The book is well organized. It has three parts. Part 1 is winning the war within, part 2 is the laws of combat and part 3 is sustaining the win. Part 1 is on the leadership building block and part 2 is on sustaining success while part 3 focuses on nuances and balanced of the challenges of leadership. Each chapter itself has three section. The first identify lesson learn from illustrations from the Navy SEAL world while the second section explain this further. Finally the third section applies this to the business world and other industries.
I enjoyed learning many things in this book. The opening of the book with the story of a friendly fire was very moving and illustrate what extreme ownership and practicing responsibility instead of blame shifting looks like. It was riveting how Willink tells it. Readers are encouraged to check one’s ego. One’s mission should be above one’s ego. Obviously people’s pride at times can hinder their leadership and accomplishing their goals. The crazy story about a competing military unit thinking they are better than others was a big lesson on working with others and not being blindsided with an extreme elistism mentality that doesn’t work with others. There’s also the good lesson on priorities, keeping it simple and decentralizing leadership that was helpful. I recommend this work.
Looks good! Most of us are leaders in one way or another and advice from tried-and true leaders can be helpful, even from a secular viewpoint. What a tremendous responsibility leadership is! One small lapse in judgement can lead to disaster for many.
So true: ” One small lapse in judgement can lead to disaster for many.” Who won the Padres vs game?
Top of the 7th and Padres down 3-2 against the cheating Yankee$$$$$$$$$.
Grateful for those who died for our country like the SEALs in this man’s task force
Marc Lee was one of the first SEALs killed in Iraq and was under task unit (not task Force) Bruiser.
May we never forget men like them. Not just on Memorial Day.
Wow. He has a silver star and a bronze star!
I don’t know much about military but I’m sure that’s impressive
Sounds like a helpful book
One think this SEAL officer can do with those who died under his leadership is to pass the lessons of leadership onward to others what he learned literally from blood and sweat.
Sounds like a good book!