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

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Once executed, establish a de-brief where you discuss lessons learned and things you could have done better.

I’ve been a Colt for almost all of my adult life, but I guess in life, and in sports, we all know nothing lasts forever. Times change, circumstances change, and that’s the reality of playing in the NFL.” – Peyton ManningPrinciple: nothing can truly capture the pressure from uncertainty, chaos, and the element of the unknown until you are in the middle of the mission. Ego clouds and disrupts everything: the planning process, the ability to take good advice, and the ability to accept constructive criticism. It can even stifle someone’s sense of self-preservation. Often, the most difficult ego to deal with is your own… There is no 100% right solution. Leaders must be comfortable with this, and make decisions promptly. Then, as things unfold, change path if needed. The leader must explain not just what to do, but why. It is the responsibility of the subordinate leader to reach out and ask if they do not understand. Only when leaders at all levels understand and believe in the mission can they pass that understanding and belief to their teams so that they can persevere through challenges, execute and win… A similar book with similar principles is The Way of the Seal by Mark Divine. Divine identifies a number of skills that you can build on and develop. These skills align with the Seals way of life and will enable you to think and act like an ‘elite warrior'. These lessons in leadership and life are applicable to business, personal life and any challenges you may face. Mark Divine has a series of exercises and questions that will help you to develop the necessary skills. The Way of the Seal is an enjoyable and educational read for anyone looking to develop their leadership skills.

I really cherish everything that basketball brings; and I think, for me, it’s been a great ride and I’m not done yet…” – Stephen CurryRejection might sting, but my feeling is that often, it has very little to do with you.” – Robert De Niro

You learned the two greatest thing in life, never rat on your friends, and always keep your mouth shut.” – Robert De NiroI’m not the guy who’s afraid of failure. I like to take risks, take the big shot and all that.” – Stephen Curry The difference between the two boats was the leader. They swapped out the boat crew leaders. They ran the drill again. “The same team in the same circumstances only under new leadership, went from the worst boat crew in the class to the best.” Waiting for the 100% right and certain solution will take too long, and you can miss your opportunity. A Leader and a Follower — Every leader must be willing and able to lead, but just as important is a leader’s ability to follow. A leader must be willing to lean on the expertise and ideas of others for the good of the team. Leaders must be willing to listen and follow others, regardless of whether they are junior or less experienced. If someone else has a great idea or specific knowledge that puts them in the best position to lead a particular project, a good leader recognizes that it doesn’t matter who gets the credit, only that the mission is accomplished in the most effective manner possible. Confident leaders encourage junior members of the team to step up and lead when they put forth ideas that will contribute to mission success. When the team wins, much of the credit goes to the leader, whether or not that leader was the person driving the operation, tactics, or strategy, and a good leader pushes the praise and accolades down to their team. Leaders who fail to be good followers fail themselves and their team. But when a leader is willing to follow, the team functions effectively and the probability of mission success radically increases. The conviction and belief necessary to start and join a startup is no trivial matter. That conviction and belief has to permeate every level of the organization as the business scales. Without understanding why, the sacrifice, stress, and pressure of starting and scaling an enterprise will result in under-performance or death of the organization. Without belief in the why, the organization will be misaligned, distracted, and stagnant. With the conviction and belief in the purpose of the mission you will create owners at every level of your enterprise.