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

But what I can tell you is this: when it comes to performance standards, It’s not what you preach, it’s what you tolerate.

Laws of Combat that Jocko had taught us: Cover and Move, Simple, Prioritize and Execute, and Decentralized Command

“Remember, it’s not about you,” I continued. “It’s not about the drilling superintendent. It’s about the mission and how best to accomplish it. With that attitude exemplified in you and your key leaders, your team will dominate.”

Implementing Extreme Ownership requires checking your ego and operating with a high degree of humility. Admitting mistakes, taking ownership, and developing a plan to overcome challenges are integral to any successful team.

Ego can prevent a leader from conducting an honest, realistic assessment of his

or her own performance and the performance of the team.

When a leader’s confidence breaks, those who are supposed to follow him or her see this and begin to question their own belief in the mission.

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.

It takes courage to go to the CEO’s office, knock on her door, and explain that you don’t understand the strategy behind her decisions. You might feel stupid. But you will feel far worse trying to explain to your team a mission or strategy that you don’t understand or believe in yourself

In order to convince and inspire others to follow and accomplish a mission, a leader must be a true believer in the mission

But I learned that good leaders don’t make excuses. Instead, they figure out a way to get it done and win.

Leaders should never be satisfied. They must always strive to improve, and they must build that mind-set into the team. They must face the facts through a realistic, brutally honest assessment of themselves and their team’s performance