Extreme Ownership: How US Navy SEALs Lead and Win

“Of the many exceptional leaders we served alongside throughout our military careers, the consistent attribute that made them great was that they took absolute ownership—Extreme Ownership—not just of those things for which they were responsible, but for everything that impacted their mission. These leaders cast no blame. They made no excuses. Instead of complaining about challenges or setbacks, they developed solutions and solved problems. They leveraged assets, relationships, and resources to get the job done. Their own egos took a back seat to the mission and their troops. These leaders truly led.”

The goal of leadership is to create results, and the most effective leaders take responsibility for everything that affects those results. If the weather turns bad, they’ll make sure their team members have protection; if a member gives birth, they’ll make sure the baby is healthy and the team can move forward. No matter what impinges on the project, when the leader makes excuses, that impingement is in charge, not the leader. Successful leaders are proud, not merely of themselves but of their team, and that pride reflects their understanding that everyone and everything involved in the project is vital to its success.

“We know what it means to fail—to lose, to be surprised, outmaneuvered, or simply beaten. Those lessons were the hardest, but perhaps the most important.”

The authors confess that, far from being perfect exemplars, their leadership has been tested in battle, and they’ve made humiliating mistakes and suffered scarring losses. Though unwanted, those harsh lessons tend to be the most valuable. The first lesson disasters teach is humility; the second is to get back up, fix the problem, and move forward.

“The Battle of Ramadi provided a litany of lessons learned, which we were able to capture and pass on. The greatest of these was the recognition that leadership is the most important factor on the battlefield, the single greatest reason behind the success of any team.”

Task Unit Bruiser demonstrates that well-led teams can overcome daunting obstacles and achieve victory where others might assume defeat. To them, leadership is the fulcrum of the success or failure of organized groups. That quality is important at all levels, from a two-person unit to an entire army.