It is easy to blame others. Great leaders take Extreme Ownership with absolute responsibility with everything that comes their way. Leadership strategy and tactics requires a strategic mindset. Former Navy Seals, Jocko Willink and Leif Babin have 12 principles from their book Extreme Ownership to help you get through difficult times.
“This is what I am going to do.” – Jocko Willink and Leif Babin, Former Navy Seals, Extreme Ownership
40 Strategy Stories, Taking Extreme Ownership – Volume 2020:2
Strategic Mindset
It is so easy to blame right now. Our political leaders have reacted too slow to COVID-19. Our leaders have overreacted. The fiscal stimulus is not big enough. My employees are not being productive working at home. I cannot make a profit when I am unable to open my doors for business. My stocks have declined in value, how am I ever going to retire? It is too hard to work at home with my family and your family says it’s too hard for you to work at home. How do I workout when my gym and every park is closed? My home internet is terrible.
Over the past month, I have either heard, read or said some of these same things myself. These are EXTREME times. But there is an EXTREME way of handling it.
Take EXTREME ownership.
Navy Seals know a thing or two about handling extreme challenges. They are some of the most elite, tough and talented military soldiers. They have to deal with extraordinary challenges of real life and death situations. It is impossible to control all of the elements in a battle from the weather, to the enemy, to every troops reaction to live gun fire.
Jocko Willink and Leif Babin co-wrote a book called Extreme Ownership, How U.S. Navy Seals Lead and Win that flips our mindset with 12 key principles. The first key to the mindset is to take ownership for EVERYTHING.
Let’s apply it to a few of these scenarios:
Excuse: The government did not work fast enough.
Extreme Ownership: I sent my employees to work from home prior to any government decisions.
Excuse: I cannot make a profit when my doors are closed.
Extreme Ownership: I have adapted my offerings to provide as many offerings as possible while this situation lasts. Next time, I will create a savings fund to handle at least 3 months of no sales for the next crisis and get through the next challenge stronger.
Excuse: I cannot workout with gyms and parks closed.
Extreme Ownership: I started the 7-minute workout, burned the same calories and saved time.
As leaders, we need to do our best to take responsibility and to move forward with practical actions to move our team forward in the right direction. And that responsibility starts with you as the leader.
Links to Top Articles / Ideas / Websites –
Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Tracking
Full Text of the $2 Trillion Coronavirus Bill
Recommendation – If you are looking for a coach to get you through these challenges and help change your mindset, I highly recommend Scott Ballard from www.confidencecoach.org.
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