# Shortform - Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink (Highlights) ![rw-book-cover|256](https://readwise-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/media/uploaded_book_covers/profile_155788/7b241cc0-0559-4739-8262-b1565014fb11.jpg) ## Metadata **Cover**:: https://readwise-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/media/uploaded_book_covers/profile_155788/7b241cc0-0559-4739-8262-b1565014fb11.jpg **Source**:: #from/readwise **Zettel**:: #zettel/fleeting **Status**:: #x **Authors**:: [[Shortform]] **Full Title**:: Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink **Category**:: #books #readwise/books **Category Icon**:: 📚 **Document Tags**:: #shortform **Highlighted**:: [[2021-02-24]] **Created**:: [[2022-09-26]] ## Highlights - Extreme Ownership requires a leader to own her team’s mistakes and failures — without blame or excuses — and objectively assess what works and what doesn’t in order to constantly improve. (Page 2) ### Extreme Ownership - As the leader, your team’s performance ultimately falls on you: If an employee or subordinate makes a mistake, don’t blame her, but rather question whether you provided the information, training, and support she needed to be successful. (Page 2) - a leader needs to own her responsibility in helping the team reach high standards and ensure that every member of the team — down to the most junior level — knows his individual role in a project and understands how he is contributing to the overall goal. (Page 2) - A leader has to admit her own mistakes, be open to constructive criticism, and put the team’s interests ahead of her own. (Page 2) ### Laws of Combat - The first strategy is Cover and Move. The entire team must work together, supporting and protecting each other, for everyone’s success. (Page 2) - The second Law of Combat is to keep things simple. Simple plans lead to success. (Page 2) #spark - The third strategy is Prioritize and Execute. (Page 3) - The fourth and final Law of Combat is Decentralized Command, which means the leader spreads her authority to be more efficient. (Page 3) ### Key Practices - First and foremost, leaders need to develop a clear and well-thought-out plan. The plan needs to be specific and straightforward, minimize risks, be clearly communicated to every member of the team, and be reviewed after completion to determine what can be improved in the future. (Page 3) - Additionally, be decisive, even if you only have limited information. (Page 3) - Finally, as leaders navigate challenging situations, they must keep a careful balance of seemingly opposite forces — including being confident yet humble, aggressive but not overbearing, brave but not reckless, competitive but able to lose graciously, and disciplined yet flexible. (Page 3) - Second, Extreme Ownership calls for taking responsibility of everything in your world ... leading up and down the chain of command. (Page 3)