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If mistakes happen, effective leaders don’t place blame on others. They take ownership of the mistakes, determine what went wrong, develop solutions to correct those mistakes and prevent them from happening again as they move forward.

Jocko Willink

I had to take ownership of everything that went wrong. Despite the tremendous blow to my reputation and to my ego, it was the right thing to do—the only thing to do. I
JOCKO WILLINK

Myself Reputation Responsibility Right Time
There are no bad units, only bad officers. This captures the essence of what Extreme Ownership is all about.
JOCKO WILLINK

Bad Control Politics
A leader must care about the troops, but at the same time the leader must complete the mission, and in doing so there will be risk and sometimes unavoidable consequences to the troops.
JOCKO WILLINK

Care Leadership Risk Time
Leadership is simple, but not easy.
JOCKO WILLINK

Easy Leadership Simplicity
Even the most competent of leaders can be overwhelmed if they try to tackle multiple problems or a number of tasks simultaneously.
JOCKO WILLINK

Leadership Problem Try
When it comes to standards, as a leader, it’s not what you preach, it’s what you tolerate.
JOCKO WILLINK

Leadership Philosophy Tolerance
We wrote this so that the leadership lessons can continue to impact teams beyond the battlefield in all leadership situations—any company, team, or organization in which a group of people strives to achieve a goal and accomplish a mission.
JOCKO WILLINK

Accomplishment Company Leadership Lesson People Team
Take care of your gear and your gear will take care of you.
JOCKO WILLINK

Care Material
Get after it.
JOCKO WILLINK

Inspirational One Liner
The infamous they.
JOCKO WILLINK

Famous One Liner
All animals, including humans, need to see the connection between action and consequence in order to learn or react appropriately.
JOCKO WILLINK

Action Animal Connection Human Learning
Leaders must always operate with the understanding that they are part of something greater than themselves and their own personal interests.
JOCKO WILLINK

Greatness Leadership Understand
leadership is the single greatest factor in any team’s performance.
JOCKO WILLINK

Leadership Team
Calm but not robotic, logical but not devoid of emotions.
JOCKO WILLINK

Emotional Logic Technology
You have to BE VIGILANT. You have to be ON GUARD. You have to HOLD THE LINE on the seemingly insignificant little things— things that shouldn’t matter—but that do.
JOCKO WILLINK

Importance Worth Yourself
That’s it. When things are going bad: Don’t get all bummed out, don’t get startled, don’t get frustrated. No. Just look at the issue and say: Good.
JOCKO WILLINK

Bad Goodness Issue
It’s not what you preach, it’s what you tolerate.
JOCKO WILLINK

Deep Tolerance Yourself
For leaders, the humility to admit and own mistakes and develop a plan to overcome them is essential to success. The best leaders are not driven by ego or personal agendas. They are simply focused on the mission and how best to accomplish it.
JOCKO WILLINK

Accomplishment Development Focus Humility Leadership Mistake Simplicity
Remember to keep your ego in check. Don’t judge people.
JOCKO WILLINK

Judgement People Remember Yourself
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.
JOCKO WILLINK

Greatness Leadership Team
Extreme Ownership. Leaders must own everything in their world. There is no one else to blame.
JOCKO WILLINK

Blame Leadership World
The leader must own everything in his or her world.
JOCKO WILLINK

Himself Leadership World
For this reason, they must believe in the cause for which they are fighting.
JOCKO WILLINK

Believe Fight Inspirational Reason
Good leaders are rare; bad leaders are common.
JOCKO WILLINK

Bad Goodness Leadership
Repetitive exceptional performance became a habit.
JOCKO WILLINK

Performance
Relax. Look around. Make a call.
JOCKO WILLINK

Action Breathe Inspirational See
The focus must always be on how to best accomplish the mission.
JOCKO WILLINK

Accomplishment Best Focus

If mistakes happen, effective leaders don’t place blame on others. They take ownership of the mistakes, determine what went wrong, develop solutions to correct those mistakes and prevent them from happening again as they move forward.

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If mistakes happen, effective leaders don’t place blame on others. They take ownership of the mistakes, determine what went wrong, develop solutions to correct those mistakes and prevent them from happening again as they move forward.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

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