which systems were corrupted and what data ’ s been compromised . You make sure the customer is getting status updates and understands what you ’ re doing to resolve the situation . There may be interaction required with law enforcement . And so on and so forth .
You can ’ t allow yourself or your team to get fixated on a single target . You need to make sure you understand what your priorities are , then assign responsibilities to handle everything that needs to get done .
But it can ’ t all fall upon your shoulders alone . And that brings us to the importance of …
No . 4
Decentralized Command
This just means everybody is a leader .
That ' s what you want as a business owner . You want a team that doesn ’ t need to depend on you for everything . A team where everyone is a leader .
“ And I used to tell this to the young SEALs — you ' re not going to be able to handle it all . What you need to do is to use decentralized command and let your subordinate leaders actually lead .”
And the way you lead with decentralized command is by making sure that everybody on the team understands : the mission , the goal , the end state they ’ re trying to achieve , the parameters they ’ re trying to work within , the perimeters they ' re allowed to maneuver in , and finally and most important : why they ' re doing what they ' re doing .
If they know why they ' re doing what they ' re doing , they can go out into the field , make decisions , and they all can lead .
Jocko also reinforced that when it comes to growing into your full potential as a leader , the most powerful motivating tool you have is to give someone control over their own destiny . In other words , giving them ownership .
Let ’ s say it ’ s been a few weeks after that security breach and the client is still a bit uneasy .
So you tell someone on your team to go follow up by saying , “ Bob , here ' s what I want you to do , here ’ s the briefing I want you to give to them , here ’ s the new software they need to install , here ’ s what it ’ s going to cost , and so on . Go make that happen .” How much ownership does Bob have with that ? None . He ’ s just a robot . You ’ re just telling him what to do . But if instead you say , “ Hey Bob , I want you to reconnect with this client who got hacked last month . I want you to touch base with them . Find out where they ’ re at . Rebuild that relationship and bring it to the next level . Come up with a plan and tell me how you want to do it .”
So now , instead of being a robot following orders , he ’ s totally empowered and on board . He ’ s got control over his own destiny . And that ’ s what motivates people more than anything else .
Take Extreme Ownership
If you constantly move and cover as a team … If you simplify things so everyone can understand … If you pick the right priorities and act on them … If you create that culture of decentralized command , so everyone knows what ' s happening , why they ' re doing what they ' re doing , and who ' s going to do it … There ’ s still one more thing . You need to take extreme ownership . Take ownership of your mission . Take ownership of your job . Take ownership of
your team . Take ownership of your clients . Take ownership of your future . Take ownership of your life .
Then , when your Platoon Commander asks , “ What will you do ?” your last night in Iraq — you ’ ll know .
And I looked up at him and I said , if we don ' t do this mission , who ' s going to do it ? Are we going to turn it over to the next SEAL team that shows up , that doesn ' t know the terrain like we know it ? We ' re going to let them take the risk ?
Are we going to turn it over to one of the conventional units in the Army or the Marine Corps that doesn ' t have the gear we have , doesn ' t have the training we have ? Are we going to let them take the risk ?
Or are we just going to let this guy go and continue to kill innocent Iraqi civilians and kill Americans ? If we don ' t do this operation , then who will do it ?
And he didn ' t even answer the question . Because he knew the answer . And I knew the answer . If we didn ' t do that mission , no one would .
And the team went out that night , and they executed the mission . They got the bad guy , and we all went home .”
So lead ! That ' s the most powerful tool we have as human beings . Lead yourself , lead your team , and lead your company to victory . n
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