Leadership is Everyone—Jocko Willink on Owning Your Success

Today’s episode is an interview with Jocko Willink, a retired U.S. Navy SEAL officer and New York Times #1 bestselling author of several books including his latest, Leadership Strategy and Tactics. Jocko hosts the popular podcast Leadership and Discipline, as well as a podcast for young leaders-in-training called Warrior Kid. Upon retiring from the Navy in 2010, Jocko founded leadership consulting firm Echelon Front. There, he teaches combat leadership principles to help others build their own high-performance winning teams.

In the interview, we explored how applying leadership lessons from the battlefield can bring us extraordinary success in the workplace. I'll call out some highlights here, but I encourage you to click the audio player above or listen on your favorite podcast platform. You'll be motivated by Jocko's endless energy and enthusiasm as you listen to my chat with a leadership legend.

“Leadership, is everyone,” Jocko says. It’s not about your title. So, if you’re not in a formal leadership role, know that this conversation is still very much for you.

The Four Laws of Combat inspire leadership

Many of Jocko’s ideas originate from the Four Laws of Combat he developed in the Navy and passed on to other SEALs. These are:

1. Cover and move. Embrace the power of teamwork and know the importance of showing care to everyone on the mission.
2. Keep things simple. Remove complexity wherever possible to ensure everyone fully understands the mission and the shared direction.
3. Prioritize and execute. Remain a step or two ahead of problems to avoid failure. Thoughtful planning allows us to move resources wherever they're needed.
4. Decentralize command. When our team members understand what they're doing and why, they become empowered to make smart decisions on their own.

Jocko shared some sage advice around detaching from our egos to make better decisions, taking extreme ownership for the outcomes we desire, and leaning into observation and humility to reveal the best version of ourselves.

Detaching from ego and emotion—easier said than done

As we’re in the thick of work, we have to make decisions, have conversations, and give or receive feedback. Jocko is a big believer in the importance of detachment—separating the emotional from the rational. But boy, is that easier said than done!

So, how can we make that happen? Jocko says that people do get "wrapped...

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