Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win
Written by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin
Narrated by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin
4.5/5
()
About this audiobook
"These guys are intense. And they bring that same fire to their narration in the audiobook. Listen to these insanely competent SEAL officers tell you exactly how to make a team successful through their firsthand experiences in business and combat." - The Hustle
An updated edition of the blockbuster bestselling leadership audiobook that took America and the world by storm, two U.S. Navy SEAL officers who led the most highly decorated special operations unit of the Iraq War demonstrate how to apply powerful leadership principles from the battlefield to business and life.
Combat, the most intense and dynamic environment imaginable, teaches the toughest leadership lessons, with absolutely everything at stake. Jocko Willink and Leif Babin learned this reality first-hand on the most violent and dangerous battlefield in Iraq. As leaders of SEAL Team Three’s Task Unit Bruiser, their mission was one many thought impossible: help U.S. forces secure Ramadi, a violent, insurgent-held city deemed “all but lost.” In gripping, firsthand accounts of heroism, tragic loss, and hard-won victories, they learned that leadership—at every level—is the most important factor in whether a team succeeds or fails.
Willink and Babin returned home from deployment and instituted SEAL leadership training to pass on their harsh lessons learned in combat to help forge the next generation of SEAL leaders. After leaving the SEAL Teams, they launched a company, Echelon Front, to teach those same leadership principles to leaders in businesses, companies, and organizations across the civilian sector. Since that time, they have trained countless leaders and worked with hundreds of companies in virtually every industry across the U.S. and internationally, teaching them how to develop their own high-performance teams and most effectively lead those teams to dominate their battlefields.
Since its release in October 2015, Extreme Ownership has revolutionized leadership development and set a new standard for literature on the subject. Required listening for many of the most successful organizations, it has become an integral part of the official leadership training programs for scores of business teams, military units, and first responders. Detailing the mindset and principles that enable SEAL units to accomplish the most difficult combat missions, Extreme Ownership demonstrates how to apply them to any team or organization, in any leadership environment. A compelling narrative with powerful instruction and direct application, Extreme Ownership challenges leaders everywhere to fulfill their ultimate purpose: lead and win.
Editor's Note
Leadership bootcamp…
Go to leadership bootcamp with two former Navy SEALs and become a braver, more decisive mentor than you’ve ever been before. After experiencing the fog of war, these SEALs emerged with a clear view of what makes a leader — and subsequently, their whole team — great.
Jocko Willink
Jocko Willink was a Navy SEAL for twenty years, rising through the ranks to become the commander of Task Unit Bruiser – the most decorated Special Operations Unit of the Iraq War. After retiring, Jocko continued on the disciplined path of success, co-founding Echelon Front, a multi-million-dollar leadership and management consulting company, writing the New York Times bestsellers Extreme Ownership and Discipline Equals Freedom and the children’s book Way of the Warrior Kid, and creating one of the top-ranking podcasts, Jocko Podcast.
More audiobooks from Jocko Willink
The Dichotomy of Leadership: Balancing the Challenges of Extreme Ownership to Lead and Win Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The 32 Principles: Harnessing the Power of Jiu-Jitsu to Succeed in Business, Relationships, and Life Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Leadership Strategy and Tactics: Field Manual Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Leadership Strategy and Tactics: Field Manual Expanded Edition Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Related to Extreme Ownership
Related audiobooks
Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin - Book Summary: How U.S. Navy SEALS Lead And Win Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Way of the Seal: Think Like an Elite Warrior to Lead and Succeed: Updated and Expanded Edition Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The 4 Disciplines of Execution: Revised and Updated: Achieving Your Wildly Important Goals Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Speed of Trust: The One Thing that Changes Everything Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Nine Lies about Work: A Freethinking Leader's Guide to the Real World Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Mission Transition: Navigating the Opportunities and Obstacles to Your Post-Military Career Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsInfluencer: The Power to Change Anything Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Spark: How to Lead Yourself and Others to Greater Success Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Final Spin: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Summary of Discipline Equals Freedom: Field Manual by Jocko Willink Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Way of the Warrior Kid: From Wimpy to Warrior the Navy SEAL Way: A Novel Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Relentless: From Good to Great to Unstoppable Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Summary of Living with a SEAL: 31 Days Training with the Toughest Man on the Planet by Jesse Itzler Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Never Enough: A Navy SEAL Commander on Living a Life of Excellence, Agility, and Meaning Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Summary of Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win by Jocko Willink & Leif Babin Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Summary of Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy Seals Lead and Win Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Endure: How to Work Hard, Outlast, and Keep Hammering Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Your Next Five Moves: Master the Art of Business Strategy Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Multipliers, Revised and Updated: How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Operator: Firing the Shots that Killed Osama bin Laden and My Years as a SEAL Team Warrior Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Staring Down the Wolf: 7 Leadership Commitments That Forge Elite Teams Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Good to Great Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Fierce Conversations: Achieving Success at Work & in Life, One Conversation at a Time Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Radical Candor: Be a Kick-Ass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5TakingPoint: A Navy SEAL's 10 Fail Safe Principles for Leading Through Change Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Raising Men: Lessons Navy SEALs Learned from Their Training and Taught to Their Sons Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The 4 Disciplines of Execution: Achieving Your Wildly Important Goals Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Leadership and Self-Deception: Getting out of the Box Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5
Leadership For You
How To Win Friends And Influence People Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Introverted Leader: Building on Your Quiet Strength Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes are High, Third Edition Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The 5AM Club: Own Your Morning. Elevate Your Life. Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5How to Win Friends and Influence People: Updated For the Next Generation of Leaders Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Radical Candor: Fully Revised & Updated Edition: Be a Kick-Ass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Principles: Life and Work Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Leadership and Self-Deception: Getting out of the Box Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: 30th Anniversary Edition Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Catalyst: How to Change Anyone's Mind Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Freakonomics Rev Ed Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership 25th Anniversary: Follow Them and People Will Follow You Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Spark: How to Lead Yourself and Others to Greater Success Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Hard Thing About Hard Things: Building a Business When There Are No Easy Answers Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Coaching Habit: Say Less, Ask More & Change the Way You Lead Forever Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Radical Candor: Be a Kick-Ass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5WOLFPACK: How to Come Together, Unleash Our Power, and Change the Game Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Entreleadership: 20 Years of Practical Business Wisdom from the Trenches Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Right Call: What Sports Teach Us About Leadership, Excellence, and Decision-Making Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Failing Forward: How to Make the Most of Your Mistakes Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Principle-Centered Leadership Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Brain Rules (Updated and Expanded): 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Developing the Leader Within You 2.0 Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The First 90 Days: Proven Strategies for Getting Up to Speed Faster and Smarter Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace: Empowering Organizations by Encouraging People Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Overcoming the Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Field Guide for Leaders, Managers, and Facilitators Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Microstress Effect: How Little Things Pile Up and Create Big Problems—and What to Do about It Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Summary: Dare to Lead by Brené Brown: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts. Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/525 Ways to Win with People: How to Make Others Feel Like a Million Bucks Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5
Reviews for Extreme Ownership
2,633 ratings169 reviews
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This book was written by two Navy Seals who now own a company that is hired by businesses to give workshops and advice on leadership. The basic premise of their methods is that leaders take extreme ownership of all parts of a team (or business). The book is a series of principles explained by giving a story from the authors' time in Iraq as Seals, and then comparing it to a business situation they helped work with. I thought many parts of the book were fascinating, but there were parts that were repetitive. Overall I highly recommend the read for anyone interested in the Seals, or in a way of looking at how to be a leader in all areas of their life.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5I've seen both the authors on various interviews, they come across well.
Both Jocko and Leif are personable, charismatic characters with a great thematic gig going for them, a simple application of real combat experience to the corporate world of leadership. I am sure that the cadre of white collar warriors with deep corporate pockets out there looking for ways to organise management glitches got their money's worth.
A man needs a thing, it doesn't matter what that think is. As long as it works. Afterall, ''business is war'' as we all know.
The writing is clear, concise and the delivery fits. It's really not so much a book, though as a well oiled machine and vehicle for the delivery of the authors' points of view.
A quarter of a century ago, when Japan was the world's economic miracle, the philosophy of bushido, the way of the samurai and Hoshin Kanri were were state-of-the-art concepts for the then fashionable delivery vehicle for the delivery of management styles. The Japanese were doing good, so whatever the Japanese did to get good, we should, too.
Then was then and this is now. You just decide what color filter you want to see the world through and stick with it. Keep your ideas simple and hammer them in over and over to nail it. It's discipline and rhetoric and it's more comforting and easier to understand than say, Taleb's ideas of resiliency and Black Swans.
In summary, there is not much new here. But these two ex-Seals do have style, interesting & entertaining war stories and the ability to illustrate their points (in the style of Robert Greene) eloquently.1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5There are two identities. The identity you get from the outer world comes from 'Me asking you to tell me who I am'. Or you can obtain your identity from telling yourself who you are and embodying the ideas you are attracted to. Owning every aspect of yourself as well as the responsibility for everything in your life.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Definitely worth reading. Accountability and humility are main qualities of these two modern day warriors, and they try to share the secret that you can be the leader, man, woman, etc you want to be. Just have to make the decision to start the process of change and be 100% accountable.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Excellent! The organization of the book makes it easy to return to it to study the various lessons. I look forward to me 6 months from now when I have mastered extreme ownership of my much more disciplined self.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The content is interesting and applicable to team based tasks and projects.
My issue with these books in general is that they come from a place of adhering to a belief in constant production.
What I mean is that it's presented as the most important thing you should think about at all times, or you will fail at life.. somehow.
To that point, the audiobook read out is spoken in such a way. It was very grating. - Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Great book, I really enjoyed how they connected military and business life.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Great book with so much insight on being a true leader, and how to effectively lead a team. I recommend anyone who is leading a team now or plans to elevate themselves to that level to read this book.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Incredible and motivating book! I will reread this one in the future. I can already tell!
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Amazing book. Succinct and maybe the most fun I’ve had listening to a ‘business’ audiobook.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Great book, easy to follow. Interesting practical business examples presented to reinforce the outlined leadership principles.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The fact that it is personal. The writer owns all his responsibilities & decisions. Moreover; he shows us (the readers) how to correlate the business world with practical examples.
Also helped me realize things in my personal life due to the profound truths behind the wisdom inside this book. - Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This is a brilliant approach. If you want to succeed you shall adapt extreme ownerhip technique in yourself. Change in the world starts with yourself. Thanks, Jocko, for sharing and for your service! Hope to talk to you one day! ?
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I enjoyed the systematic approach that the book takes each chapter. Jocko Willink and Leif Babin lay out the foundation of the topic first with a backstory during their time serving in the Navy Seals. After you see how they implemented the 'rule' during their service, we are later given the principle behind why it's important and the benefits of the specific rule. Finally, they close off the chapter with a example with an application to business. I really enjoy this set-up because you can see how these rules are implemented in different scenarios. I will see myself going back and reviewing the 12 different rules to live by as a leader. This is a must read for those who are wanting to improve not only their leadership qualities, but also to help yourself improve as a person.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Great way of bringing the concept home. Clearly explained, with simple yet powerful concepts.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5AMAZING Leadership Book! Must read/listen for ALL leaders!! Can’t recommend this book highly enough.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Love the way how each chapter is written.
First goes their story from war, second part represents principles learned from their story, and third part shows examples in business situations where those principles can be applyed.
Great book for business owners and team leaders. - Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I found this to be unbelievably informative... especially as it relates to real-world situations that everyday American-citizens face. I was challenged and encouraged as now more than ever self-examination is critically tied to success. Thanks for this!
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5A must read for junior and senior leaders alike. The adaptation of military leadership to business prooves that leadership is a universal concept and Jocko and Leif do a great job through practical examples. Highly recommende.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Get ready for amazing leadership stuff you just can’t find anywhere else. Amazing book!
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Just received a leadership position, and this book taught me so many things.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I coyld and will eat this everyday for breakfast! Oh my lanta such a good read! I will be consistently relistening to this
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Great stories that reinforce the title. While I don’t believe that the way of the SEAL is always the best, or necessarily applicable to business, it’s a hypothesis worth exploring. The authors stick to their expertise without getting too theoretical.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Really great book, and even better listen. One of the best Audiobools I've ever listened to due to the voices of the authors. Easy listening, easy to follow, and easy to grasp and understand. Highly recommended!
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The first day I read the book, I've already in corporate some of the lessons into me my wife and the rest of my family's current state. It is absolutely important to read his book to improve or to heighten your life Skyrim
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This book is great insight on leadership and tactical knowledge on implementing it out in the field or respective workplace. Dismantling ego and pride by having servant leadership and setting own personal desires behind!
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I love this concept and the book gives great examples and ways to bring this to your personal life.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/52nd time going through this book. Once was the physical book and now it’s even better as an audiobook because you hear the authors reading and the intensity in their voices.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Amazing Book. I've followed Jocko for a while now and this book with Leif Babin is just amazing. It puts a lot of things into perspective, especially when applying this mentality. 10/10
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Very eye opening, enjoyed the analogies and principles of business taught.