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58 pages 1 hour read

Jocko Willink, Leif Babin

Extreme Ownership: How US Navy SEALs Lead and Win

Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 2015

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Further Reading & Resources

Further Reading: Beyond Literature (Nonfiction)

This New York Times business bestseller expands on the final chapter of Extreme Ownership by providing more information on how to balance the conflicting demands of leadership, such as being detail-oriented without micromanaging, showing confidence without arrogance, and taking charge while also delegating responsibilities. The book uses the same basic format as Extreme Ownership, with war stories from Iraq that teach leadership principles followed by examples of how those principles apply to business situations.

The million-selling autobiography of the SEAL sniper that Iraqi insurgents called the “Devil of Ramadi” tells the story of Chris Kyle, whose 160 confirmed kills on behalf of Babin’s Platoon Charlie place him among the most lethal soldiers of all time.

Video & Podcast Resources

Produced and directed by Clint Eastwood and starring Bradley Cooper as Chris Kyle, the film American Sniper is based on Kyle’s autobiography of the same name. It became the biggest-selling film of 2014 and won 10 awards, including an Oscar.

Author Jocko Willink presents a weekly podcast that discusses how the lessons of military leadership can be applied to daily life. Many episodes include interviews with notable figures in the military, martial arts, and business. 

Other Relevant Media Sources

In Extreme Ownership, Chapter 7, “Prioritize and Execute,” explains the authors’ system for prevailing during a fast-moving competition, as during war or in a dynamic business marketplace. Author Willink’s simplified approach is “Relax, look around, make a call” (161). The OODA Loop—Observe, Orient, Decide, Act—is a related system for organizing one’s thoughts during a crisis. It’s widely used in military, emergency response, courtroom, and business situations where outthinking an opponent is vital to success or survival. The linked article also outlines a selection of other systems for achieving similar results.

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