A leader’s most crucial role is to be the living example of the standards they expect. It’s not enough to simply state these expectations; leaders must embody and enforce them.

Why is it so important that a leader refuses to tolerate low standards? If a mistake goes unaddressed, that lower standard of performance becomes the new norm. In a short time, any team can slide down the path of mediocrity.

A SEAL example:

It was Hell Week, an especially intense part of the famously difficult SEAL training. The trainees were split into seven-person teams called boat crews, that had to carry 200-pound rubber boats through obstacle courses on the beach in seemingly endless races.

During this particular Hell Week, one team was consistently winning the races and another team was losing almost every race. That is, until the SEAL instructors swapped the team leaders of those two boat crews.

Suddenly, the losing team was able to begin winning, illustrating how the leader is the greatest factor in the performance of a team. What happened to the old winning team? They continued to perform well thanks to the high standards their past leader had instilled.

• The success of a team largely depends on the leader’s commitment to high standards and their unwillingness to tolerate anything less.

🎯 3. Discipline Leads to Freedom: Surprisingly, greater control and discipline in our lives pave the way for increased flexibility

Discipline is not the opposite of freedom, as most people believe. Discipline is actually the road that leads to freedom. This truth is deeply counterintuitive.

The concept of “discipline equals freedom” is about how being more structured in our lives can open doors to greater flexibility and achievement.

The most disciplined Navy SEALs clearly demonstrated this truth. They were the ones who woke up early, followed strictly ordered schedules, and as a result, were able to accomplish more of what they wanted to within the confines of their tightly scheduled days of SEAL training.

Jocko himself exemplified this: setting his alarm early was the only way to carve out time for personal goals, like studying or cleaning. By following a controlled schedule, that allowed him to do more of what he wanted.

This principle also applies to teams. The more disciplined each member is in understanding their roles and duties, the standard operating procedures, and the mission objectives – the easier it is to adjust the plan when needed and communicate the changes to everyone, without the mission spiralling into chaos and confusion.

SEAL example:

During SEAL operations in Iraq, when searching buildings for evidence, in the beginning their approach didn’t follow any specific process. They basically just ransacked the building. This chaotic method was imprecise, so they ended up searching some rooms twice and others not at all.

Finally, a more disciplined standard operating procedure was created. The SEALs initially resisted it, believing it was too complex. But Jocko was able to convince them the old way was not working well and to try it out. After just a few practice runs, they were excited to find it only took 10 minutes to gather evidence from a building, compared to their previous time of 45 minutes.

• Discipline equals freedom because as we practice more self-control, we gain more flexibility to do what we want.
• Teams that follow disciplined procedures are better able to adjust flexibly when required.

🦸 4. Be a True Believer: To inspire and guide others effectively, you must first deeply believe in the mission yourself

To lead is not just to give people orders – it’s about convincing and inspiring them to commit fully to the mission. The best way to accomplish that is by first being a “true believer” in the mission yourself, because your words and actions will always reflect your authentic belief or doubt in the plan. Here’s how…

• Ask enough questions. To fully grasp the reasoning behind the plan, you must ask lots of questions – even stupid questions – to your superiors. Ask until you’re able to explain the reasoning for the mission convincingly to your own team.
• Adjust the plan as needed. If you have the authority to do so, then adapt the mission plan until it is something you can stand behind. A true leader knows that even the best plans may need adjustments.
• Explain why, not just what. To truly inspire your team, it’s essential to explain the reasons behind their tasks. Don’t just tell them what to do; share the ‘why’. This approach helps team members see the bigger picture and understand their role in the mission. It builds a deeper level of engagement and commitment, as they’re not just following orders – they’re contributing to a purpose they understand and believe in.

SEAL Example:

In Iraq, the SEALs were told they could only fight while alongside Iraqi soldiers. At first, Jocko Willink struggled with following this order. He worried this would disadvantage and endanger his SEALs, because the Iraq Army was poorly trained and ill-equipped compared to them. However, he sought to understand the broader strategy from his superiors’ perspective.

Willink realized the ultimate goal in Iraq was not just immediate military success, but preparing the country’s forces for long-term stability and self-defense. This meant the Iraqi Army needed real combat experience.

With this new understanding, Willink embraced the order, explaining its significance to his troops. This shift in perspective not helped the SEALs see the value in working with the Iraqi soldiers. It also led to unexpected benefits as the Iraqis’ local knowledge helped the missions significantly.

A Business Example:

In one company, the executives created a new sales incentive program, that basically cut the pay for many salespeople. The sales managers were worried, but too afraid to talk about the plan with their superiors. Eventually, the CEO found out about this, and explained the reasoning behind the plan. It would save the company money and reward the best salespeople with more, even though lower performing salespeople would make a little less. Once the managers understood this, they were able to support the new program, and realized they should have asked about it much sooner.

• Effectively leading and inspiring others means not just giving orders, but fully understanding and believing in the mission yourself.

🔗 5. Ego Aside, Team First: Embracing humility helps us acknowledge areas for improvement, because no individual is more important than the larger team and mission

Ego can be a major stumbling block in leadership and decision-making. While ego drives us to be the best, it’s crucial to set it aside when necessary for the greater good of our team and mission. No one person is more important than the larger, collective goal.

Putting aside our ego allows us to acknowledge areas where we can improve, rather than maintaining we are always right. It helps us have clear judgement to see things as they truly are, including where we contributed to setbacks and missteps.

Accepting blame, even when the other person seems at fault, opens the door to constructive conversations and solutions.

SEAL example:

In the deadly war zone of Ramadi, Iraq, various U.S. troops needed to work together, including the Army, Marines, and SEALs. The SEALs usually saw themselves as above following the grooming standards that other parts of the military did. But in this case, Jocko had his SEALs put aside their ego and followed strict standards in their grooming and uniforms, so they could build a spirit of respect and camaraderie with the other soldiers. Later they were joined by another elite group that didn’t try to blend in, so eventually frictions arose between them and other soldiers, and they were sent back by the Colonel.

Business example:

Leif Babin received an urgent call from Gary, a middle manager at a drilling company they consulted for. The manager was dealing with a drilling chief who didn’t follow standard operating procedures for buying equipment, causing delays. Initially upset, Gary realizes the chief wasn’t trying to be defiant, but simply lacked understanding of the reason behind the procedures (SOPs). Advised to put his ego aside, Gary decides to take extreme ownership by seeing his own role in not explaining clearly to the drilling chief the company’s larger goals and the importance of following SOPs.

• Putting aside ego is essential for effective leadership, because it lets us acknowledge personal faults and facilitates constructive discussions.

🛡️ 6. The Laws of Combat: Effective teamwork is driven by strategies like Cover and Move, Simple, Prioritize and Execute, and Decentralized Command

Understanding the “Laws of Combat” is crucial for any team aiming for success. These 4 key strategies are not just military tactics, but powerful tools for fostering effective teamwork and achieving objectives in any environment.

a) Cover and Move

• “Cover and Move” is a military strategy where one team provides cover while the other team moves forward. It’s really about different teams working together towards a common goal. The same strategy can be applied to any business or organization.
• It’s about finding ways to work together with “outside” teams. In companies, teams often work in departments or silos, get caught up in their own problems and blame other teams for setbacks. Instead, leaders within a company should step back to consider bigger picture of common mission.
• Business example: At one company, the production manager was upset he was being forced to work with a subsidiary company as a supplier, which was causing problems for his department. But after learning they shared same parent company and overall mission, he decided to help the subsidiary company become more efficient and get resources they needed. In turn, this helped his own department get the supplies they required.

b) Simple

• Keeping plans simple is very important.
  • It helps you narrow your team’s focus to the most critical objectives.
  • It allows everyone to execute and communicate the strategy better.
  • And it helps individual team members adjust their actions on-the-ground when needed, because they clearly understand the core plan.
• SEAL example: During one operation in Ramadi, Iraq, Jocko convinced them to simplify a new patrol, beginning with only covering a short distance to get a handle on the dangers of the city, then gradually expanding.
• Business example: A company’s new bonus program at its manufacturing plant was too complex, confusing employees about how to earn bonuses. The chief engineer and plant manager had created a detailed system based on many factors, but it didn’t work because it was too complicated. They simplified it, which helped employees understand how to improve and earn bonuses. This change led to better productivity and also helped the company identify and let go of lower-performing employees, benefiting everyone.

c) Prioritize and Execute

• To avoid overwhelm during high-pressure situations, identify highest priorities, then execute them one at a time. Trying to address several issues at a time is usually inefficient. Begin with single highest priority, get team focused on it, then next one and next one. SEALs have a saying, “Relax, look around, make a call.”
• Business example: A pharmaceutical company was losing money, so the CEO made a plan with several big steps, like introducing new products, expanding to new markets, and changing the website and sales team. But doing everything at once was too much. On Jocko Willink’s advice, the CEO focused the resources of the company just on supporting the sales team first. After a few months, revenues began increasing, so the company was able to move on to their next biggest priority.
• Related concept: Decisiveness amid uncertainty. Being a leader means making decisions even with incomplete information. In most cases, it’s better to make a decision quickly even if your strategy is imperfect, than to remain frozen waiting for 100% certainty. You’ll never have all the information. There are always risks.

d) Decentralized Command

• Decision-making should happen at lower levels, not just from the top, to increase organization adaptability and effectiveness. Communicated the big-picture plan, explain the reason why you’re doing it, then give people trust and flexibility in how they execute it.
• Keeping team sizes between 5-10 members is ideal for manageability, a practice even the SEALs follow by dividing larger groups into smaller units of 4-6. In a business example, the regional president of a large company noticed an imbalance in their structure, with some managers handling 22 people and others only 2. To fix this, they reorganized so that each branch manager was responsible for 4-6 people, creating a more balanced and manageable workload.
• Communicating proactively with your superiors is called “Leading up the chain of command.” Making them aware when you’re facing an especially difficult challenge and what resources you need to complete your mission.

• These four “Laws of Combat,” originating from military tactics, are crucial for fostering collaboration, focusing on priorities, simplifying execution, and empowering decision-making at all levels in an organization.

1. Set Clear Standards: Write down specific performance standards for yourself and your team, and review them weekly.
2. Establish Routine: Create a daily schedule prioritizing key tasks, ensuring disciplined focus on important goals. Jocko recommends beginning with waking up early.
3. Define Mission: Write a personal or team mission statement and review it during weekly planning sessions.
4. Support Teammates: Identify a team member’s project each week and offer tangible assistance or collaboration.
5. Simplify Communication: Break down complex instructions or plans into clear, simple steps before sharing them.
6. Prioritize Tasks: List all current tasks, then highlight the top three most urgent and important to tackle first.