The original post was on Extreme Ownership Book Review For Startup Leaders and cover image by Photo by Anastasia Petrova
Introduction
In tough times we need strong leaders. Leaders who serve as a beacon of light to guide us towards a future. Which these leaders had to make tough choices to prevent a total collapse of their organisation or company. Which is why I always love reading leadership books.
So to prepare me to someday lead a team towards a common objective. Which focus on tacking harder, complex problems to raise the standards of everyone. To get things done without being hampered by any obstacles that come to my team or organisation's way.
Why Read This Book?
I choose this book besides he is a former navy seal leader that has been deployed in war zones. But the book focuses on the fundamental aspect of being a leader and he was talking a lot of sense in the Jordan Harbinger's show podcast with examples of being a leader.
Which seems lacking in alot of business leadership books over the years I had read in that category. Which explain simply as taking ownership or responsibility for screw-ups even if these might not be your own fault. This might seem like common sense.
His book contains tons of nuggets of wisdom that are battle-tested in a hostile environment like a war zone. By linking accounts of his military situations & his executive management consulting clients that drives home these lessons to their organisations.
Admit and Own Mistakes and Develop a Plan to Overcome Them and Blame No One Else.
Whenever there is a screwup in the execution of a plan. What is your initial response as a leader or an individual?
Do you blame the leader, situation, people executing it, resources given or yourself? Instead, you should admit the mistake and acknowledge that mistakes have been made. By your part in not doing enough to make it work. Does this sound this like a career-ending move? Yes, it does which is why. It is both brilliant & a tough pill to swallow on why you should do it.
By admitting you had made a mistake, there is room for improvement and ways to save the situation. It makes you vulnerable and indirectly approachable to your peers, superiors and team members. Because you had the guts to admit that mistakes were made. Which you are formulating a plan to reverse this mistake. This is a much better response than to blame people and their failings. I choose to own the mistake and figure out a way to save it.
Simplify The Plan
As a leader, you might have the tendency for formulating a grandiose or hairy audacious goal to get your team, organisation or company out of this situation that is currently in. With a 30 step process on tackling every font to make it work.
The problem with this approach is that your plan is difficult to understand by the lowest common denominator in your company or organisation. Which directly increases the possibility of failure or screw up among multiple people. Due to it's complex nature to understand and to execute the plan.
Conclusion
We talked about the reason why you should read the book. Due to the various nuggets of wisdom that he had encountered in the field of battle. With real-world examples, who he consults and coach to make the principle work for their companies or organisations.
In his book, he talks about the need to take ownership of failure or mistakes made by others. He double downs to start the process of creating a plan of action than pointing fingers at someone.
Which the plan has to be simple and easy to understand from the top management down to front-level worker. Who will be executing the plan.
Lastly, are you looking to specialise yourself as a developer? If it's a Yes. I'm giving away my free ebook called "Picking Your Specialisation as a Developer" for anyone interested to command a higher salary or do the work that you like.
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