So, this one: I’m a Jocko Fan. This is for new leaders or for people who think they are leaders but are lacking…. Something. This is also for people who want to be peer leaders or technical leaders or who are aspiring Supervisory leaders.

THIS book is not (in my opinion) a walk-up. First, you should probably invest in some Jocko Wisdom through the Podcast. It’s called (surprisingly) The Jocko Podcast and is full of interviews of heroes (mostly), review of books (many) and usually a parable or life lesson to carry.

Second: Extreme Ownership (book, or better, Audiobook from Audible) followed by the Dichotomy of Leadership (same)

This book is modeled after the military strategy and tactics field manuals that have been covered a few times in the podcasts. Jocko likes the Marine Corps style manuals. This books is chunked into Part 1: Strategy, Part 2: Tactics. Go Figure.

Now it seems like a fan of Servant Leadership (see Leaders Eat Last) would not look for Navy Seal / Hell Week tactics to employ. Seems easy to just yell louder and be meaner BUT: this book and Jocko’s other teachings are all about service to the team, building Oxytocin, making a team and team members into a family that will support each other and the mission. Some of my key takeaways?

Part 1 STRATEGY:

• Be capable / ask for help: Ego in Check; Admit what you don’t know*
• Lead from the Rear: Stay out of the weeds; Detach
• Pickup Brass: Lead by Example. Do your grunt work. Show them how.
• Everyone is the same/ Everyone is Different: Situational Leadership

*Parable: I was a the leader who NEVER wanted to ask for help. My first significant leadership experience was serving a lazy boss. She didn’t want to learn or prepare and didn’t know our work, and any engagement that we needed was an imposition. One time, I had to ask for leadership / management intervention. I needed her to ask her peer to help our team. It didn’t happen, I failed the task and my appraisal that year said “Don Should ask for help before failing task X” My bad. I know it’s a snake, why did I pick it up? Lots of Big C (Cortisol) on that job.

Part 2 Tactics:

This is actually pretty awesome if you are / have been or want to be a leader. It’s how to act. How to behave. How to communicate. I could read and reflect on times I was AWESOME and about times where I should have been tarred and feathered (Keep Your Ego in Check!) This section builds on Extreme Ownership and Dichotomy and the multiple lessons therein

• Becoming a leader: Transitioning, New Sheriff in town, Imposter Syndrome
• Leadership Skills: Decentralized Command, Don’t be the Easy Button
• Maneuvers: Leading Peers, Micromanagement (almost never), Boss Management
• Communications: Inform, Rumors, Clear Guidance, Why, SIMPLE!, Truth, Praise, Apologize