Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win

challenges of his company and industry, I spent some time with the CEO
in discussions via phone, visited his company offices, and met with his
leadership team. I then conducted a leadership program for the
company’s department heads and key leaders.
The CEO opened the program and introduced me to those in the
room, explaining why he had invested in this training.
“We aren’t winning,” the CEO stated plainly. A new product rollout
the company had recently launched had not gone well, and the
company’s books were in the red. Now the company stood at a pivotal
junction. “We need to take on these concepts like Extreme Ownership,
which Leif is going to talk to you about today, so that we can get back on
track and win.” The CEO then left the room all to me, his senior
managers, and department heads.
After presenting some background on my combat experience and
how the principle of Extreme Ownership was critical to the success of
any team, I engaged the department heads and managers in discussion.
“How can you apply Extreme Ownership to your teams to succeed
and help your company win?” I asked.
One of the company’s key department leaders, the chief technology
officer (CTO), who built the company’s signature products, exhibited a
defensive demeanor. He was not a fan of Extreme Ownership. I quickly
recognized why. Since the new product line had been his baby, taking
ownership of the disastrous rollout was humbling and difficult. The CTO
was full of excuses for why his team had failed and for the resulting
damage to the company’s bottom line. He shamelessly blamed the failed
new-product rollout on a challenging market, an industry in flux,
inexperienced personnel within his team, poor communication with the
sales force, and lackluster customer service. He also blamed the