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

the clock was ticking on an explosive charge that would set off a huge
IED blast, throwing deadly metal fragments (or “frag”) in all directions.
Our SEAL element did not yet have a full head count to ensure all our
personnel were out of the building. And now, one of our SEALs lay
helplessly alone and unable to defend himself on the most dangerous
street of the nastiest, enemy-held area in Ramadi and we couldn’t get to
him. His neck or back might be broken. His skull could be fractured. We
had to get a SEAL corpsman—our combat medic—to him immediately.
But we could not even reach him without breaking through a locked iron
gate to get to the street below. The massive pressure of the situation bore
down on me. This was a hell of a dilemma, one that could overwhelm
even the most competent leader. How could we possibly tackle so many
problems at once?
Prioritize and Execute. Even the greatest of battlefield leaders could
not handle an array of challenges simultaneously without being
overwhelmed. That risked failing at them all. I had to remain calm, step
back from my immediate emotional reaction, and determine the greatest
priority for the team. Then, rapidly direct the team to attack that priority.
Once the wheels were in motion and the full resources of the team were
engaged in that highest priority effort, I could then determine the next
priority, focus the team’s effort there, and then move on to the next
priority. I could not allow myself to be overwhelmed. I had to relax, look
around, and make a call. That was what Prioritize and Execute was all
about.
Through dozens of intense training scenarios throughout the previous
year, our SEAL platoon and task unit had rehearsed in chaotic and
difficult situations. That training was designed to overwhelm us, to push
us far outside our comfort zone, and force us to make critical decisions