Take complete ownership: Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin

In the book “Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win”, authors and Navy SEALs, Lafe Babban and Jocko Willink, share their leadership experiences from the intense urban warfare in Ramadi, Iraq. One poignant incident illustrates the principle of ‘extreme ownership’: Jocko realised that friendly fire had mistakenly targeted a Navy SEAL team. Rather than placing blame, he took full responsibility for the mishap. This act not only fostered collective responsibility within his team but also increased trust from his superiors. The key message is that true leadership requires acknowledging mistakes, owning them, and devising strategies to prevent reoccurrences.