Echelon Front

Thank you, Jocko Willink and Leif Babin. For writing Extreme Ownership; For giving us a framework to lead and win; For setting the example; For continuing to make an impact with your mission. And thank you to all the leaders for the past 10 years of Ownership. Not only for reading the book, but by putting these lessons into action.

In 2017, a mentor of mine handed me this book. He told me that Echelon Front was going to be leading some training for us and that it was based on the contents of this book. He had never given me a book before. So, I read it. And what I read changed my entire life. Not only because it changed how I looked at problems but also, my career path would never be the same after that. As a freshly graduated computer scientist, I thought I would be writing code, managing small projects, spending my entire career in one place with one team, and waiting around for others to change so problems could be solved. Instead, because I learned how to take Extreme Ownership, over the last 8 years I: - Stopped waiting for other people to solve my problems - Led some of the largest projects at our organization - Was selected to be an internal Extreme Ownership trainer - Was hired to run a coding Academy - Got the opportunity to be part of the Echelon Front team and teach this life changing content to others But the most important thing I got - the ability to look at every problem I face as my fault. Which gave me more control over my life than I ever realized I had. This has made me a better: - Spouse - Mother - Sister - Daughter - Friend And the improvements in those areas have meant the most to me. So thank you Jocko Willink and Leif Babin for writing and publishing this book 10 years ago, and thank you to the entire Echelon Front team for all that you do to support the people out there who are working to take Extreme Ownership of their lives. Here’s to 10 more years of impact!

Ten years ago today, Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin was released into the world. I had the opportunity to read the manuscript when I joined Echelon Front. I knew it was powerful, but none of us could have imagined just how far it would go. Would people read it? Would it resonate beyond the military? Would business leaders see themselves in the stories of combat and leadership? We didn’t know. What we did know was that the principles were true. Jocko and Leif had lived them under the most extreme circumstances imaginable, and they knew those same principles could change lives off the battlefield too. We were confident the book would connect with business leaders, but none of us expected how far it would reach beyond that, into homes, schools, communities, and individuals’ daily lives. Ten years later, that hope has turned into a global movement. Extreme Ownership has sold more than 4 million copies worldwide, but the real story isn’t in the numbers. It’s in the impact. For every person who read the book, hundreds more felt the ripple effect: a leader who changed how they led their team, a parent who shifted how they connected with their kids, a friend who showed up differently in their relationships, a person who stopped blaming and started owning their life. Ownership is contagious. One person practices it, and it spreads. Over the years, I’ve watched people apply these principles in every environment imaginable. On the job, leaders stopped pointing fingers and started taking responsibility for results. At home, families began communicating better and building stronger bonds. In communities, people stepped up where they once stepped back. And within themselves, individuals began owning their fitness, mindset, and direction in life. The transformation doesn’t come from reading the book. It comes from living it. That is what Jocko and Leif have always taught. Ownership isn’t a concept. It’s a daily choice. I’ve seen the impact in others, but I’ve also lived it personally. I’m a product of these principles. Extreme Ownership has made me a better mom, wife, friend, boss, teammate, and human being. It has shaped how I lead, how I parent, how I communicate, and how I show up for others. Ten years ago, none of us knew what would come of this little black and white book written by two Navy SEALs. Today, we know. The principles of ownership are timeless. They have changed lives around the world, and they will continue to do so for decades to come. Here’s to ten years of Extreme Ownership and to all the lives still being changed because of it.

Extreme Ownership leadership strategies aren’t just theory. These Laws of Combat are practical tools that Navy SEALs Jocko Willink and Leif Babin tested on the battlefield by building effective teams and accomplishing their mission. When leaders take ownership, the team no longer makes excuses; they execute. When leaders live and embrace these leadership strategies, their teams follow. Hear from Jamie Lynn Cochran on how leaders can employ these strategies to lead a team to victory. 

The best leaders take Extreme Ownership. On the battlefield, in business, and at home, no matter the environment, ownership is the common denominator of effective leadership. So, if you want to lead to the best of your abilities: - Check your ego. - Accept your fault in any problem. - Welcome feedback and constructive criticism. - Constantly look for ways to improve. That's how you and your team will become the most effective. Extreme Ownership is how you lead and win. Learn how in the book Extreme Ownership. As we approach its ten-year anniversary, now's the time to read—or re-read—and sharpen your leadership skills: https://lnkd.in/g__feB8P

A photo from Dave Berke ‘s new book The Need to Lead. The caption reads: “One of my favorite pictures from my ground deployment to Iraq. Someone caught Jocko (right) and me sleeping on a rooftop after roughly forty-eight straight hours of operations pushing our teams into the heart of enemy territory in the city of Ramadi.” If you can’t make it to our meet and greet/book signing on Friday at Warwick’s Bookstore in La Jolla, then order the book here: https://lnkd.in/gwa6e4YW

Leaders often pick up Extreme Ownership to help their teams perform better. But the greatest impact often shows up in their own growth. For Reesha, applying these principles didn’t just strengthen the local basketball team she coached. Extreme Ownership reshaped her personal and professional life. These leadership principles landed a new job, transforming her career and her family's trajectory. Her words to Jocko Willink and Leif Babin reflect what so many leaders have discovered upon reading Extreme Ownership: "You don't just teach Extreme Ownership; you live it. Your actions, your success, and your lives themselves testify to the universal truths within these principles." A decade later, the mission of Extreme Ownership -- to impact lives and leaders -- continues.

One of the most pivotal parts of Jocko Willink's career and the book Extreme Ownership? Taking ownership over a blue-on-blue on the battlefield in Ramadi, Iraq. He could have stood before his commanding officers and blamed other people. He could have excused it as the chaos of circumstances out of his control. But Jocko recognized that as the leader, he was responsible for everything. He owned it. And this powerful example of leadership is what made Chapter 1 of Extreme Ownership unforgettable. In the 10 years since the first leaders read this book, thousands of readers have come to understand this core truth: Extreme Ownership is the most effective way to lead. 

Come meet the authors of Extreme Ownership and The Need to Lead. Jocko Willink and Dave Berke are hosting a book-signing and meet-and-greet this Friday, October 17th, at Warwick’s Bookstore in La Jolla, CA. Get your books signed, take a photo, and be among the first to get an early copy of The Need to Lead. Each ticket covers two entries; secure yours today at the link below.