Extreme Ownership: Admitting Fault

It is only inevitable that we will make mistakes. It’s simply in our human nature to fall short. Whether shortcomings are due to factors outside of our control, or are a result of our own determination, or lack thereof, there is no getting around this fate. However, it’s not the fact that you will inevitably make a mistake that’s important… it’s how you handle the repercussions. Jocko Willink, former Navy SEAL and author on “extreme leadership” provides some unique insight into the strategies modern organizations can use to help them navigate the challenges associated with coming-up short:

In so many words, I didn’t make my parents’ lives any easier growing up. Far too often I would find myself having to explain a ridiculous scenario in which I couldn’t exactly pinpoint where I went wrong. I was just a kid. But, one day I made a mistake that my parents couldn’t let happen again.

It was a hot summer day in west Texas. Both of my parents lived and worked nearby, but my sister and I were left to fend for ourselves during the day. This would often lead to silly arguments and all-sorts of trouble around the house. It would be fair to say that there was more than one occasion that my sister and I got into a fight,  I didn’t take out the trash, mow the lawn, or something else disastrous happened that any other kid would likely be responsible for.

However, one day my friend who lived just a  few miles away called me to ask  if I wanted to go to the pool. But there was a problem. His neighborhood was across a busy highway and I really didn’t have any safe way to get there. My bike wasn’t an option and I obviously couldn’t drive. As a result, I decided to take it upon myself to walk there. In my adolescent mind, it was completely safe to cross the highway. My Dad wholeheartedly disagreed.

I had made him mad before, but nothing close to this. He was absolutely livid. How could I make such a short-sighted decision and risk my life just to go visit  my friend? However, this line of reasoning really didn’t resonate  with me. I thought he had lost his mind. I was 10. I was a grown man. After a long argument and nearly losing my voice, I received probably the most unique “punishment” of my life. He decided that I needed to sit down and do something very different.

He asked me to write an essay. But not just any essay. A 10-page “manifesto” that explained to him the following: what I did wrong, why it was wrong, the steps I could take to try and avoid the situation, and ultimately what the consequences would be for  making this mistake again.

Sounds ridiculous, right? Wrong. At that moment, my father was teaching me a very valuable lesson. Extreme ownership. 

While the situations we encounter in the modern business world won’t be this humorous or only result in having to create a school-style essay, there will be times when we make mistakes that we have to take ownership of.

Jocko Willink, former Navy SEAL and accomplished author, podcaster, and leadership consultant has had more than his fair share of tough situations.

In 2021, while serving in Iraq, the unit he was commanding was met with heavy fire outside of Ramadi. Iraq. Assuming that the sudden onslaught was coming from enemy insurgents, Willink ordered his team to return fire and repel the attack. In the midst of all of the chaos, a decorated Navy SEAL lost his life.

In 2021, while serving in Iraq, the unit he was commanding was met with heavy fire outside of Ramadi. Iraq. Assuming that the sudden onslaught was coming from enemy insurgents, Willink ordered his team to return fire and repel the attack. In the midst of all of the chaos, a decorated Navy SEAL lost his life.

However, as It turns out, they weren’t being fired on by enemy insurgents… It was another SEAL unit. The soldier lost his life due to friendly fire.

So, what happened? Willink was in charge. The blame was clearly upon his shoulders. There wasn’t any getting around the heartbreaking reality of the consequences of his decision to return fire that night.

In his mind, there was really only one decision. He not only admitted his mistake, he took it a step further by practicing what he would go on to call extreme ownership.

Extreme ownership involves taking responsibility for not just your own failures, but those of your team as well. When a mistake is made, there isn’t any time to waste with finger-pointing or playing the “blame-game.”

In the wake of the tragic death, what good would it have done to try and pass off the blame?

How much do we respect those who want credit when something goes right, but don’t want any of the blame when something goes wrong? Over time we simply lose our sense of trust in them. We can’t be expected to follow someone who isn’t willing to admit when they have made a mistake or isn’t willing to practice transparency. Regardless of where we stand on the organizational hierarchy, we all subconsciously understand our shortcomings.

According to Willink, in order to practice extreme ownership, there are 4 steps you must take:

STEP 1 – ADMIT YOUR MISTAKE

Without any hesitation, immediately admit that you’ve made a mistake. Explain what went wrong in detail and clearly

STEP 2 – EXPLAIN WHY THE MISTAKE WAS MADE

Now that your team understands there is a problem you’ve taken responsibility for, it’s important to tell them why you’ve made a mistake. Why did you choose this particular course of action? Why did you go with one strategy over another? These are two questions everyone around you should be able to answer.

STEP 3 – EXPLAIN WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO DO TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM

After establishing that you’ve made a mistake and why it happened, you must have a resolution that you can clearly communicate to your team. They should understand that the time to move forward has arrived. A clear path forward needs to be illuminated and there shouldn’t be any lack of clarity about the steps required to move on.

STEP 4 – CLEARLY STATE AN INVESTED ULTIMATUM

Now that you’ve done all of the above, it’s time to give your team a “cliff-hanger.” This involves explaining that if the strategies you’ve developed for overcoming the company’s current challenges don’t work again, you will look to find someone else who can do so. This very critical closing step of the extreme ownership process shows that you are willing to risk it all. You are confident in your decision and stand ready to lead your team regardless of what may have happened in the past.

There are nearly countless ways in which we can paint a picture of what it means to take responsibility for our actions. But extreme ownership is a refreshing perspective on what it means to be held accountable. In today’s business world, there isn’t any time to play the “blame-game.” When we make mistakes, it’s important to face the repercussions head on. People will respect you for it.

If you would like to learn more about what it means to lead your team through a challenging time in the business world, we are here to help. Visit the following link to see how we can help you develop a strategy for success in 2022: