Leadership: Extreme Ownership, Good to Great and Leaders Eat Last

Breni's Extreme Ownership path teaches leadership through three popular books. There are 3 courses: Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin, Good to Great by Jim Collins, and Leaders Eat Last by Simon Sinek. Willink and Babin cover owning results, Collins covers what lifted good companies to great, and Sinek covers trust and safety in teams. Learners finish by applying one idea from each book to a team they lead or belong to.

  • 3 courses
  • 36 learning objectives
  • Level: beginner
  • Language: English
  • Price: Subscription, free trial

What you will be able to do

  • Take ownership of a team result instead of blaming
  • Use the four laws of combat to plan team work
  • Find your hedgehog concept from three questions
  • Explain level 5 leadership and the flywheel
  • Build trust so a team feels safe to speak up

Full curriculum

Part 1 · Leading yourself and a team

1. Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin: Own Every Outcome

Own results and use the four laws of combat to lead a team. Units, in order: Taking extreme ownership; No bad teams, only bad leaders; Check the ego; Cover and move, and keep it simple; Prioritise and execute; Decentralised command.

  • — Extreme Ownership Basics
    Take complete responsibility for all outcomes without making excuses.
    • Define Extreme Ownership
    • No Excuses
  • — Leadership and Accountability
    Performance reflects leadership. Look in the mirror before blaming others.
    • Bad Teams
    • Look in Mirror
  • — Checking the Ego
    Control your ego to improve judgment and learn effectively.
    • Control Ego
    • Practice Humility
  • — Cover, Move, and Simplicity
    Support your team and keep operational plans simple.
    • Cover and Move
    • Keep Plans Simple
  • — Prioritize and Execute
    Focus on the most important problem and execute solutions.
    • Prioritize Tasks
    • Execution Steps
  • — Decentralized Command
    Empower junior leaders and master the leadership dichotomies.
    • Empower Leaders
    • Lead Up and Down
    • Leadership Balance

2. Leaders Eat Last by Simon Sinek: Make Your Team Feel Safe

Build trust so people feel safe to work together. Units, in order: The circle of safety; Leaders put their people first; Chemicals that shape how we work together; Psychological safety in teams; What research says about team safety.

  • — The Circle of Safety
    Understand how the circle of safety protects people and builds trust.
    • Define safety network
    • Build team trust
  • — Leaders First
    Discover why true leaders care for others before themselves.
    • Military leadership practice
    • Leadership as choice
  • — Brain Chemicals
    Learn how biological chemicals influence thoughts, feelings, and workplace behavior.
    • Selfless chemicals
    • Contagious release
  • — Team Safety
    Learn what psychological safety means and how it affects group dynamics.
    • Define psychological safety
    • Social group dynamics
  • — Safety Research
    Examine empirical research on the benefits and drawbacks of team safety.
    • Process innovation success
    • Potential drawbacks

Part 2 · Leading an organisation

3. Good to Great by Jim Collins: Build a Company That Lasts

Apply Collins's ideas on leaders, people, facts and focus. Units, in order: Level 5 leadership; First who, then what; Confront the brutal facts; The Stockdale paradox; The hedgehog concept; The flywheel.

  • — Level 5 Leadership
    Learn humility and professional will in great leaders.
    • Personal humility
    • Professional will
    • Growing to level 5
  • — First Who, Then What
    Get the right people before setting strategy.
    • Right people on bus
    • People before vision
  • — Confront Brutal Facts
    Face reality without losing faith in success.
    • Productive change
    • Hearing the truth
  • — The Stockdale Paradox
    Maintain faith while facing harsh reality.
    • Unwavering faith
    • Facing harsh reality
  • — The Hedgehog Concept
    Focus on your core intersecting strengths.
    • Three circles intersection
    • Transcending competence
  • — The Flywheel Effect
    Build momentum through consistent small pushes.
    • Relentless pushes
    • Avoiding doom loop

Sample: Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin: Own Every Outcome

The opening tier, (Extreme Ownership Basics). Take complete responsibility for all outcomes without making excuses.

Define Extreme Ownership

Understand that leaders must own everything happening in their world.

No Excuses

Eliminate excuses and focus entirely on finding solutions to problems.

Questions about Leadership: Extreme Ownership, Good to Great and Leaders Eat Last

What is extreme ownership?

Extreme ownership means a leader takes responsibility for everything that affects the mission, including mistakes by the team, instead of blaming others.

What is the hedgehog concept?

Jim Collins's hedgehog concept is the overlap of what you can be best in the world at, what you are deeply passionate about, and what drives your economic engine.

Did the Good to Great companies stay great?

Several did not. Circuit City went bankrupt and Fannie Mae needed a government rescue, which critics use to question the study. The course covers this.

Is Breni affiliated with the authors?

No. Breni is not affiliated with Jocko Willink, Leif Babin, Jim Collins, Simon Sinek or their publishers.

Do I get a certificate?

Yes, finishing all 3 courses earns a Breni certificate of completion.

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