Leadership Framework #4: Laws of Combat

"Before man was, war waited for him. As long as man is, war will always be"

-Jocko Willink, US Navy SEAL Retirement Speech

Jocko Willink, retired US Navy SEAL, has developed many skills; chiefly among them is leadership. His first hand experience leading in war and application of these strategies to business is unrivaled. His leadership in the Navy, and in business, is inspiring. It is an honor to cover it here. Thank you for your service.

In this fourth edition of Relentless Pursuit Newsletter for 2023, we will continue our review of leadership frameworks. The purpose of this series is to educate every reader, both leader and follower, of proven strategies to lead as we are all asked to Lead, Follow, or Get out of the way!

LEADERSHIP FRAMEWORK #4: Laws of Combat

LEADERSHIP FRAMEWORK #4: Laws of Combat

Jocko Willink and Leif Babin are retired US Navy SEALs who led their task unit, and our Country, through some of the hardest battles fought in Iraq; The Battle of Ramadi. During this battle, and their time in service, Jocko and Leif developed a highly effective leadership framework and have delivered this framework to business through their leadership consulting company Echelon Front. The Law of Combat are:

1. Cover & Move: Teamwork. In combat this law is displayed when one serviceman shoots while his teammate moves into a better position, then that teammate does the same while the first moves into a better position yet. This iterative process enables forward progress through coordinated activity amongst the team. In business, this law applies to smaller groups (departments) executing on their tasks which enable other groups to move forward - while the leader ensures each activity is making progress toward the strategic objective.

2. Keep it Simple: Complexity is the enemy of execution. Keep the plan simple so that everyone understands. In business, it does not matter if your plan is brilliant, or how well you feel you presented the information. If your team does not get it, you have not presented simply enough, and you have failed.

3. Prioritize and Execute: Do the most important thing first. Pull away from the immediate situation (detach), observe your surroundings, and make a call. Plan far enough into the future that you can tackle the problem in series, starting with the most important.

4. Decentralized Command: Everyone leads. Empower everyone on the team to make the decision in front of them. Educate every team member on the bigger picture (business vision, mission, and priorities) so all have the knowledge to make decisions at their level which support the goal.

EXAMPLE: Effective teams use these laws every day, in every situation. Check out the book Extreme Ownership (link below) for hundreds of examples of this leadership framework in action.

LEARN MORE: Learn more about the 4 Laws of Combat here.

TIP: Process > Outcome.

Looking for a defined process to make decisions? Try the OODA Loop

O: Observe

O: Orient

D: Decide

A: Act

Watch Dave Berke, retired US Marine Corps fighter pilot and TOPGUN flight instructor, of Echelon Front define an OODA Loop here

Stay Productive.

Joe House