We learned in the previous post about DECENTRALIZED COMMAND and how important it is to the success of the mission. Jocko told us that you could not effectively lead huge numbers of people. In fact the IDEAL number is between 4-6!

So junior leaders must FULLY understand the mission so they can pass it on to their personnel. Also these junior leaders must be able to make decisions in the field on their OWN!

Jocko says the only way this can succeed is if these junior leaders truly understand the WHY of the mission or as SEALs say – the COMMANDER’S INTENT.

It is very important to also have the junior leaders “fully understand what is within their decision-making AUTHORITY (my emphasis),” says Jocko in Extreme Ownership.

And most important to DECENTRALIZED COMMAND is BUILDING TRUST. Here is what Jocko says:

“…As a leader, it takes strength to LET GO (my emphasis). It takes FAITH AND TRUST (my emphasis) in subordinate, frontline leaders and to BELIEVE (my emphasis) in their abilities. Most of all, it requires trust UP AND DOWN (my emphasis) the chain of command…”

“Trust is not blindly given. It must be built over time.”

Amen, SEAL leader Jocko!

More in next post!

Hugh Simpson