The 4 Laws Of Combat

A summary of the 4 laws of combat from Extreme Ownership, by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin

The First Law Of Combat ... Cover & Move

Teamwork is essential to creating anything new … it’s also critical to any team that wants to win

Tom Brady can’t win the Superbowl all by himself … it’s a team effort

When the shit hits the fan and things go wrong … and they always do … make sure your team members have your back. They Work together … they don’t blame .. don't point fingers … don't scapegoat … & they don't throw each other under the bus.

Make sure the risk is covered … we use the Black Hat to discuss all the all the ways this thing can go sideways.

The waterline principle ... The idea is to think of yourself on a ship. Imagine that any decision you make that goes bad will blow a hole in the side of the ship, below the waterline. Damage to a ship below the waterline can mean catastrophic consequences. Even a small hole, albeit a lengthy one, sunk the “unsinkable” Titanic.

You always have to ensure that part of the team or another team ensures cover for the team that is moving ... Someone has your back and is always providing cover for your team.

Just as, when walking, you wouldn't lift a leg before putting down the other. This, as you can imagine entails being able to work as a team and with other teams with flawless communication and trust.

Team members work together to achieve a common objective ... they aren't pulling against each other or fighting against each other.

 Once again, it is essential here to understand the notion of teamwork and to develop trust in each of its members. And this trust must extend out from the team to the other departments of a business that interact to accomplish its designed mission.

The Second Law Of innovation ... Simple

Complexity is the enemy of execution.

The success of a plan is inversely proportional to its complexity.

The simplest plan wins ... everything should be simplified to a 5th grade level.

The simpler a plan ... instructions ... strategy is to understand ... the more we are inclined to act. Inversely ... the more complex ... abstract ... obscure a plan or strategy is ... the more confusion will be present.

Confusion is the enemy of speed and accuracy ... if you don't know where or what the target is ... the odds of hitting the target and greatly reduced. Shooting faster ... won't do any good in this situation.

Developing products is complex enough these days ... we don't need to create any unnecessary or over complicated processes ... procedures ... plans or strategies.

It is often best to simplify, to have a clear and concise understanding of where we are ... as well as were we are going.

 The Thinking Hats from Edward DeBono isa great and simple tool for developing plans ... contingency plans ... strategies ... risks ... and everything that can go wrong.

The Third Law Of Innovation ... Prioritize & Execute

There are times when human beings may feel submerged by demands, challenges and uncertainties. The most important thing is to remain focused, calm and to be able to stop to consider the options at hand. Everything cannot always be done or resolved immediately. But rather than remain in uncertainty and indecision or be submerged by challenges, one should be able to take a short break, take a step back and determine the most important priority to be taken into account at this moment, set up a plan to resolve the problem and act until this problem is resolved. Then move on to the next challenge.

 This simple technique doesn't replace the ability to keep an overview of the situation but when stress is sky high and that confusion has taken over, it is very efficient to be able to identify and resolve each problem individually and by order of importance.

The Fourth Law Of innovation ... Decentralized Command

The simplest explanation of decentralized command is this …

The person who sweeps the floor should choose the broom … as well as come up with a plan to sweep the place.

It is difficult in the case of complications, to communicate swiftly and efficiently with the chain of command to adapt the mission to the new circumstances.

Men will thus have to make their own decisions ... instead scheduling meetings to talk about the best time to talk about when we can schedule another meeting

Decentralizing command means that the mission and its limits have been formally defined by senior leaders ... who have an overview of the mission ... but the details of execution are left to the people on the field who are in contact with its reality. Commander's Intent is the description and definition of what a successful mission looks like

These highly trained professionals are aware of their responsibilities and have a clear idea of what is expected of them. They are authorized and able to make their own decisions.

Organizations are usually structured with leaders who send their instructions downwards, it is rarer to find examples of teams that are able to let their people on the field make important decisions for the execution of the mission.

Think of Tom Brady ... in the Superbowl ... calling an audible based on how the defense lines up.

This is often the most effective way to get concrete results and especially a genuine commitment from the team. How can you expect an employee on the field to feel motivated and committed if he has no leeway and only gets orders from above.

Leadership is the single most important factor on any battlefield.