Dennis Mellen’s Post

I just finished Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin, and highly recommend it as a practical leadership guide. Drawing from their experiences as SEAL officers in the battle of Ramadi, Iraq, the authors present key leadership principles like "Cover and Move" and "Prioritize and Execute," using real battlefield scenarios to illustrate how these lessons can be applied to business. The core idea of "extreme ownership" stresses that leaders must take full responsibility for their team's outcomes, which fosters accountability and stronger teamwork. Willink and Babin’s straightforward, actionable advice focuses on critical leadership skills, such as decision-making under pressure and effective communication. While some points may seem repetitive, the blend of military and business insights makes this an essential read for leaders looking to improve their effectiveness and strengthen their teams. #ExtremeOwnership #Leadership #Teamwork #JockoWillink #LeifBabin #SEALLeadership #Accountability #BusinessLeadership #PrioritizeAndExecute #DecisionMaking #TeamBuilding #LeadershipDevelopment #MustRead #LeadershipSkills #MilitaryToBusiness #EffectiveLeadership

The elite pilots who are part of the U.S. Navy Blue Angels have built a culture leaders can emulate that values trust, continuous learning, attention to detail, humility and gratitude, which each pilot expresses by saying, "Glad to be here." What leadership lessons can we learn from the Blue Angels? https://buff.ly/3WNe2c1 #BlueAngels #Leadership

While on vacation, I finished the book Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin. It is an interesting review of the leadership principles forged in the high-stakes combat environment yet still applicable to the boardroom and beyond. Willink and Babin are highly decorated former SEAL officers deployed to Iraq. Each chapter starts with a blow-by-blow account of a particular operation they led while in Iraq. They then distill the essence of the leadership principles employed during the operation and show how they are valuable as a business leader. Their primary theory (which is very compelling) is that leaders must fully own their decisions, their team's performance, and the outcome. I can see how ideas like Cover and Move, Decentralized Command, and the Dichotomy of Leadership can remake organizational and personal performance. I appreciated that the book's thrust isn't just about winning in combat or business; it's about adopting a mindset of responsibility and leadership that transcends circumstances.  I recommend a trip to the library for this one. I gave it a 4/5 on my Goodreads. #leadership #teamwork

You know when we pull out the jacket that can only mean one thing…. First day of class!!! Here’s to another week of pouring into some of our Air Force leaders!! Your leadership is more important now than arguably any other time in the last 30 years! Oh…and that Mohawk-fade is getting LOOONG. #leadership #leaders #airforce #military #leadershipdevelopment #professionalgrowth #personalgrowth #growthanddevelopment

Leadership Secrets from SEALs: How to Stay Calm in the Midst of Chaos Discover the leadership lessons from Navy SEALs on how to remain composed and take charge during challenging situations. Explore the qualities that make someone a natural leader and learn how to cultivate those traits within yourself. Watch now to become the calm and guiding force in any storm. #LeadershipSecrets #SEALsLeadership #StayCalmInChaos #LeadershipQualities #TakeCharge #BecomeALeader #LeadershipSkills #LeadershipDevelopment #LeadingInChallengingTimes #GuidingForce

As a 24-year U.S. Air Force Veteran who served directly under several Generals, held Top Secret clearances, and took on the critical role of Inspector General, I’ve seen firsthand how values are the bedrock of effective leadership. Beyond the military, I've built and operated successful martial arts schools, mentoring 1000s individuals, including "at-risk" youth, towards positive futures. My journey and PASSION have led me to become an Author, Motivational Speaker, Mentor, Life Coach, and to develop impactful mentoring and leadership programs. Leadership isn’t just about managing others, it’s about serving, inspiring, and striving for excellence in every aspect of life. As a leader, are you inspiring those who serve under you? I understand the importance of how hard it can be to fill the "leader" role, If you are looking to help your management team or even yourself let's connect. #Leadership #Management #Integrity #ServiceBeforeSelf #Excellence #Mentorship #Veteran #AirForce (Sensei) David Armstrong

Navy SEALs are known for their exceptional teamwork and leadership skills. But, as Alden Mills, a successful CEO and three-time SEAL Platoon Commander, pointed out in our Partnering Leadership conversation, not everything that works for the SEALs transfers seamlessly to the civilian world. In fact, Alden argues that leading in the civilian world can be even more challenging than leading a platoon of Navy SEALs. However, there are crucial leadership elements that do translate, and one of the most essential is trust. 🤝 In the SEALs, team members have unwavering faith in each other because they train relentlessly to build that trust. They know that their lives depend on it. While in the civilian world, team members' lives might not depend on each other, the success of the team and the organization certainly does. 💡 And this lack of deep trust is a challenge I see in many teams, including leadership teams of organizations. I see low trust resulting in a lack of alignment and ineffective execution. Don't assume that trust among your team is a 10 out of 10! 😉 Where would you put trust among your team members on a scale of 0-10? How would they rate their trust for and in each other? In most teams and organizations, people's lives don't depend on trusting each other, however, 👉 organizational alignment and effective execution do! What are you doing to continually build greater trust among your team members? #partneringleadership #leadership Strategic Leadership Ventures #trust #strategy #management #culture #collaboration #trust #alignment

If you're looking for structure, accountability, and high performance from your team. Read "Extreme Ownership - How U.S. Navy Seals Lead and Win" written by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin.   Not only did it help me shape my team to perform at the highest level, it also taught me valuable leadership skills; such as Humility and creating a Leadership Checklist:   ·       "...the humility to admit and own mistakes and develop a plan to overcome them is essential to success." (pg. 8) ·       Analyze, Identify, Decentralize, Course of Action, Empower, Plan for Contingencies, Mitigate Risks, Delegate, Checking-In, Communicating Out, and Debriefing (pg. 207) #ExtremeOwnership #Leadership #Discipline #SupportOurMilitary

Honored to facilitate an insightful discussion with 45 Captains attending the Air Combat Command's Sword Look Officer Developmental Course. The critical imperative we explored? The essential skill of engaging tactically while maintaining a strategic perspective. This duality is vital in fostering a culture of accountability and consistency. Building a future-focused organization that thrives on collaboration and shared understanding is a strategic imperative. #Leadership #MilitaryExcellence #StrategicThinking #AirCombatCommand #ProfessionalDevelopment

'Common bonds' It's a common fact that you can't like everyone. And also, not everyone will like you! In the civilian world you will come across people with a huge range of experiences, from diverse backgrounds. But every now and then you meet a group of people who you instantly connect with because of a common background or shared experiences. Everything just clicks into place. The military is a prime example, the humour, the stories and common standards. One of the best decisions I ever made was to join the Royal Navy. It made me the person I am today. What experiences made you the person you are? ♻️ Reshare if you enjoyed reading this. 📌 Take your leadership to the next level: https://buff.ly/3CUC7CT #leadership #leadershipdevelopment #teambuilding #productivity #executivecoaching #coaching