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The Dichotomy of Leadership

Balancing the Challenges of Extreme Ownership to Lead and Win

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The Dichotomy of Leadership

By: Jocko Willink, Leif Babin
Narrated by: Jocko Willink, Leif Babin
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About this listen

The importance of balance as a leader by the number-one New York Times best-selling authors of Extreme Ownership. 

Every leader must be ready and willing to take charge, to make hard, crucial calls for the good of the team and the mission. Something much more difficult to understand is that in order to be a good leader, one must also be a good follower. This is a dichotomy - a Dichotomy of Leadership. It is, as authors Jocko Willink and Leif Babin explained in their best-selling first audiobook, Extreme Ownership, “Simple, Not Easy”.

Now, in The Dichotomy of Leadership, the authors explain the power inherent in the recognition of the fine line that leaders must walk, balancing between two seemingly opposite inclinations. It is with the knowledge and understanding of this balance that a leader can most effectively lead, accomplish the mission, and achieve the goal of every leader and every team: victory. 

Using examples from the authors' combat and training experience in the SEAL Teams and then showing how each lesson applies to business and in life, Willink and Babin reveal how the use of seemingly opposite principles - leading and following, focusing and detaching, being both aggressive and prudent - require skill, awareness, understanding, and dexterity, all attributes that can be honed. These dichotomies are inherent in many of the concepts introduced in Extreme Ownership and integral to their proper implementation and effectiveness. Dichotomy is essential listening for anyone looking to lead and win.

©2018 Jocko Willink and Leif Babin (P)2018 Macmillan Audio
Career Success Leadership Management & Leadership Motivation & Self-Improvement Business Inspiring Career Management Military Military Leadership

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Critic reviews

"With so much of this audiobook illustrated by the authors' battlefield experiences, their dramatic, often combative, narration is not entirely out of place...the authors grasp the awesome responsibilities of leading, and their assertive performances convey an urgency that makes this lesson memorable." (AudioFile Magazine)

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Entertaining and educational, also inspiring and superbly read by the authors, I really recommend this book to anyone even if you're not in a leadership role or seeking one, it's still very interesting. 5 stars

Great companion to Extreme Ownership.

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I finished this book in a couple of days. I hung on every word. Maybe it's because I'm military that I enjoyed this so much but I'd recommend it to anyone who has the challenges of leadership and desires to improve. Maybe some aspects are obvious to some, but not to others, therefore it has something for everyone. At least it can put you on the right path, and shine a light on it, so you can learn to put your team and your mission ahead of yourself.

Jocko & Leif Expand on Ownership

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A very good presentation of facts, situations and transition from military experience to civilian and business.
Although as an ex-officer in the army and now a manager for an high end developer, I have to say that is not as easy as it might seems the application from military to civil situations.
Civilians have a tendency to not follow orders and question every single one. Every body is an egocentristic and always know better.

life learning

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An exceptional book! I recommend it to everyone who is eager to improve his leadership skills. And to everyone who is in the process of learning, also. It is filled with real life examples of the discussed concepts.

A great read!

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I took a lot away from this book. I will be reading it again.

Great read

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