APPA

www.appa.org/facilitiesmanager MAY/JUNE 2019 29 the bookshelf Book Review Editor: Theodore J. Weidner, Ph.D., P.E., AIA, CEFP, DBIA EXTREME OWNERSHIP: HOW U.S. NAVY SEALS LEAD AND WIN Jocko Willink and Leif Babin, St. Martin's Press, New York, 2017, 312 pp., hardcover, $27.99. It's not unusual for talented military leaders to de- velop a successful and valuable business consultancy following their military careers. Extreme Ownership articulates some of the achievements and lessons that have resulted from the military experiences of two U.S. Navy SEAL (Sea, Air, and Land) officers who have built such a successful consultancy. e first thing to keep in mind is that anyone who serves as a Navy SEAL is a special person who has developed both physical and mental prowess. e training is rigorous and the challenges they face on the battlefield are difficult for many of us to imagine. As one reads Extreme Ownership, one comes to un- derstand the hardships of training and conflict that the SEALs experience. ey're impressive, and I'm grateful that the SEAL teams are there to protect us. e 12 chapters of Extreme Ownership are used to present 12 leadership principles. ese principles have a military theme and are equally divided into three sections: "Winning the War Within," "Laws of Com- bat," and "Sustaining Victory." Each chapter begins with a real situation the authors experienced together or individually. Each of the descriptions would make a good story line for a movie. Each chapter segues to the specific principle illustrated by that situation (e.g., "No Bad Teams, Only Bad Leaders," "Be- lieve," and "Check the Ego"). Finally, a business application scenario completes each chapter, describing the beneficial result achieved by following the leadership, commitment, and execution principles of the SEALS. e military theme is integral to the con- cepts presented in Extreme Ownership, even though they are applied to peaceful corporate settings. e leadership principles discussed in the book also address the teamwork char- acteristics that exist among the SEALS. at is, successful organizations aren't successful just because they have a great leader; they are successful because the leader and the team members work together well to accomplish the mission—which also includes sustaining your goals after they have been reached. If you enjoy military history and need a good book on leadership, this is the book for you. Ted Weidner is an associate professor at Purdue University and consults on facilities management issues primarily for educational organizations. He can be reached at tjwei- dne@purdue.edu. If you would like to write a book review, please contact Ted directly. S ummer is here and now it is time to roll-up your sleeves and get cracking on all the projects that have been requested that cannot be accomplished with a campus full of students. It's also time to consider renova- tions to do for your organization or for yourself to get ready for the new fiscal year.

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