Extreme Ownership

Chapter 10 – Leading Up and Down the Chain of Command

Chapter 10 highlights a leadership skill that is often overlooked: effective leaders must lead in every direction—up the chain of command, down the chain, and alongside their peers. Leadership is not confined to position or title. It is demonstrated through humility, professionalism, and responsibility.

Leading down the chain requires ownership, clarity, and trust. Leaders give credit to their teams when things go right and take full responsibility when things go wrong. That consistency builds trust and loyalty. Leading up the chain requires the same humility—checking ego, communicating clearly, and supporting senior leaders by bringing solutions, not just problems.

This chapter reinforces that ego is the enemy of effective leadership. Leaders who seek credit, deflect blame, or posture for recognition quickly lose the respect of both their superiors and their teams. Leaders who consistently put the mission and the team first earn influence in every direction.

Strong communication is the thread that ties this chapter together. The ability to clearly explain intent, provide feedback, and translate vision into action is essential for leading at every level. This is also an area where modern tools, including AI, can provide leverage—helping leaders craft clear communication, build plans, document decisions, and create structure through SOPs, reports, and follow-up actions.

The takeaway is straightforward: leadership is not about rank—it’s about responsibility. When leaders communicate well, stay humble, give credit freely, and own failures completely, they earn the trust needed to lead effectively up, down, and across the organization. And trust is your biggest asset.

The 360 Degree Leader by John C. Maxwell is a great resource for Leading Up and Down the Chain of Command.

In this chapter, seven excerpts really stood out to me.

“When Jocko saw my reaction to the slide and the presentation he had built, he too realized that he should have more fully detailed the strategic impact of what we were doing and why. It was a realization for him that even when a leader thinks his troops understand the bigger picture, they very often have difficulty connecting the dots between the tactical mission they are immersed in with the greater overarching goal.”
“And it is paramount that senior leaders explain to their junior leaders and troops executing the mission how their role contributes to big picture success.”
“Leaders must routinely communicate with their team members to help them understand their role in the overall mission.”
“As a leader employing Extreme Ownership, if your team isn’t doing what you need them to do, you first have to look at yourself. Rather than blame them for not seeing the strategic picture, you must figure out a way to better communicate it to them in terms that are simple, clear, and concise, so that they understand.”
“If your boss isn’t making a decision in a timely manner or providing necessary support for you and your team, don’t blame the boss. First, blame yourself. Examine what you can do to better convey the critical information for decisions to be made and support allocated.”
“Leading up, the leader cannot fall back on his or her positional authority. Instead, the subordinate leader must use influence, experience, knowledge, communication, and maintain the highest professionalism.”
“One of the most important jobs of any leader is to support your own boss—your immediate leadership. In any chain of command, the leadership must always present a united front to the troops. A public display of discontent or disagreement with the chain of command undermines the authority of leaders at all levels. This is catastrophic to the performance of any organization.”

Here are a few questions to help you dive deeper into this chapter:

When my team doesn’t understand the bigger picture, do I assume they “should get it,” or do I take ownership for failing to clearly connect their daily work to the overall mission? (Forces leaders to own communication gaps.)
If my boss is slow to decide or support my team, what have I done—or failed to do—to clearly communicate the problem, the stakes, and a proposed solution? (Shifts frustration upward into leadership responsibility.)
How do I respond publicly when I disagree with senior leadership—do I undermine unity or protect trust by addressing concerns privately and presenting a united front? (Tests professionalism and ego control.)
Am I leading my peers through influence and credibility, or am I defaulting to positional power, passive resistance, or silent disengagement? (Applies Extreme Ownership laterally.)
If trust is my greatest leadership asset, what am I doing right now that is either building it—or quietly eroding it—with those above me and below me? (Connects daily behavior to long-term influence.)

Go – Be the Hero of Your Story

Links

Overview

Extreme Ownership
Purchase Extreme Ownership
Chpt. 1 – Extreme Ownership
Chpt. 2 – Only Bad Leaders
Chpt. 3 – Believe
Chpt. 4 – Check the Ego
Chpt. 5 – Cover and Move
Chpt. 6 – Simple
Chpt. 7 – Prioritize and Execute
Chpt. 8 – Decentralized Command
Chpt. 9 – Plan
Chpt. 10 – Leading
Chpt. 11 – Decisiveness amid Uncertainty
Chpt. 12 – Discipline Equals Freedom