Manage Your Team, Manage Your Career Series

By Shawn Geegbae

I’m Shawn, a professional Recruiter and avid reader. Two years ago, I set a challenge for myself – to complete the 52-book challenge. The goal: to read 52 books in 52 weeks, and I’ve done it now for two consecutive years. My desire to participate in this scholastic endeavor was plain and simple: to become more creative, better informed, and inspired. Here’s my book of the month - a tremendous resource for managers, regardless of industry.

To follow the series Manage Your Team, Manage Your Career, or to learn more click here.

Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win by Jocko Willink
The book, Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win by Jocko Willink, was recommended to me by a co-worker, who stated that extreme ownership can apply to everything in life. From simple daily routines, personal relationships, complicated work tasks, and self-improvement goals. Extreme ownership means taking responsibility for everything in your life.

Through extreme ownership, you will grow personally and professionally because you not only own all the positive aspects of your life but the negative ones too. When you own up to the bad, you get better!

The book documents the experiences of Jocko Willink and Leif Babin, two Navy SEALs, fighting in the battle of Ramadi (Iraq) during Operation Iraqi Freedom. One of the key concepts covered in the book is that a leader should lead his/her own life before leading a team. Leaders must accept complete responsibility for the mission and their team’s success. “There are no bad teams, only bad leaders! Leaders must take complete – even ‘extreme’ ownership for any and everything that happens in the organization…Success is based on creating and upholding standards which will reduce the risk of confusion and lead to better team performance,” Jocko Willink stated.

A few other takeaways from the book include checking your ego and leading with humility, making simple plans and communicating them clearly, making decisions with a lack of information, and supporting your supervisors. 

I hope you enjoy the book and let me know what your greatest takeaway was. I am looking for my next book to read, so if you have any recommendations for great books focused on management, team building, and/or personal development, send them my way.

Here’s a link to purchase the book. Neither I nor my company are affiliated with the author or make any financial gain from promoting this book. Just a truly great read!

Shawn Geegbae is a Recruiting Manager for Cordia Resources based out of the Tyson's office. He is focused on full-cycle recruiting through sourcing, qualifying, and building long-term relationships with job seekers in the Washington, DC area to help them meet their career goals. Prior to Cordia Resources, Shawn worked as the Business Development Manager for a financial literacy startup in Los Angeles, CA. Through sports, Shawn and his organization taught middle school and high school students financial concepts in a more interesting, relatable, and applicable way.  After graduating from Syracuse University with a B.S. in Finance, Shawn spent several years on Wall Street as a commodity broker. Shawn enjoys reading and writing, as well as being an avid sports fan. Questions? Comments? Email Shawn at sgeegbae@cordiaresources.com