Lead. Win. - An Extreme Ownership Podcast

Echelon Front, LLC
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Lead. Win. - An Extreme Ownership Podcast Hosted by Leif Babin and Jamie Cochran In a world where leadership is tested daily, Lead. Win. brings you the hard-earned lessons, battle-tested principles, and real-world strategies you need to excel. Join Leif Babin, co-author of Extreme Ownership and decorated combat leader, and Jamie Cochran, a renowned leadership instructor, as they break down the core tenets of Extreme Ownership and apply them to the challenges of business, family, and life. Each episode dives into practical examples and case studies, featuring conversations with leaders from all walks of life. Whether you're a CEO, coach, teacher, or simply striving to lead better, this podcast equips you to take ownership, lead with courage, and—ultimately—win.

  1. 12/12/2025

    The 8 Steps Every New Venture Needs (Or You Will Fail)

    Free Weekly Leadership Newsletter: ⁠https://engage.echelonfront.com/Rundown ⁠Turn that big idea into a real mission—without blowing up your life in the process. In this episode of the Lead.WIN. Podcast, we break down how to start a new venture the smart way: whether you want to launch a business, make a career change, enlist in the military, or pursue a big personal goal. Leif Babin and Sean Glass unpack how risk mitigation actually enables you to be default aggressive—by taking iterative steps, gathering intel, and avoiding the “all in, second mortgage, quit your job tomorrow” trap. They share the early days of Echelon Front, what it really took to build it, and why your mission must be bigger than “I hate my boss.” You’ll learn how to: Clarify your mission, purpose, and long-term goals Take the smallest step in the right direction (and then reassess) Use Extreme Ownership to handle setbacks and failure Keep things simple in your startup or new path Run a pros and cons list and gather real-world intel before you jump If you’re thinking about starting a business, changing careers, or rebooting your life path, this episode will help you lead and win on that journey.

    26 min
  2. The Right Way to Make Leaders Listen to You

    12/05/2025

    The Right Way to Make Leaders Listen to You

    Free Weekly Leadership Newsletter: https://engage.echelonfront.com/Rundown Nothing fires people up like a frustrating boss. Micromanager. Control freak. Huge ego. It’s easy to say, “It’s not my fault.” In this episode of the Lead & Win Podcast, Sean and Leif break down how to lead up the chain of command—even when your boss drives you crazy. They unpack what it really means to influence your boss, why “my boss never listens” is usually a reflection on you, and how to build trust, respect, and leadership capital so your ideas actually land. You’ll hear real stories from the SEAL Teams and the business world about micromanaging bosses, shifting priorities, and how Extreme Ownership flips the script: if your boss doesn’t trust you, it’s on you to earn it. Use this episode to learn: How to lead when you’re in the middle of the organizationThe 5 pillars of relationships: trust, listen, respect, influence, careHow to deal with a micromanaging boss without blowing up the relationshipWhen to push back—and when to shut up and executeHow to stop drinking “haterade” and start taking Extreme Ownership up the chain If you’re tired of blaming your boss and ready to actually move your team and career forward, this episode will give you the mindset and tactical tools to do it.

    27 min
  3. Why You Don’t Get Along—And How to Change It

    11/26/2025

    Why You Don’t Get Along—And How to Change It

    Free Weekly Leadership Newsletter: https://engage.echelonfront.com/Rundown How do you build a relationship with someone you really don’t like—but still have to work with to accomplish the mission? In this episode of the Lead.WIN. Podcast, Leif and Jamie break down one of the most common leadership questions we get from every industry: 👉 “How do I build a relationship with someone who rubs me the wrong way?” Using real stories from the SEAL Teams, corporate clients, and their own lives, they show why the problem isn’t just the “difficult person” on the other side… it’s two egos colliding. And more importantly, what you can actually do about it. You’ll learn: Why a bad relationship with your boss, peer, or inspector is hurting your team more than you thinkHow to check your ego and stop “drinking the haterade”The Extreme Ownership framework for relationships: Trust – Listen – Respect – Influence – CarePractical steps to repair frictional relationships (even when there’s history and emotion)How to stop assigning sinister intent and start building alignment around the missionAn Immediate Action Drill you can use this week to fix one relationship in your life At the end, you’ll walk away with clear, tactical actions to build effective relationships—up, down, and across the chain of command—so you can lead and win. 📚 Books On Amazon: Purchase books by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin on Amazon. https://echelonfront.com/links/ ➕ Follow Us On Social: https://www.instagram.com/echelonfront https://twitter.com/EchelonFront https://www.facebook.com/echelonfront/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/echelon-front-llc/ 🔗 Free leadership resources: echelonfront.com 🎓 Go deeper with Extreme Ownership Academy: online courses, live sessions, and practical training to apply these principles in your business and life. 👍 Like, subscribe, share, and drop your current leadership challenge in the comments so we can tackle it in a future episode.

    28 min
  4. The Priority Test Every Leader Needs

    11/14/2025

    The Priority Test Every Leader Needs

    Join Us In Orlando This December: https://qrco.de/bffhTX Are you confusing being busy with actually making an impact? In this episode of the Echelon Front Lead.Win. Podcast, we break down how to stop “fighting fires” all day and start prioritizing and executing on what really drives your long-term mission at work and at home. You’ll learn how to: Stop confusing activity for impactShift from tactical busyness to strategic goalsUse detachment to see what really mattersApply decentralized command so your team solves problems without youProtect time for what matters most: family, relationships, and healthUse tools like time audits, time blocking, No-Meeting Fridays, and Now/Next/Later lists This conversation ties directly into the principles from Extreme Ownership and The Dichotomy of Leadership and shows you how to apply them in your business, your team, and your home. 👉 Watch, learn, and then run the Immediate Action Drill: Write your top 3 long-term goalsSet your top 3 priorities for the weekSet your top 3 tasks for todayMake sure they all align When you prioritize and execute on what truly matters, you create more impact, more freedom, and more capacity to lead and win. 📚 Books On Amazon: Purchase books by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin on Amazon. https://echelonfront.com/links/ ➕ Follow Us On Social: https://www.instagram.com/echelonfront https://twitter.com/EchelonFront https://www.facebook.com/echelonfront/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/echelon-front-llc/ Free Weekly Leadership Newsletter: https://engage.echelonfront.com/Rundown

    28 min
  5. How to Be A GREAT LEADER...Without Being Charismatic

    11/07/2025

    How to Be A GREAT LEADER...Without Being Charismatic

    Join Us In Orlando This December: https://qrco.de/bffhTX Examining what it takes to exhibit true leadership skills, this episode draws from military principles to highlight key attributes. Learn how to be a good leader by focusing on continuous leadership development and absorbing leadership lessons. Jocko Willink often speaks about how these concepts can be applied in any situation, and leadership training is crucial for success.

    27 min
  6. The Leadership Trap: How Smart Companies Lose Everything

    10/31/2025

    The Leadership Trap: How Smart Companies Lose Everything

    Join Us In Orlando This December: https://qrco.de/bffhTX In this episode of Lead. Win. , Echelon Front instructors Leif Babin, Jamie Cochran, and Sean Glass break down one of the most important leadership skills in any environment — iterative decision-making. From the battlefields of Ramadi to the boardrooms of billion-dollar companies, they explain how leaders can avoid analysis paralysis, balance default aggressive with detachment, and make smaller, smarter moves that drive progress without reckless overcommitment. Discover how the principle of “Flank or Be Flanked” applies to your business strategy, how to balance risk vs. speed, and why perfection is a lie that kills momentum. Whether you're leading a team, launching a new project, or just trying to move forward in life, this episode gives you the tools to take small steps with big impact.

    26 min
  7. 3 Rules No One Wants to Follow: The Ego Paradox

    10/24/2025

    3 Rules No One Wants to Follow: The Ego Paradox

    Join Us In Orlando This December: https://qrco.de/bffhTX When the truth hurts, the answer is more truth. In this episode we break down brutally honest self-assessment, why ego blocks feedback, and how leaders can seek truth over comfort to actually improve. You’ll hear field stories (SEAL debriefs, leadership training), practical tactics for getting real feedback when your boss or peers aren’t giving it, how to self-audit without excuses, and an Immediate Action Drill you can do this week: identify one uncomfortable truth, say it out loud, and build an action plan. Humility isn’t weakness—it’s the fastest path to growth, at work and at home.

    25 min
  8. Want More Praise At Work? Do This.

    10/17/2025

    Want More Praise At Work? Do This.

    Join Us In Orlando This December: https://qrco.de/bffhTX How do you get people truly on board with Extreme Ownership? You praise the behaviors you want repeated—specifically, visibly, and in balance with KPIs. In this episode, we break down why “false cheerleading” backfires, how to define and show what “good” looks like, and how a relentless debrief culture raises standards fast. We share SEAL Team lessons on recognizing decisive action, Cover & Move across departments, keeping plans Simple, Prioritize & Execute under pressure, and enabling Decentralized Command at the front line. You’ll also hear practical ways to align promotions and performance reviews to your real values—so you’re not paying lip service while rewarding the opposite. ► Try this week’s Immediate Action Drill: catch someone doing it right—ownership, teamwork, clarity—and praise it publicly and specifically. If this helped, like, subscribe, and share. Drop your leadership challenges in the comments so we can target the next episode. Explore free resources at EchelonFront.com and go deeper inside Extreme Ownership Academy. Chapters / Timestamps 00:00 Hook: “How do we get people to take ownership?” 00:21 Topic: Praise the behavior you want to see 00:55 Values on the wall vs. numbers in meetings 01:39 Avoid “false cheerleading”; make praise scarce & meaningful 03:45 Show what “good” looks like (SEAL mission brief example) 06:41 Define success beyond tactics—behavioral standards 08:24 Balancing KPIs with values (parenting & team examples) 11:00 Debrief culture: nightly, short, brutal, and positive 13:10 Normalize debriefs—don’t wait for failure 14:26 Jocko’s debrief model: candid + earned recognition 16:44 Leaders’ words: praise frontline publicly, fix privately 17:34 Recognition systems: stickers, patches, peer kudos 20:38 EF peer-nominated awards (aligning praise to principles) 22:01 Promotions & reviews tied to values (not lip service) 24:00 Not participation trophies—praise specific behaviors 26:16 Immediate Action Drill & how to build ownership culture 27:15 Outro + resources & Academy 📚 Books On Amazon: Purchase books by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin on Amazon. https://echelonfront.com/links/ ➕ Follow Us On Social: https://www.instagram.com/echelonfront https://twitter.com/EchelonFront https://www.facebook.com/echelonfront/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/echelon-front-llc/ Free Weekly Leadership Newsletter: https://engage.echelonfront.com/Rundown

    27 min
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Lead. Win. - An Extreme Ownership Podcast Hosted by Leif Babin and Jamie Cochran In a world where leadership is tested daily, Lead. Win. brings you the hard-earned lessons, battle-tested principles, and real-world strategies you need to excel. Join Leif Babin, co-author of Extreme Ownership and decorated combat leader, and Jamie Cochran, a renowned leadership instructor, as they break down the core tenets of Extreme Ownership and apply them to the challenges of business, family, and life. Each episode dives into practical examples and case studies, featuring conversations with leaders from all walks of life. Whether you're a CEO, coach, teacher, or simply striving to lead better, this podcast equips you to take ownership, lead with courage, and—ultimately—win.

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