Most people think “winning” means being right. But in leadership, being right can cost you something far more valuable: leadership capital.

In this episode, Jocko Willink, Leif Babin, Jamie Cochran break down the cost of being right—how “I told you so” moments drain trust, damage relationships, and turn small disagreements into long-term friction. We’ll show you how to stay detached, control the ego response, and use the indirect approach (questions, not lectures) to help others reveal the truth to themselves—without you cashing in relationship equity for a temporary win.

Key ideas discussed:

• Why being right can reduce leadership capital
• “Win the relationship, not the argument”
• When it does matter to dig in (high-stakes decisions) vs. when it doesn’t (most daily disagreements)
• Tactical win vs. strategic loss in business and team dynamics
• How “micro” ego-flexes slowly boil the relationship over time
• A practical action drill: detach, step back, and ask, “What outcome are we trying to solve together?”

If you lead people—at work, at home, or on a team—this is a simple mindset shift that will immediately improve your communication, trust, and influence.

👉 Send us the leadership challenges you’re facing so we can target future episodes.

✅ Free resources: echelonfront.com

🎓 Go deeper: Extreme Ownership Academy (online training)

#ExtremeOwnership #Leadership #Communication #ConflictResolution #StoicLeadership #Management #TeamLeadership #EmotionalIntelligence #EchelonFront

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.

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 organization
• The 5 pillars of relationships: trust, listen, respect, influence, care
• How to deal with a micromanaging boss without blowing up the relationship
• When to push back—and when to shut up and execute
• How 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.