Ownership is On You...And That’s the Point
- Cristina Stensvaag
- Oct 2, 2025
- 2 min read
Extreme ownership isn’t about blame. It’s about modeling accountability so others rise to meet your standard.
October 2, 2025
Originally published in One More Rep, our weekly leadership newsletter. 👉 Subscribe here
This month we’re focusing on Ownership & Accountability. Great teams are built on leaders who own outcomes instead of shifting blame. When leaders take responsibility first, accountability becomes a strength.
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“On any team, in any organization, all responsibility for success and failure rests with the leader. The leader must own everything in his or her world. There is no one else to blame. The leader must acknowledge mistakes and admit failures, take ownership of them, and develop a plan to win.”
– Jocko Willink & Leif Babin, Extreme Ownership
In their book, Willink and Babin describe how leaders on the battlefield (and in business) succeed or fail not because of luck, but because of their willingness to own outcomes. If the team fails, the leader takes responsibility. If the team wins, the leader credits others.
This principle shifts everything: when you own the outcome, you stop blaming circumstances, superiors, or your team. Instead, you look for what you can do differently, which creates a culture where others step up and do the same. Ownership at the top inspires accountability at every level.
Rep
After a small miss, tell your team: “This one’s on me, and here’s how I’ll fix it.”
If you’re tempted to explain or justify, resist it. True ownership is about modeling accountability, not protecting your image.
Reflect
Where can I take more ownership?
Are there stories I tell myself to avoid responsibility?
How would my team act differently if I consistently modeled ownership?
When you take ownership, you’re not just fixing mistakes, you’re setting the tone for your entire team. Model accountability, and watch your team rise to meet it.
