Leader: In the book ‘Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win,’ written by Jocko Willink, there is a training story where seven Navy SEAL trainees form a team and carry a rubber boat weighing over 100 kg on their heads. Usually, one team would finish first and another last, but the team members stayed the same, and only the leaders were swapped. As a result, the team that finished last moved to first place, and the team that was first became second. What changed was that only the leaders were replaced; the rest of the team remained the same. It’s important to note that, although a leader’s ability greatly influences success, the key point is that the team that was initially first was moved to second place, not last, even though the leader from the last team took over the first team. This is because, under the previous leader, team members developed a winning habit, which persisted even when the leader changed. The most crucial element in an organization is the leader itself....
Paradoxically, one of the reasons for Rome’s demise was that it kept winning wars. Victories expanded the empire’s territory, and the risks increased proportionally. Men, primarily middle-class men, volunteered as soldiers; the larger the territory, the longer the wars lasted, and the longer it took for them to return home. The women who remained at home were forced to borrow labor and became indebted to the nobility. Eventually, the women were sold into slavery, and by the time the men returned, their families had disintegrated. People don’t betray because they’re evil, but because it increases their risk. If the territory you’re in grows, you might reconsider your loyalties to the organization. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”