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The 4 Laws of Combat
These principles will instantly improve your organization
Teddy Mitrosilis
November 13, 2022
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Now, onto Issue 09.
Today’s Issue
In this issue, we’re going to learn the “4 Laws of Combat” that Special Forces use to operate effectively in combat.
These principles are not exclusive to the military.
They can be utilized by any team or organization to improve performance.
Let’s dive in.
The 4 Laws of Combat
Elite warriors perform at the highest level, with the highest stakes, in the most hostile environments in the world.
How do they do that consistently well?
In their excellent book Extreme Ownership, former Navy SEALs Jocko Willink and Leif Babin give us the blueprint.
They credit four leadership principles called the “4 Laws of Combat.”
We’re going to unpack each and explore how you can apply them to your organization.
1. Cover and Move
“The most important tactical advantage we had was working together as a team, always supporting each other.”
Leif tells a story of one operation in Ramadi, Iraq.
Two SEAL sniper overwatch positions set up to cover movement - OP1 and OP2.
Leif lead OP2.
With the operation complete, both sniper positions had a choice: wait until nightfall to make movement back to base or leave now in the daylight.
Normally the choice is clear — waiting until nightfall is standard procedure.
But Leif’s unit had a few problems:
Their position was tactically vulnerable
Enemy fighters now knew their position
Waiting would give the enemy time to attack
Leif made the call to break out in broad daylight and bust it back to base.
So OP2 did, engaging the enemy in a heavy gunfight on the way back.
OP1 did the same, and both units made it back to base safely. Leif was pumped.
He thought he made the right call.
“What the hell were you doing out there?” his chief asked when they got back to base. “Why didn’t you leave OP1 in place to cover your movement back here?”
His error hit Leif immediately.
He had failed the basic principle of Cover and Move.
How to apply this principle
Cover and Move means teamwork.
All units working together to support each other and the broader mission.
In the story above, both sniper positions should have covered each other’s movement on the way back to base.
Instead, they worked in silos. Luckily, it didn’t hurt them in this instance.
In business, we see this all the time.
Divisions within a company operating in silos
Teams within a division not working together
Individuals within a team not collaborating
Instead of collectively driving towards one mission, everyone has their own.
Action: Assess the level of teamwork in your organization
How well do people work together?
Where are there gaps or silos?
How can you fill them?
Leaders must continually keep the focus on the broader mission and remind people of how they are all connected in the pursuit of it.
2. Simple
“In the business world, and in life, there are inherent complexities. It is critical to keep plans and communication simple.”
Jocko describes a “presence patrol” mission his SEALs were planning to go on with Iraqi soldiers.
They’d be patrolling some of the most violent parts of Ramadi on foot in daylight.
The Iraqi leader overseeing this mission drew up a complex plan.
Among its many issues:
The route was long
The roads weren’t cleared
It went into 3 different battle spaces, each owned by different military branches
These SEALs and Iraqi soldiers had never worked together
Jocko knew there would be heavy fighting on this patrol.
With the original plan, it was likely they’d take casualties and end up in a position that was difficult for support to get to them.
They needed to apply the principle of Simple.
How to apply this principle
Simple means exactly what it states: simplify everything possible.
When things go wrong — and they will — complexity compounds.
Complexity can look like:
People not understanding the goal
Inefficient processes and systems
Lack of clarity in communication
When things are simple, teams can operate efficiently and make rapid adjustments when needed.
Action: Identify where you can simplify
Look for areas of friction in your organization.
What could be easier?
What could be more clear?
What could more efficient?
Review everything and simplify to the lowest common denominator.
How you know when things are simple enough:
The last person in the organization can easily understand and accurately communicate it without much effort.
Simple is effective, and simple is scalable.
3. Prioritize and Execute
“Even the greatest of battlefield leaders could not handle an array of challenges simultaneously without being overwhelmed.”
Leif writes about an operation in one of the deadliest neighborhoods of Ramadi.
On this operation, a SEAL platoon is breaking out of a building and needs to get everyone out within minutes before an explosive device goes off.
The platoon is exposed on a wide-open rooftop, surrounded by buildings with higher vantage points.
If those two issues weren’t enough, one SEAL falls 20 feet to the ground on his way out of the building. He’s laying on the street unresponsive. They need to get a medic down to him ASAP.
Three massive problems.
All happening at once.
With a bomb literally ticking down.
How do you lead in that scenario?
Prioritize and Execute.
How to apply this principle
Prioritize and Execute is about laser-focusing on the current most critical task.
Multi-tasking is a myth.
Nobody can handle multiple challenges simultaneously well.
Leaders must determine the highest priority task and execute.
The SEALs have a saying for what a leader should do in this instances, Leif writes.
“Relax, look around, make a call.”
One major mistake teams make is target fixation.
They lock onto a single issue and fail to recognize when the highest-priority task has shifted.
A leader must always be assessing the highest-priority task and communicating that to the team.
When that task is complete, move onto the next one.
Repeat this process until all priorities are resolved.
Action: Reinforce the single current priority
For your team to be at its best, it must be clear on the biggest priority at any given moment.
If that’s not currently clear, identify it and communicate it.
If it is clear, reinforce it and make sure all effort is being put against it.
The power of a team is unleashed through prioritization.
4. Decentralized Command
“Leaders must rely on their subordinate leaders to take charge of their smaller teams and allow them to execute based on a good understanding of the broader mission.”
Jocko recalls a massive-scale operation in Ramadi.
Hundreds of troops executing a single mission.
SEALs, Marines, Army and Iraqi troops all operating in the same area.
Multiple radio networks being utilized for communications.
It’s as complex as it gets even without the “fog of war” settling in.
How do you operate effectively under those circumstances?
Decentralized Command.
How to apply this principle
Decentralized Command is an organizational principle based on pushing decision making down to front-line leaders and teams.
It allows senior leaders to maintain focus on the bigger strategic picture and junior leaders the authority to take ownership of their teams.
This structure requires a few things:
Excellent communication
Two-way trust and confidence
Complete understanding of the broader mission
It’s as much “art” as it is “science.”
Leadership positioning is critical.
Senior leaders can’t be so involved where they get involved in every tactical decision, and they also can’t be so detached where they no longer know what’s happening on the front lines.
Junior leaders need to be proactive and make decisions without direction, and they also need to understand where the “left and right limits” of their responsibility exists.
Most importantly, leaders at any level can’t get “stuck” in one position.
They must lean in and step back based on the situation.
In rapidly changing environments, leadership positioning is continuously fluid.
Action: Review the “command” structure of your organization
How are decisions made?
How does information get shared?
How are leaders and teams empowered?
What decisions must be made by senior leadership?
Remember, communication and trust are key.
The more decision-making responsibility can be pushed “down” the organization, the more effective, efficient and adaptable the organization will be.
Summary
So, those are the 4 Laws of Combat.
Simple
Cover and Move
Prioritize and Execute
Decentralized Command
Review these principles in detail and consider how you can apply them with your teams.
They’re the keys to unlocking the next level of performance for you, your people and your organization.
Teddy’s Recommendations
In honor of Veterans Day weekend in the U.S, I wanted to share the Marine Commandant’s Professional Reading List (CPRL).
Every Commandant of the Marine Corps publishes a list of books they expect Marines to read for personal development. I love the tradition of this practice in the Marines, and it’s also a great list of titles on topics such as leadership, strategy, execution and more.
I hope you find a few new reads you like in this list.
Personal branding for executives
Aside from doing my own writing, I run a boutique social media agency helping executives build their personal brands online.
If you’re an executive interested in building an audience and developing your personal brand, reply to this email and let me know.
As the world becomes increasingly digital, personal brands matter more than ever.
Your future investors, employees and partners will make decisions based on your online presence (or lack thereof).
Let’s make sure you have a powerful one.
Execs interested in building your brand - reply to this email and let’s chat.
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Thanks for reading.
See you next Sunday.