The Power of Ownership (No Excuses!)

We kicked things off with the idea that there are no excuses – only ownership. That means if something didn’t happen, it’s not someone else’s fault. No blaming, no finger-pointing, no avoiding the hard stuff.

Every leader crossed a physical line on the floor and shared where they’d let something slide, dodged a conversation, or just not fronted up. The team were open, honest and vulnerable – this took courage. But the takeout was that when ownership is visible, standards rise.

No Bad Teams, Only Bad Leaders

That quote from the book really impacted. It forced real reflection about where as leaders, each person could have done better. It led us to address: What are we tolerating as leaders? Where have we let standards drift? What culture are we creating by what we ignore?

Everyone got brutally honest with themselves and out of that, new leadership commitments emerged – some of them simple, but all of them game-changing.

Believing in the Mission

One of the standout parts of the day was reconnecting with the “why”. Everyone shared why this year’s number one addressable challenge (driving profitability through sales, operational performance and team retention) mattered to them personally. It wasn’t corporate fluff – it was heartfelt, values-based leadership in action. When people believe in the mission, they don’t just comply – they commit.

Ego Check, Please

Another powerful moment came when leaders reflected on how ego gets in the way – whether it’s avoiding feedback, being defensive, needing control or wanting to look good. The exercise highlighted the cost to the individual, the team and the business. The ripple effect of that humility was huge; and the outcome of this highlighted the real need to lean into other leaders when they were unsure, lacking certainty, second guessing, or just stuck and unable to move a strategic priority forward.

Cover and Move: The Collaboration Wake-Up

In military terms, “cover and move” is about working as a unit. In business? It’s collaboration. Who has your back? Who do you need to partner with more intentionally? Our activity saw the team throw a ball between each other (well, we improvised with a pencil case) and publicly commit to supporting each other on specific areas of work and giving feedback which emphasised the value of their peers. It changed the tone of teamwork and one of the team told me after that this exercise had such huge feedback – as she simply hadn’t realised her value nor what others needed from her.

Discipline Equals Freedom

I love this deceptively simple idea: structure sets you free. Here, each leader committed to one leadership behaviour to practice and one thing to stop tolerating. When you get the discipline piece right, it actually unlocks creativity, flexibility, and confidence.

So, Why Should You Care?

If you are an owner and/or CEO running a mid-sized business, leading a team, or trying to scale without losing your soul, finding a concept, a framework an idea that you ‘get’ and which excites your team, is important as you seek to engage your team in the vision of success. Sometimes things click, sometimes they don’t. If they don’t, we need to find another way to ensure that everyone is onboard with the message. Extreme Ownership is another version of the same leadership concepts, and it is nt a “read this book and everything will change” but it may be a way to switch things up in a “you will start showing up differently” kind of way.

And when leaders show up differently, so do their teams.

Bring It into Your Business

You don’t need a military background or a bootcamp-style workshop to use these principles. Start small:

• Call out your own excuses before anyone else can.
• Ask yourself, “Where am I tolerating something I shouldn’t?”
• Reconnect your team to the “why” behind the work.
• Reflect on whether ego is helping or hurting.
• Make collaboration visible and real.
• Build habits that give you structure (so you can lead with freedom).

It’s not about being perfect. It’s about owning your space, raising the bar, and leading from the front.

Want to Try It?

If you’re a CEO, business owner, or senior leader and you want to explore what Extreme Ownership could look like inside your own business — let’s talk. I run tailored leadership coaching programmes (online or in-person) that blend coaching, theory, and real-world execution. We make it fun, practical, and focused on what will shift the dial for your team.

Because at the end of the day, culture is shaped by what we walk past, tolerate, or excuse. Or… what we own.

Let’s own it together.

– Sharn, Business Advisor at Two Tides