--- title: "1 Leaders Understand Quotes By Jocko Willink" description: "1 Leaders Understand quotes by Jocko Willink. Plus more from Jocko Willink and more Leaders Understand sayings from other authors." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/134/jocko-willink-3347_best_the-best-leaders-understand-the-motivati_1442743.jpg" --- > [The best leaders understand the motivations of their team members and know their people - their lives and their families. But a leader must never grow so close to subordinates that one member of the team becomes more important than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jocko-willink/the-best-leaders-understand-the-motivations-of-their-team-members-and/) [Jocko Willink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jocko-willink/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/134/jocko-willink-3347_best_the-best-leaders-understand-the-motivati_1442743.jpg) ## More by Jocko Willink > [“The best leaders checked their egos, accepted blame, sought out constructive criticism, and took detailed notes for improvement. They”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jocko-willink/the-best-leaders-checked-their-egos-accepted-blame-sought-out/) [Jocko Willink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jocko-willink/) > [If I'm going to get you to do stuff, I need to lead you. I can't just order you to do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jocko-willink/if-i-m-going-to-get-you-to-do-stuff-i-need-to-lead-you-i-can-t-just/) [Jocko Willink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jocko-willink/) > [“The goal of all leaders should be to work themselves out of a job. This means leaders must be heavily engaged in training and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jocko-willink/the-goal-of-all-leaders-should-be-to-work-themselves-out-of-a-job/) [Jocko Willink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jocko-willink/) > [With Benghazi, I don't see anyone saying, 'Hey look, I am overall responsible for this and therefore, I take responsibility for what happened. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jocko-willink/with-benghazi-i-don-t-see-anyone-saying-hey-look-i-am-overall/) [Jocko Willink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jocko-willink/) > [“The leader must own everything in his or her world. There is no one else to blame.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jocko-willink/the-leader-must-own-everything-in-his-or-her-world-there-is-no-one/) [Jocko Willink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jocko-willink/) > [“weaker commanders would get a solid explanation about the burden of command and the deep meaning of responsibility: the leader is truly and ultimately…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jocko-willink/weaker-commanders-would-get-a-solid-explanation-about-the-burden-of/) [Jocko Willink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jocko-willink/) > [If I've got something do. I'm going to attack it. I'm going to attack that stress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jocko-willink/if-i-ve-got-something-do-i-m-going-to-attack-it-i-m-going-to-attack/) [Jocko Willink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jocko-willink/) > [“Leaders must accept total responsibility, own problems that inhibit performance, and develop solutions to those problems. A”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jocko-willink/leaders-must-accept-total-responsibility-own-problems-that-inhibit/) [Jocko Willink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jocko-willink/) > [One of the best mental disciplines for people to implement is simply putting together a schedule or a task list and actually executing it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jocko-willink/one-of-the-best-mental-disciplines-for-people-to-implement-is-simply/) [Jocko Willink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jocko-willink/) > [If you have to stand and fight, you train yourself so that you're able to do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jocko-willink/if-you-have-to-stand-and-fight-you-train-yourself-so-that-you-re-able/) [Jocko Willink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jocko-willink/) > [If you try and work out at 4:30 in the afternoon, how many people are going to chip away at that time? Your boss,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jocko-willink/if-you-try-and-work-out-at-4-30-in-the-afternoon-how-many-people-are/) [Jocko Willink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jocko-willink/) > [I'm always reading the next book. Taking notes. Highlighting, researching, studying. It doesn't stop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jocko-willink/i-m-always-reading-the-next-book-taking-notes-highlighting/) [Jocko Willink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jocko-willink/) > [“Regardless of how you think an operation is going to unfold,” I answered, “the enemy gets their say as well—and they are going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jocko-willink/regardless-of-how-you-think-an-operation-is-going-to-unfold-i/) [Jocko Willink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jocko-willink/) > [“If you don’t understand or believe in the decisions coming down from your leadership, it is up to you to ask questions until you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jocko-willink/if-you-don-t-understand-or-believe-in-the-decisions-coming-down-from/) [Jocko Willink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jocko-willink/) > [“No Bad Teams, Only Bad Leaders”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jocko-willink/no-bad-teams-only-bad-leaders/) [Jocko Willink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jocko-willink/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "ItemList", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leaders-understand/jocko-willink/#itemlist", "name": "1 Leaders Understand Quotes By Jocko Willink", "numberOfItems": 1, "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The best leaders understand the motivations of their team members and know their people - their lives and their families. 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