Listen free for 30 days

  • The Dichotomy of Leadership

  • Balancing the Challenges of Extreme Ownership to Lead and Win
  • Written by: Jocko Willink, Leif Babin
  • Narrated by: Jocko Willink, Leif Babin
  • Length: 10 hrs and 34 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (1,029 ratings)

Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo + applicable taxes after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
The Dichotomy of Leadership cover art

The Dichotomy of Leadership

Written by: Jocko Willink, Leif Babin
Narrated by: Jocko Willink, Leif Babin
Try for $0.00

$14.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $26.21

Buy Now for $26.21

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Tax where applicable.

Publisher's Summary

The importance of balance as a leader by the number-one New York Times best-selling authors of Extreme Ownership.

Every leader must be ready and willing to take charge, to make hard, crucial calls for the good of the team and the mission. Something much more difficult to understand is that in order to be a good leader, one must also be a good follower. This is a dichotomy - a Dichotomy of Leadership. It is, as authors Jocko Willink and Leif Babin explained in their best-selling first audiobook, Extreme Ownership, “Simple, Not Easy”.

Now, in The Dichotomy of Leadership, the authors explain the power inherent in the recognition of the fine line that leaders must walk, balancing between two seemingly opposite inclinations. It is with the knowledge and understanding of this balance that a leader can most effectively lead, accomplish the mission, and achieve the goal of every leader and every team: victory.

Using examples from the authors' combat and training experience in the SEAL Teams and then showing how each lesson applies to business and in life, Willink and Babin reveal how the use of seemingly opposite principles - leading and following, focusing and detaching, being both aggressive and prudent - require skill, awareness, understanding, and dexterity, all attributes that can be honed. These dichotomies are inherent in many of the concepts introduced in Extreme Ownership and integral to their proper implementation and effectiveness. Dichotomy is essential listening for anyone looking to lead and win.

©2018 Jocko Willink and Leif Babin (P)2018 Macmillan Audio

What the critics say

"With so much of this audiobook illustrated by the authors' battlefield experiences, their dramatic, often combative, narration is not entirely out of place...the authors grasp the awesome responsibilities of leading, and their assertive performances convey an urgency that makes this lesson memorable." (AudioFile Magazine)

What listeners say about The Dichotomy of Leadership

Average Customer Ratings
Overall
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    867
  • 4 Stars
    130
  • 3 Stars
    23
  • 2 Stars
    6
  • 1 Stars
    3
Performance
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    764
  • 4 Stars
    87
  • 3 Stars
    19
  • 2 Stars
    5
  • 1 Stars
    1
Story
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    735
  • 4 Stars
    96
  • 3 Stars
    28
  • 2 Stars
    7
  • 1 Stars
    2

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Awesome, relatable, and inspiring

Absolutely loved the story and the performance. Truly insightful with hard-hitting lessons and examples into leadership. Leading a team, a family or just yourself, everyone can gain knowledge and insight of how to improve all aspects of your life.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Thank you so much Jocko and Leif

This book is one of the best book I have ever read. The way it is structured is incredible. Every principle of leadership came with a real world example in the battle field and business world and explained
as a principle.

I will surely re listen to this book again.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

going to listen to this again, and again

thank you, to everyone who made this book possible.

its an incredible gift to the world.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Get some.

Great narration and useful information on leadership. This is a great book as a follow up to Extreme Ownership or as a stand alone. Would recommend to a friend.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Fantastic!

A fantastic reference and one of the quintessential modern leadership books out there. A great resource and read in its own right, but even more powerful when read in concert with “Extreme Ownership.” As both a business leader and military officer, I can’t recommend it enough!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great on every level!

Great on every level!
Extremely Informative, Motivational & Entertaining!

All Thumbs up! ! ! 😁

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A lesson in LIFE

Once I started listening I couldn't stop. This is mandatory listening for success in life.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

trying to be a better leader

loved it narration was great the first book was great can't wait to share it with my friends and family

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

It’s great, not as good as Extreme Ownership

Would definitely recommend for those that want to find balance between the extreme. Maybe because I was expecting something different, but the structure of the book is the same. Fantastic war stories related to personal and business. Enjoy

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars
  • A
  • 2018-11-05

1 vs 1

enjoyed it. Narrator kept the material engaging. amazing stories, and the application to business is expertly done.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!