480: Learn To Read, Write, And Think.

Jocko Willink emphasizes that writing is not just a critical skill for military leaders; its mastery can significantly affect the success of missions and the well-being of teams.

Writing Is a Crucial Skill for Military Leaders

Effective Writing Conveys Information, Ideas, and Instructions Clearly and Credibly

Effective writing is critical for military leaders, as it enables them to convey information, ideas, and instructions clearly and credibly. Miscommunication or misunderstanding can lead to catastrophic outcomes, thus the ability to write and communicate well is vital.

Writing Skills Essential for Military Tasks

Writing Skills Are Essential For Drafting Reports, Evaluations, and Summaries

In the military, writing is fundamental for drafting various forms of communication, such as reports, evaluations, and summaries. Jocko Willink shares that his role as an officer extensively involved writing awards, evaluations, concept of operations, operational summaries, and orders, which are all integral to the functioning and success of military operations.

Proficient Writing Ensures Clear Communication of Plans, Tactics, and Instructions Within the Chain of Command

Leaders must write emails, directions, instructions, and protocols, all of which require proficiency in writing to ensure clear communication of plans, tactics, and instructions within the chain of command. Willink implies that being a good writer facilitates clearer communication within leadership, influencing the conveyance of complex strategies and directives.

Writing Skills Enhance Collaboration, Coordination, and Decision-Making Among Military Personnel

Writing connects people and promotes professional discourse and debate. It plays a vital role in collaboration, coordination, and decision-making among military personnel. For example, writing is essential for drafting evaluations critical for promoting individuals within the military. These evaluations include a written section that represents the individual when they are not present, indicating that clear and effective writing can significantly impact a service member's career progression.

The Command and General Staff College Writing Guide aims to help all Army professionals craft writings that meet Army standards by being clear, concise, well-organized, and easy to understand. Active voice is encouraged over passive voice, for instan ...

The writing process is an iterative journey of drafting, revising, editing, and proofreading as suggested by speakers like Jocko Willink—who acknowledge writing is demanding and improves with practice.

Successful Writing Is Iterative, Not a One-and-done Effort

Jocko Willink explains that writing is a rigorous process that involves revisiting drafts to enhance them. Even the famous Ernest Hemingway rewrote "A Farewell to Arms" 47 times, illustrating the necessity of revisions.

Drafts Need Multiple Revisions

"Very few sentences come out right the first time, or even the third time," says Willink, emphasizing the importance of rewriting drafts. His partnership with Leif Babin in writing "Extreme Ownership" and other works involved constant revisions, which led to better articulation of their messages.

Rewriting Transforms Drafts Into Polished Works

Willink emphasizes that rewriting is essential for transforming a draft into a polished work. It involves removing what does not serve the story or the argument. Willink himself observed that as he wrote more, his earlier drafts required fewer changes. The process of making drafts and revising them not only improves the content but also sharpens the author's thinking.

Planning and Organization Are Key to Effective Writing

The usefulness of planning and organizing cannot be overstated in writing. They serve as the foundations upon which successful drafting is built.

Drafting Requires Outlining, Researching, and Structuring

When discussing drafting, Willink implies that it involves quantity over quality, which then leads to multiple revisions. For instance, he drafts extensively and then revises later, while his co-author Babin may revise continually as he writes. Jocko illustrates his planning phase by suggesting a timeline for analyzing the task, beginning research, writing drafts, revising them, and eventually moving on to more substantive edits for polishing.

Maintain Objectivity and Avoid Bias in Information Presentation

The discussion on effective communication highlights the necessity of maintaining objectivity and avoiding bias. Willink points out that misrepresenting sources and using inflammatory language lead to distortion, urging writers to read a range of views on a topic and to be willing to change positions based on research.

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In their discussion on the intricacies of English, Jocko Willink and Echo Charles highlight its changing nature and the importance of continuous learning to master it effectively.

English Has Changed Significantly Over Time

Evolution From Old English to Modern English: Changes in Grammar, Vocabulary, and Syntax

Willink references the evolution of the English language from Old English to modern English, noting distinct periods marked by changes in grammar, vocabulary, and syntax. He explains the timeline of Old English, from 450 to 1100, as incomprehensible compared to modern English. Middle English, although slightly more understandable, still remains largely indecipherable to the contemporary speaker. Early modern English, exemplified by Shakespeare's writings, includes archaic words and inconsistent spellings, but begins to resemble what is spoken today. Late modern English, starting around 1800 to the present, retains some archaic terms yet is much more similar to current English.

Flexibility and Adaptability Are Hallmarks of English

Rules Allow Room for Creative Expression and Style

The discussion by Willink and Charles emphasizes the flexibility and adaptability of English, highlighting its irregularities and the room it allows for creative expression. Willink illustrates this adaptability with examples of homophones like "write," "right," and "rite," and heteronyms such as "live" and "lead," which require contextual understanding. Echo Charles and Willink also discuss the necessity of memorization due to these irregularities. Willink discusses being flexible with language rules, such as starting sentences with "and," which is traditionally discouraged but can be stylistically acceptable.

New Words and Phrases Enter Standard Usage

Willink specifically mentions the different spellings of "jujitsu" to show how English allows for variations and evolution through usage within specific communities. The discussion about nominalizations shows the adaptability of English by converting words from one part of speech to another, such as "quick" to "quickness," "favorite" to "favoritism," and "prepare" to "preparation." This flexibility allows for new forms and phrases to enter standard usage, as seen by Willink's persistence in using a specific spelling for "jujitsu" in his book, which he predicts might become standard.

Mastering English Is an Ongoing Process

Cont ...

Willink and Echo Charles highlight the critical importance of writing in fostering understanding, enhancing critical thinking, and strengthening leadership qualities.

Writing Fosters Understanding and Clarity of Thought

Writing is more than a means of communication; it's a way of learning. Willink discusses how the process of writing clarifies thought by revealing the strengths and weaknesses of ideas. When ideas are moved from the brain to the page, their true nature becomes evident. The act of writing propels learning and discovery, as it often prompts the writer to explore further or investigate weaknesses in their arguments.

Writing Reveals Strengths, Weaknesses, and Areas For Exploration

By approaching research and writing with an open mind, rather than a firm commitment to a preliminary position, individuals are more likely to construct and refine their ideas effectively. Changing one’s position in light of weak evidence highlights the importance of critical thinking within the writing process. Moreover, being concise and clear in writing reveals the effectiveness of one's communication.

Revising Writing Enhances Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving Skills

Willink likens the process of writing and revising to planning an attack; one must bring granularity to the planning before knowing if it will work. Similarly, writing helps in discovering what one knows about a topic as well as identifying areas needing more learning. The process of refining sentences and claims during research exemplifies how modifying or rejecting weakly supported claims can enhance critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Writing is thus a dynamic process that fosters development and innovation in thinking.

Effective Communication Is a Hallmark of Leadership

Willink suggests that effective writing underpins leadership, allowing leaders to articulate vision and intentions clearly. This skill inspires and motivates teams, playing a pivotal role in the execution of plans.

Leaders Who Clearly and Persuasively Articulate Their Vision, Plans, and Expectations Inspire and Motivate Their Teams

Precise and clear communication, which is essential in written form, is also transformative in verbal leadership. Leaders who write well can more persuasively articulate their vision and strategies, fostering confidence and unity among their teams.

Effective Writing Helps Leaders Make Arguments, Issue Directives, and Provide Feedback

Staff officers, as described by Willink, use written recommendations to support their claims with evidence. This ability is crucial for leaders to issue directives and provide constructive feedback. The discipline of writing ensures not only that leaders communicate commands effectively, but also that they understand and internalize their plans more thoroughly.

Improving Writing Boosts Cognitive and Professional Skills

Discipline and attention to detail in writing are critical in augmenting a leader’s cognitive ab ...