What is the purpose of rehearsals and drills in Extreme Ownership?

• A. To train teams on the plan, surface gaps, and improve coordination under pressure.
• B. To evaluate individual technical skills in isolation.
• C. To assign blame when plans fail.
• D. To rehearse without feedback to save time.

Answer: (A)

Rehearsals and drills in Extreme Ownership focus on training teams on the plan, surfacing gaps, and improving coordination under pressure. They practice how the plan will actually unfold, not just what it says on paper. By running through realistic, time-constrained scenarios, the team sees where roles aren’t clear, where timing is off, or where communication could break down. This builds shared understanding, clarifies decision thresholds, and strengthens how everyone’s actions fit together under stress. The result is smoother execution because people know what to do, when to do it, and how to adapt together as conditions change, all while taking ownership for the collective outcome.

Rehearsals are not primarily about testing individuals in isolation, nor about assigning blame when something goes wrong, nor about practicing without feedback. Those elements would undermine the collaborative discipline and learning that rehearsals are meant to foster.