Which statement is not true according to the authors?

• A. The leader must put aside his ego and personal agenda to ensure the team had the greatest chance of accomplishing its strategic goal
• B. Leaders have nothing to prove but everything to prove
• C. Leaders should exercise good judgment; remain calm; make the right decisions when it matters most
• D. No one person is more important than the team and its mission

Answer: (A)

At the heart of Extreme Ownership is taking full responsibility for outcomes while keeping ego in check to serve the mission. The statement that you must completely set aside ego and personal agenda to give the team the best chance implies erasing ego entirely. In the authors’ view, leadership isn’t about eliminating ego altogether; it’s about managing it so it doesn’t drive bad decisions. A leader must be humble and accountable, but also confident and decisive when it matters. When ego is properly controlled and aligned with the mission, it can support action and clarity; problems arise when ego skews judgment or personal goals override the team’s goal. So that absolute framing is not accurate. The other statements align with the authors’ emphasis: exercising good judgment, staying calm, and making the right decisions under pressure; and the idea that no one person is more important than the team and its mission.