---
title: "Prioritize and Execute"
description: "Stay calm and handle one problem at a time under pressure, highest priority first."
canonical: https://tomsharman.com/bookshelf/extreme-ownership/prioritize-and-execute/
updated: 2026-11-03
---

# Prioritize and Execute

> Stay calm and handle one problem at a time under pressure, highest priority first.

Jocko Willink and Leif Babin's framework, from Extreme Ownership, pp. 108 to 182.

Framework 1 of 6 from [Extreme Ownership](https://tomsharman.com/bookshelf/extreme-ownership/index.md) by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin. Category: Hiring and teams.

## The steps

1. **Evaluate the highest priority problem.** Step back from the emotion and decide what matters most.
2. **State it simply.** Lay out the top priority effort for the team in clear, concise terms.
3. **Develop a solution.** Seek input from key leaders and the team where possible.
4. **Direct the execution.** Focus every effort and resource on that priority.
5. **Move to the next problem.** Repeat with the next highest priority.
6. **Pass situational awareness.** When priorities shift, tell the team up and down the chain.
7. **Avoid target fixation.** Keep watching for other problems developing and shift as needed.

## Where it comes from

From chapter: II. Laws of Combat, pp. 108–182

## The animation

24 seconds, 4:5, no sound.

- MP4: https://tomsharman-downloads-006143767029.s3.eu-north-1.amazonaws.com/downloads/bookshelf/extreme-ownership/prioritize-and-execute.mp4
- MP4, dark: https://tomsharman-downloads-006143767029.s3.eu-north-1.amazonaws.com/downloads/bookshelf/extreme-ownership/prioritize-and-execute-dark.mp4
- Still: https://tomsharman-downloads-006143767029.s3.eu-north-1.amazonaws.com/downloads/bookshelf/extreme-ownership/prioritize-and-execute.png
- Still, dark: https://tomsharman-downloads-006143767029.s3.eu-north-1.amazonaws.com/downloads/bookshelf/extreme-ownership/prioritize-and-execute-dark.png