Former Navy SEAL Jocko Willink Says Biden Is Not 'Functioning At A Full Cognitive Level.' Here Are His Top 5 Tactics For Effective Leadership

Jocko Willink served 20 years in the U.S. Navy. He led SEAL Team 3's Task Unit Bruiser during the Battle of Ramadi, earning him the Silver Star and Bronze Star for his service.

After retiring from the Navy, Willink co-authored the book "Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win." He also hosts the "Jocko Podcast," which discusses leadership, discipline and various military topics. The "Jocko Podcast" YouTube channel now boasts 1.76 million subscribers.

Recently, Willink appeared on Fox Business to discuss leadership principles. The host asked him, "Do you think that the commander in chief, President Biden, has those leadership qualities?"

Willink didn't give a yes or no answer.

"I think it would be a difficult thing to do to judge him in his present state as a person, because I don't think that he's really functioning at a full cognitive level at this time," he replied.

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According to a recent NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist National Poll, 62% of Americans say they have concerns about Biden's mental fitness to be president when thinking about the 2024 presidential election.

Setting aside Willink's opinion on Biden, it's his leadership tactics that many seek to understand and emulate. So here's a look into his five key strategies for effective leadership.

1. Listen

Willink believes that listening is the most underrated tool of leadership.

"Everyone thinks about what they should be saying and what they should be telling people when they should spend a lot more time as a leader listening to what the team has to say," he said.

2. Build Strong Relationships

Willink told Fox Business that while building strong relationships should be an obvious part of leadership, he has seen many people prioritizing other things above relationships.

He added that the trust, respect and influence between two people is "the most powerful thing you can have" on a team.

3. Practice Discipline

Within an organization, Willink believes leaders need to set up constraints so people know how they can work and get things done without asking for additional information. And that "takes discipline."

4. Strike A Balance

Willink warns that if people get extreme in their opinions or interactions, it tends to cause problems. That's why it's crucial for leaders to maintain balance.

He used emotion as an example: "We don't want to be making emotional decisions because those will be bad decisions. But at the same time, this doesn't mean we should be completely void of emotions. We need to find a good solid balance as people and as leaders."

5. Take Ownership

Willink noted that people frequently resort to blaming others or external factors when confronted with problems.

Instead, leaders should take responsibility so they can come up with a solution to the problem.

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