Language shapes how people think, decide, and act. A leader’s words can build trust and ownership, or shut them down. In this book, former US Navy Captain L. David Marquet introduces a set of leadership practices to help people speak up, think clearly, and take ownership, so the team delivers its best results. In this free Leadership is Language summary, you’ll learn why traditional command-and-control communication is ineffective and how to use Marquet’s 6 modern leadership plays to create proactive teams that can communicate openly and take responsibility for their outcomes.
This summary will cover:
- What is the Leadership is Language Book About?
- Part 1: Updating the Leadership Playbook
- Part 2: What is Leadership Language? The 6 New Leadership Plays
- Getting the Most from Leadership is Learning
- Leadership is Language Chapters
- About The Author of Leadership is Language
- Leadership is Language Quotes
Let’s dive straight into it!
What is the Leadership is Language Book About?
The right language creates better results. In this book, David Marquet shares a new leadership playbook: a set of practical tools and language patterns to improve team communication, ownership, and results.
Marquet had a successful career in the U.S. Naval Academy, rising to become a captain in the submarine force. Initially, he led with tight control and an emphasis on compliance. This earned him promotions and recognition, but left him personally unfulfilled and disconnected from his teams.
Marquet’s leadership style changed when he took command of the nuclear-powered submarine USS Santa Fe. His usual approach of giving detailed orders couldn’t work as he only knew little of the submarine’s operations. Instead of telling the crew what to do, he tried a new approach: communicating shared goals and allowing people to figure out the best way to achieve them.
Within a year, the ship went from being the lowest performing crew in the submarine force to the best. Inspections and re-enlistment rates reached record-high, operations improved, and many officers went on to leadership roles.
The transformation came from ownership, independent thinking, and changing the way people communicated. Learn how Marquet cultivated leaders in all levels of the organization in our summary for Turn the Ship Around.
In this summary, we’ll focus on you’ll learn why we need a new leadership playbook, and the 6 leadership approaches (with the language of leadership) that drive results.
For more examples and details on how to develop leadership communication and organizational culture that encourages a collaborative approach, check out our full 17-page book summary bundle for Leadership is Language (with text, infographic and audio formats)
Part 1: Updating The Leadership Playbook
PROBLEMS WITH THE INDUSTRIAL AGE PLAYBOOK
Many modern organizations are still using an outdated Industrial-Age playbook that focuses on obedience, efficiency, and control.
In the industrial age, people were divided into deciders vs doers.
Leaders/managers planned and issued instructions, while workers complied. Since followers didn’t conceive the work, leaders had to convince or coerce them to perform.
Success was measured by output per unit time. In short, the faster you worked, the better you were.
This top-down, time-driven model worked for factories and repetitive tasks. But in today’s knowledge-based world, such hierarchical barriers can lead to inflexibility, disengagement, and costly mistakes.
Why Hierarchical Structures & Communication Skills Matter: A Real Story
In 2015, the container ship El Faro sailed straight into Hurricane Joaquin enroute to Puerto Rico, sinking with all 33 crew members. The voyage transcript revealed how culture and communication patterns contributed to the disaster.
Before departure, the captain had already chosen the direct Atlantic route without real discussion with the crew. This route was faster but riskier, driven by time pressure and the need to meet shipping schedule.
Once under way, the plan was considered fixed. Changing course would mean acknowledging doubt and seeking higher approval, so the captain stayed the course even as conditions worsened.
He repeatedly dismissed the crew’s concerns with words like “We’re good” and “It should be fine.” This further discouraged the crew from sharing honest inputs, and reinforced the unspoken rule: don’t question authority.
Even when the crew saw clear signs of trouble, they hesitated to speak up directly. Concerns were raised in an indirect way that failed to convey the urgency of the situation—until it was too late to act.
Had the captain changed his language to express doubt, acknowledge risks, and used open-ended questions to invite the crew’s opinions, they could have rerouted midway and averted the disaster.
In today’s knowledge-based, fast-changing world, we need a new playbook for leaders—one that balances thinking and doing, promotes an open share of voice, and distributes decision-making.
ADOPTING A MODERN PLAYBOOK
In groups, those who talk most tend to control the flow and outcome of discussions. An unequal share of voice limits diversity of ideas and suppresses collective intelligence.
The Team Language Coefficient (TLC) translates each participant’s share of words into a numerical measure of conversational equality. Lower TLCs reflect healthier conversations.
TLC of 0.0 means everyone speaks equally, while a TLC of 1.0 means 1 person dominates entire. In a 3-person team where 2 speak equally and 1 stays silent, the TLC = 0.5.
Every team needs a healthy rhythm between doing and thinking. Yet, most organizations default toward either extremes, leading to:
(i) Constant action without thought: Leaders drive action, compliance and micromanage details, leading to distrust, disengagement and a lack of inspiration; or
(ii) Endless thought without action: Leaders overanalyze and fear to commit, leading to decision-paralysis and lack of progress.
David Marquet distinguishes between two modes of work that every team must consciously alternate between:
- Red Work (Doing): This is about getting things done.
- Blue Work (Thinking): This is about exploration, debate, and reflection.
Here’s a visual comparison of Redwork vs Bluework:
Effective systems like Total Quality Management and Crew Resource Management succeed by combining both modes—using blue work to learn and enhance red work execution. In our complete book summary, we dive deeper into:
- How you can improve safety and performance based on research from aviation and maritime studies.
- The requirements for RedWork and BlueWork to thrive and the associated risks.
- When/How to use 6 structured plays or leadership approaches for different situations.
Part 2: What is Leadership Language? The 6 New Leadership Plays
In the book, L. David Marquet presents 6 leadership plays which jointly form a modern leadership language; one that replaces control with curiosity, compliance with commitment, and silence with open conversation.
These 6 sets of language habits and practices help you toggle effectively between red work and blue work:
1. CONTROL THE CLOCK, NOT OBEY THE CLOCK
Often, people get stuck in red work due to stress, time-constraints, or a lack of authority/confidence to challenge the rules. They obey the clock, rush decisions, stay busy, and miss warning signs. In our complete summary, you will learn:
- How obeying the clock can lead to costly errors; and
- 4 ways to control the clock to manage the pace of work and build in pause points intentionally: (i) invite a pause, (ii) name the pause, (iii) call a pause and (iv) pre-plan the next pause.
2. COLLABORATE, DON’T COERCE
Coercion is about using power or influence get others to agree with you. Many leaders present a firm opinion or solution, then ask leading questions to get people to fall in line. They might say: “This is what I think. Does everyone agree?” That’s just coercion disguised as collaboration so the leader can declare “everyone’s onboard.”
Our complete Leadership is Language summary covers:
- How we can lower the power gradient to foster collaboration and safety; and
- 4 ways to shift from coercion to collaboration, including steps to (i) vote first before discussing (using tools like anonymous polls or probability cards), (ii) be genuinely curious (and avoid 7 common mistakes in asking questions), (iii) invite dissent, and (iv) inform not instruct.
3. COMMIT, DON’T COMPLY
Compliance means doing something because you have to (external motivation). It’s easier than commitment, as people can follow orders without thinking or taking responsibility. It’s important at times, e.g. enforcing safety rules at the workplace. In our full book summary, you’ll learn:
- The difference between compliance and commitment.
- 3 ways to turn compliance into commitment including: (i) commit to learn, (ii) commit to actions, and (iii) divide big projects into bite-sized chunks that can be tested to see if the decisions work.
- Additional implementation tips to avoid getting stuck in endless deliberation and avoid an escalation of commitment.
4. COMPLETE, NOT CONTINUE
When work is seen as 1 unending action, people tend to continue on the same path they no longer fit. Find out from our full Leadership is Language summary:
- How continuation can lead to outdated moves and eventual failure.
- What is Completion and 4 ways to turn continuation into completion, including steps to: (i) vary the red-blue cycle by product or project stage, (ii) celebrate behaviors instead of traits, and (iii) focus on the journey (not just the destination).
5. IMPROVE, NOT PROVE
People naturally want to appear capable (the “prove” or “be good” mindset). But this can lead them to defend past choices, or avoid mistakes/changes.
Learn more from our full summary on:
- How real progress comes from a growth mindset.
- How to use 4 Ways to cultivate the “improve mindset”: (i) look ahead, (ii) focus on others, (iii) improve processes (not people) and(iv) aim for excellence.
6. CONNECT, DON’T CONFORM
In hierarchical organizations, people often conform, hide their doubts, and wait for permission. Fear of consequences can impair judgment and kill initiative, leading to poor decisions.
In our complete 17-page summary, we dive deeper into:
- How conforming can lead to disastrous outcomes.
- What is connection and the role of psychological safety in employee engagement and team collaboration.
- 4 ways to build Connection, including steps to: (i) narrow the power gradient between leaders and team members, (ii) admit uncertainty, (iii) embrace vulnerability, and (iv) trust people (before they prove themselves).
PUTTING IT TOGETHER
David L. Marquet ends the book with a reimagined El Faro voyage using the new playbook:
- Starting with the captain reducing the power gradient (hands out dissent cards, created mariner’s minute) followed by
- The watch officer activating Control the Clock play when facing the hurricane (calling a pause, shifting from red work to blue work, officers using fist-to-five voting method etc.)
- Making a small commitment (sail to Rum Cay cutoff, review conditions)
- And finally, prioritizing safety when the team met again.
Marquet also shares several real-world scenarios to show how the 6 leadership plays can transform different situations e.g. shortening drug research timelines by adding earlier checkpoints, running small experiments to improve work efficiency and safety etc. Find more details in our complete book summary bundle.
Getting the Most from Leadership is Language
Using the 6 modern leadership plays summarized above, you can shift how you lead and speak to transform team performance. If you’d like to zoom in on the ideas above and get more detailed insights, examples and actionable tips, do check out our full book summary bundle that includes an infographic, 17-page text summary, and a 32-minute audio summary.
The book includes detailed examples and scenarios that show how to use these plays in real-world situations, along with suggested readings for deeper understanding. You can purchase the book here or for additional resources and tools, visit davidmarquet.com.
Looking for more resources to learn how to communicate openly and build trust? Check out these powerful summaries:
- The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership: Uncover the 21 principles to become a more powerful and effective leader, based on this 40 years of leadership insights by John Maxwell.
- The Infinite Game: Achieve infinitely better outcomes with an infinite mindset!
- The Dichotomy of Leadership: Learn powerful lessons from U.S. Navy SEALs and business to balance forces that pull leaders in opposing directions.
Leadership is Language book rates 4.6 stars on Amazon (1277 reviews) and 4.0 stars on Goodreads (2030 ratings).
Who Should Read This Book
- Leaders, managers, and executives who want to move beyond command-and-control and inspire teams to think, speak up, and take ownership.
- Human resources professionals and team leads who want practical language tools to improve communication, decision-making, collaboration under pressure, and perform at higher levels.
Leadership is Language Chapters
Our summaries are reworded and reorganized for clarity and conciseness. Here’s the full chapter listing from Leadership is Language by L. David Marquet, to give an overview of the original content structure in the book.
See All Chapters (Click to expand)
INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER 1: Losing El Faro
CHAPTER 2: The New Playbook
CHAPTER 3: Exiting Redwork: Control the Clock
CHAPTER 4: Into the Bluework: Collaborate
CHAPTER 5: Leaving Bluework Behind: Commit
CHAPTER 6: The End of Redwork: Complete
CHAPTER 7: Completing the Cycle: Improve
CHAPTER 8: The Enabling Play: Connect
CHAPTER 9: Applying the Redwork – Bluework Principles in Workplace Situations
CHAPTER 10: The Red-Blue Operating System
CHAPTER 11: Saving El Faro
Leadership is Language: The Hidden Power of What You Say —and What You Don’t [Publication Year: February 4, 2020/ ISBN: 978-0735217539 ]
About the Author of Leadership is Language
Leadership is Language: The Hidden Power of What You Say —and What You Don’t is written by L. David Marquet. He was a former United States Navy submarine captain who famously commanded the USS Santa Fe, transforming it from one of the worst-performing vessels in the fleet to the first. This experience led him to develop the leader-leader model, an approach that gives control, not just orders, to turn doers into decision-makers. After a 28-year naval career, Marquet now works as a leadership consultant, teaching organizations how small changes in language can create stronger, more adaptive teams.
Leadership is Language Quotes
“Leadership is about making the lives of others easier…Leadership is about the hard work of taking responsibility for how our actions and words affect the lives of others.”
“When we involve everyone in thinking, we get a win-win situation.”
“Doing and thinking are the basic building blocks of all human activity. The correct balance of these two activities helps us achieve our goals.”
“Doing is important, but action must be balanced with thinking.”
“Collaboration is based on the belief that others have something to offer.”
“There is power and resilience in a diversity of ideas.”
“Inform people of the consequences of their behavior and let them choose.”
“The moment we commit to an action is the moment we choose to dedicate time and energy toward that particular objective.”
“There must be choice before there is commitment. If a person has no choice but to say yes, then what we have is compliance.”
“Continuing will be what we do if we do not come up with a reason not to do it.”
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