Leading the SDS Way: How Extreme Ownership Shapes Our Culture
At Strategic Data Systems, we don’t just manage projects; we lead them. We believe leadership exists at every level of our organization, from the executive team to the newest consultant. That belief is rooted in the principle of Extreme Ownership, as taught by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin, two former Navy SEALs who turned their battlefield experience into timeless lessons for business.
Their central message is simple: leaders must own everything in their world. There is no one else to blame.
What Extreme Ownership Means for SDS
Consulting always has challenges, such as shifting client priorities, legacy systems, and unclear requirements. But at SDS, we don’t point fingers. We take ownership. When something breaks, we fix it. When something’s unclear, we ask. When there’s confusion, we bring clarity. That’s what leadership looks like.
We expect every SDS consultant to embody four battlefield-proven principles highlighted in Extreme Ownership:
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Cover and Move – Work as a team. In the SEALs, this means providing cover fire while others advance. At SDS, it means backing up your teammates and owning the problem.
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Keep It Simple – Complicated plans fail. Whether we’re architecting cloud solutions or communicating with stakeholders, we strive for clarity and simplicity.
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Prioritize and Execute – When everything is urgent, nothing is. We train ourselves to take a breath, assess the situation, and act decisively on the most important task.
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Decentralized Command – Everyone is a leader. SDS empowers its people to make decisions, take initiative, and drive results.
The Principle in Action: Our Expectations
Extreme Ownership is more than a theory at SDS. It’s how we operate. Here’s what that looks like in practice:
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For consultants: Own your deliverables. If a client misses a deadline, help them get back on track. If requirements shift, drive clarity. Lead from where you are.
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For team leads: Own the team’s performance. If someone is falling behind, it’s your responsibility to coach, support, and get them back on track.
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For sales and recruiting: Own the client experience. If the communication breaks down, it’s on us to rebuild trust and move forward.
The SDS Principal Consultant Program: Extreme Ownership in Action
Our Principal Consultants aren’t just senior resources—they’re ambassadors of leadership. They embody Extreme Ownership by building deep relationships with clients, driving strategy, and guiding teams through ambiguity and complexity. They’re our first line of trust, our most reliable problem solvers, and living proof that leadership isn’t granted; it’s earned.
Why It Matters
The business world is unpredictable, but leadership grounded in ownership, humility, and teamwork gives us a reliable edge. When every member of SDS shows up like an owner, we deliver results that go beyond expectations and earn the trust of clients who know we have their backs.
Join a winning team at https://sds.io/careers
About the author
David Pledger is a founding partner of Strategic Data Systems (SDS), established in 1992 alongside Keith Stafford. With a foundation in electrical engineering and early career experience as a database consultant specializing in Sybase and SQL Server, David helped build SDS into a trusted provider of high-quality information technology consulting services. Under his leadership, SDS has delivered talent and solutions to clients across the region and the nation. David believes deeply in the philosophy that if you take care of your people, they will take care of your customers—an idea that continues to shape the company’s culture and success.
david.pledger@sds.io; 513-782-2020
