Northwood University will welcome best-selling author, leadership expert, and former U.S. Navy SEAL Officer Leif Babin to campus on Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025, for a keynote address in Griswold Lecture Hall. The event, part of Northwood’s Omniquest program, will run from 4 to 6 p.m. and include a reception following the keynote.
Babin is the co-author of Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win, Northwood University’s recent Omniquest selection. Written with fellow SEAL officer Jocko Willink, the book draws on lessons from the battlefield and applies them to leadership in business and life. Organized into three sections — Winning the War Within, The Laws of Combat, and Sustaining Victory — Extreme Ownership challenges readers to take full responsibility for outcomes, build trust and teamwork, and lead with clarity and discipline. Its central message — that there are no bad teams, only bad leaders — has inspired leaders across industries and around the world.
“Omniquest exists to spark dialogue around important ideas that build leadership, strengthen our community, and connect directly to our institutional philosophy, The Northwood Idea,” explained Academic Vice President and Provost Dr. Kristin Stehouwer. “Leif Babin is an American hero and his leadership experiences, both in combat and in business, provide powerful lessons for our students, faculty, staff, and broader community.”
Babin served 13 years in the U.S. Navy, nine of them in the SEAL Teams. He deployed three times to Iraq, including as a SEAL platoon commander during the Battle of Ramadi in 2006. After his service, he co-founded Echelon Front, a leadership consulting company that has trained thousands of leaders in nearly every industry. In addition to Extreme Ownership, Babin also co-authored The Dichotomy of Leadership.
“I’m honored to speak at Northwood University and share leadership principles learned on the battlefield that apply to academic studies, athletics, business careers beyond graduation and life,” Babin stated. “When you take ‘Extreme Ownership’ of problems, the problems get solved.”
“This is an incredible opportunity for our students to engage directly with an author whose work is shaping leadership conversations worldwide,” stated Undergraduate Dean Dr. Stacey Tetloff. “Leif Babin’s perspective will inspire our students to take ownership of their own growth and to apply these principles in their academic, professional, and personal lives.”
The Oct. 8 event will feature a 90-minute keynote presentation with time for audience Q&A, followed by a reception. Seating is limited and advance registration is required. Members of the public are welcome to attend but must RSVP in advance.
For more information and to register, visit www.northwood.edu/omniquest-forum.
