It's Your Ship

“Show me an organization in which employees take ownership, and I will show you one that beats its competitors.”

The theme of empowerment is evident in this passage. In Abrashoff’s view, employees within a company should be encouraged to utilize their own strengths and abilities to problem solve and be creative. When employees are able to have some measure of independence, they are far more likely to be emotionally invested in the success and health of the company.

“I have learned over and over that once you squander an opportunity, you can never get it back.”

The passage demonstrates the kind of urgency with which Abrashoff approached his duties as a new commander of the Benfold. Abrashoff immediately determined that the complacency afforded by the status-quo would only perpetuate the problems bad leadership caused on the Benfold prior to his arrival.

“As I saw it, my job was to create the climate that enabled people to unleash their potential. Given the right environment, there are few limits to what people can achieve.”

This passage highlights Abrashoff’s approach to leadership. The outlook places faith in the crew’s abilities, which makes the crew feel trusted and valued. This works to further motivate the crew because they feel empowered to grow as individuals.

“The difference between thinking as a top performer and thinking like your boss is the difference between individual contribution and real leadership.”

Abrashoff points out here that many people who are experts in their field do not make great leaders, mainly because they overlook the idea that being an effective leader requires specific skills outside of their area of expertise. Here, Abrashoff asserts that to become an effective leader, one should adopt the model provided by effective leaders around them.

“A leader will never accomplish what he or she wants by ordering it done. Real leadership must be done by example, not precept.”

Abrashoff discusses the idea that effective leadership comes as a result of modeling. Abrashoff alludes to this concept as part of a larger discussion in which he distinguishes between top-performers and true leaders. The passage here points out this important leadership trait as an example. If a team does not see its leader following their own advice, the team will not follow it either. Conversely, seeing a leader who practices what they preach gives a team confidence and builds trust.

“People can absorb anything if they are not deceived or treated arrogantly. Lies and arrogance create an us-versus-them atmosphere that poisons productivity.”

Abrashoff spends much of the beginning of Chapter 5 discussing the importance of maintaining open lines of communication within a company. A significant aspect of this passage is the importance Abrashoff places on treating all employees with a basic level of respect. When that is abused, then a negative outcome is inevitable.

“Trust is like a bank account- you have got to keep making deposits if you want it to grow. On occasion, things will go wrong, and you will have to make a withdrawal. Meanwhile, it is sitting in the bank earning interest.”

Abrashoff argues that a primary responsibility for effective leadership is to allow employees a degree of autonomy. This takes trust, and while it can be difficult, in the long run, the organization is far better served when employees at all levels are encouraged to solve problems on their own, even if this means they will likely fail from time to time.

“Instead of salutes, I wanted results, which to me meant achieving combat readiness.”

In Abrashoff’s view, the rigidity of the Navy’s rank system created discontinuity between officers and enlisted sailors. This ultimately has a negative effect on the ship’s combat readiness as it stifles open communication. Abrashoff was willing to bend the rules of this system, which he contends helped create a culture on the ship that valued teamwork over rank.

“Crews complain when a senior officer or VIP is scheduled to come aboard and they’re ordered to clean or even paint the ship in preparation, but have to be out of sight when the eminence arrives-as though they’re not good enough to mingle with the brass. Well, on my ship, the VIPs were my crew.”

Similar to the previous passage, Abrashoff is referring to the rank system within the Navy, which he likens to classism. As a means of empowering his crew, he subverts the rank system so that the crew is authentically valued and treated as though they are as important as anyone else.

“Even when the reluctance to speak up stems from admiration for the commanding officer’s skill and experience, a climate to question decisions must be created in order to foster double-checking.”

This quote illustrates the importance of open communication within an organization. No leader is infallible and allowing for open communication, at the very least, helps ensure that a leader’s decisions are the right ones.

“Show me someone who has never made a mistake, and I will show you someone who is not doing anything to improve your organization.”

Abrashoff argues that embracing change is essential to running a successful organization. This inherently involves risk-taking. While Abrashoff delineates between calculated risk-taking and recklessness, in order to reach goals and go beyond them, a leader must be willing to push the envelope.

“If all you give are orders, then all you will get are order-takers.”

This creates a worst-case scenario in the military, where quick thinking and problem solving are essential for maintaining combat readiness. Abrashoff encourages his crew to think for themselves and gives them the space to do so. Providing autonomy to the crew is one way Abrashoff reaches his goal of maintaining a high degree of combat readiness.

“Innovation and progress are achieved only by those who venture beyond standard operating procedure.”

Abrashoff views stasis within an organization as a danger that can ultimately lead to its undoing. The status quo must be challenged when it is appropriate, and while Abrashoff adheres to certain traditions and sees value in these, a leader should look for ways to constantly and effectively evolve their organization.

“Leadership, as I have said, is mostly the art of doing simple things very well. However, we sometimes make it far tougher than it needs to be. Unlike some leaders, I prefer to build myself up by strengthening others and helping them feel good about their jobs and themselves.”

Abrashoff insists throughout the book that empowering his crew members is the most effective way to motivate them. In the end, the way they perform is a signal of how good a leader he is. Rather than tear them down with a fear-based leadership style, which in Abrashoff’s view is outdated and inefficient, Abrashoff helps the crew grow as people first and foremost.

“Show me a manager who ignores the power of praise, and I will show you a lousy manager. Praise is infinitely more productive than punishment—could anything be clearer?”

While Abrashoff does not delve into the psychology of motivation, here he alludes to operant conditioning and the power of positive reinforcement. In his view, the fear of punishment is a far less powerful motivating tool than the anticipation of a reward.

“I’m absolutely convinced that positive, personal reinforcement is the essence of effective leadership.”

Similar to the previous quote, Abrashoff directly mentions an aspect of operant conditioning, a concept made famous by BF Skinner in the mid-20th century. Here, he directly links the use of positive reinforcement to leadership and insists that it yields the best results.

“But you can’t ‘order’ an outstanding performance. You have to plan, enable, nurture, and focus on it.”

Abrashoff discusses the importance of preparation in this quote. The way to ensure that performance is of a high degree is to allow the crew time to prepare. This places them in the best position to succeed, rather than just expecting that they will.

“With perhaps a few exceptions, every organization’s success is a collective achievement.”

While Abrashoff does not list any of the exceptions, his larger purpose is to highlight the value he places on individual input from all members of the crew. While the degree of contributions may be different, when a successful result is achieved, it is because all involved have contributed some measure to that success.

“One of the toughest things for organizations to accomplish is to get people to set aside personal differences and work for the good of everyone involved.”

Abrashoff recognizes that people are naturally motivated by their own self-interests. The most effective way to break through this is to foster a sense of meaning for the employees. If they see their work is meaningful, and it allows them opportunities to grow, they are far more likely to care about the success of the whole rather than just their own.

“If you surround yourself with people exactly like yourself, you run the dangerous risk of groupthink, and no one has the creativity to come up with new ideas. The goal is not to create a group of clones, culturally engineered to mimic one another. Rather, unity is about maximizing uniqueness and channeling that toward the common goals of the group.”

Abrashoff discusses his prioritization of diversity over sameness and why he takes that position. It anticipates objections and points out that achieving unity is not a homogenization process where the goal is to overlook how people are different. Instead, in his view, a focus on unity harnesses people’s differences and diverse backgrounds for the good of the team.

“In my interviews with the crew, I also asked if there was any sexual harassment or racial prejudice being expressed on board. And when I heard about an occurrence, I acted immediately. If you don’t intend to act, then don’t bother to ask if it is going on. It will only make matters worse.”

In Abrashoff’s view, racism and gender discrimination are detriments to an organization, and a leader must be proactive about rooting them out. The leader must be aggressive in handling these issues, rather than gloss over their existence within the organization.

“Having fun with your friends creates infinitely more social glue for any organization than stock options and bonuses will ever provide.”

Bringing a sense of enjoyment to work is one of the ways Abrashoff creates a sense of meaning for his crew. If the sailors are having fun with what they are doing, they are much more likely to become personally invested in the work. The added benefit is that enjoyment of work is far more durable and long-lasting than short-term financial perks.

“On USS Benfold, the secret of good work was good play.”

Even while the ship was stationed in the Persian Gulf during dangerous situations, Abrashoff still allowed his crew to blow off steam. Allowing opportunities for employees to relax from time to time is crucial to their own emotional health, which keeps them optimized rather than depleted.