49 pages • 1 hour read
Captain D. Michael AbrashoffIt's Your Ship
Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 2002A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Introduction-Chapter 3Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Introduction Summary
Abrashoff starts the introduction by mentioning that beginning in 1997, he commanded the USS Benfold for 20 months. He describes the ship itself, a guided missile destroyer, and its capabilities at sea. While technology is ever-increasing, it is the people in the military who provide the “fighting edge” (1). Abrashoff outlines some of the recruitment and retention problems that the US Navy had when he wrote the book and asserts that the US taxpayer should be getting more for its $325 billion investment.
When Abrashoff took over command of the ship, it had been experiencing low morale, which he attributes to poor leadership. He scales this out and contends that poor leadership in the Navy is like poor leadership anywhere else in the corporate world. Abrashoff contends that getting the most out of a crew of employees depends on three variables: “the leader’s needs, the organization’s atmosphere, and the crew’s potential competence” (3) and argues that poor leadership tends to mismatch these variables.
Abrashoff switches gears and alludes to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the US. He argues that these attacks created a new sense of urgency for good leadership in all sectors. He discusses the idea that leadership is a skill that can be learned, and real leadership is not simply a designation of title. Abrashoff then discusses the overall inadequate technological skills of the sailors on the Benfold, noting that turning these people into skilled workers aboard the ship was an imminent challenge that he was faced with when assuming command. Abrashoff maintains that the reason for his success as commander of the ship has to do with the level of trust he was able to develop between himself and the rest of the people at his command. Abrashoff then lays out the structure of the book, noting that each chapter narrates a particular episode and then presents a lesson learned as it relates to leadership development. He extends these lessons to the more general business world and argues that for leaders to succeed, and by extension their companies, they must keep their egos in check.
Abrashoff briefly discusses the risk involved in challenging the pre-established leadership style of top-down command, which is more of a traditional style of command in the Navy. He also argues that sometimes it is necessary to be willing to try new things when traditional methods are failing. He sees this as a duty of leadership, and rather than take the safe approach and command the Benfold in the manner of his predecessor, which would have guaranteed him a promotion one way or the other, Abrashoff decided to extend himself and take risks. Eventually, the results showed the success of his new leadership approach and soon, many of his superiors were coming to him to learn what he was doing that created such a drastic difference in morale.
Finally, Abrashoff touches upon a speech that he was asked to give after his term as commander expired. Following his speech, he was asked by an audience member about which metrics he used to justify a new course of action. Abrashoff points out that naturally, metrics sometimes do not always provide the answers we’re looking for; instead, sometimes it is wisest to operate by feel, and let your own instinct of what is right guide you in the new changes that you contemplate. If it feels right, then there is a likelihood that it is the right thing to do. One should learn how to trust their instinct.
Chapter 1 Summary: “Take Command”
Abrashoff discusses the first moments he assumed command of the Benfold on June 20, 1997 and the immediate two weeks prior. At a ceremony recognizing the outgoing commander of the ship, the crew members cheered derisively in an open demonstration of disrespect. Abrashoff realized that in order to really operate the ship successfully, he would need to win over the crew. He muses on the nature of the crew’s open contempt of their commander and that it illustrates a larger trend in the business world, where employees who have leverage are far more able to confront their supervisors than in previous times. He also references exit surveys from sailors who did not return to the Navy after their first tour of duty, which asked what reasons they had for not returning. Abrashoff points out that surprisingly to him, the low pay was only the fifth reason. The top four: “not being treated with respect or dignity […] being prevented from making an impact on the organization […] not being listened to […] not being rewarded with more responsibility” (13). He says that data from the corporate world reveals similar findings. Therefore, one of his first decisions is to use the exit survey results to inform his own leadership style, making sure to directly address the top four concerns.
He briefly discusses the origins of the ship’s namesake, a man named Edward Benfold, who was killed in action in the Korean War. Benfold picked up a grenade that had been fired into a foxhole, carried it outside the foxhole, and when it detonated, he was killed, along with a number of Korean soldiers. For this, Benfold received the medal of honor. Abrashoff mentions the anecdote because a man like Benfold deserved to be honored in a dignified manner, which in this case involved the crew of the ship performing their duties with class and professionalism. Abrashoff then chronicles his professional rise through the Naval Academy, and his various positions as a staff member on multiple Navy vessels. He describes some of his superiors who operated with a strictly top-down command leadership style, and some were even disparaging and harsh toward him. Eventually, Abrashoff learned from these people how not to get the most out of employees, though even as he evolved toward the role on the Benfold, he recognized that he still carried over some of the top-down command style from his previous superiors, including a tendency to micromanage. Abrashoff then outlines some of the achievements that his crew was able to accomplish while he was at the helm of the ship, most notably the way the ship operated well under budget. Abrashoff also discusses various initiatives that fostered a workplace where employee feedback was appreciated and encouraged. Abrashoff again points to the dismal retention rate the Navy had at the time of his promotion to commander of the Benfold. After his time as commander, the retention rate for the Benfold jumped from 28% before he arrived to 100%. In addition to being an astounding success for Abrashoff, the increased retention rate saved taxpayers money because the cost of training replacements for each crew member who left the ship was around $100,000.
Abrashoff attributes the success of the Benfold to his management style, which prioritized empowering every crew member to be the best sailor they could be. Abrashoff allowed them a high degree of freedom to make their own decisions within certain limits. These limits pertained to whether or not the decisions could affect the lives of others, waste money, or damage the ship. Otherwise, Abrashoff granted the crew enormous freedom. He discusses the pay-off of this style, again noting some of the huge successes of the crew, notably breaking the Navy’s all-time highest gunnery score, and receiving the Spokane trophy, which rewarded the best ship in the Navy’s fleet.
Chapter 2 Summary: “Learn Real Leadership”
Abrashoff begins the chapter by noting that he considers his role as military assistant to Defense Secretary William Perry as “the greatest opportunity” of his life (30). Abrashoff discusses how he came to be Perry’s assistant, and that among other skills, he learned the attributes that distinguish being a leader from being an individual contributor to the organization. He then chronicles a typical day of work, a lengthy workday that included near-constant tedious paperwork. He would be expected to sort through a giant stack of paperwork, then summarize, then forward his determinations to his superior, a two-star general. The purpose of this task was to sort out only relevant and necessary information that Perry should have been notified of. At first, much of Abrashoff’s summaries and output was dispensed with. Abrashoff then trained himself to think like his boss, which helped him to become more efficient at his job.
Abrashoff again discusses the differences between being a top performer and being a leader. He uses the previous commander of the Benfold to illustrate his point. The commander had been an outstanding engineer prior to taking command of the ship. However, he failed to understand that being a leader requires different skills than his engineering background afforded him. He was unable to motivate his crew, and in Abrashoff’s view, this had much to do with his tendency to micromanage. Abrashoff points out that this is common across the business world as well. Because someone is a top performer in their field does not mean they will necessarily make a good leader, especially without adding to their skillsets.
To illustrate the importance of trusting one’s employees, Abrashoff details a trip he organized while he was working for Secretary Perry. There had been a bombing in Saudi Arabia in which five defense department members were killed. Because of the urgency of the situation, immediate action was required by Perry. As the secretary’s military assistant, Abrashoff responded by leading the preparation for Perry’s trip to Saudi Arabia the next day. The task was monumental and required intensive planning. Abrashoff describes the many tasks related to the preparation for Perry’s trip and the manner by which he delegated to others. Because the scope of this was so extensive, and involved many different people, there was no way for Abrashoff to micromanage. He needed to trust that others would do what was expected of him. Abrashoff also was highly detail-oriented, even at one point calling Perry’s wife to keep her updated on the situation since the secretary was fully involved in managing the incident once the entourage landed in Saudi Arabia. The logistics of the trip were immense, but Abrashoff’s response was to make sure that his boss, William Perry, did not have to concern himself with the smaller matters, which allowed him to focus on the immediate urgency of the moment.
Chapter 3 Summary: “Lead by Example”
Abrashoff begins this chapter by discussing some general principles of leadership, specifically that an effective leader understands that they serve as an example to those they lead. He then pivots to a subtopic entitled “It’s Funny How Often the Problem is You.” In this section, Abrashoff presents personal anecdotes in which leaders fail to take responsibility for failure, but instead seek scapegoats. One anecdote centers on a time when he was the Executive Officer (XO) of the Shiloh and a crew member had fallen asleep while standing watch. In the Navy, this is considered a crime of sorts. Abrashoff reacted in the manner he thought was protocol and forwarded the case to the commanding officer. Abrashoff figured the case was open and shut, but the captain questioned the crew member as to why he fell asleep, to which the sailor answered that he had been up all night cleaning the dirty workstation. Eventually, this created an upward track for where the blame resided, which it turns out was with Abrashoff himself.
For the second subtopic of the chapter, Abrashoff advises the reader to “Never Forget Your Effect on People.” He argues that a leader’s general demeanor, whether positive or negative, can have a significant impact on the people they lead. Since employees are generally very clued into what their leaders do and how they behave, it is important for the leader to be self-aware.
Abrashoff pivots to the next subtopic, entitled, “No One Follows a Leader Who Lies.” He tells a story of a flagrant and overt lie that was told by a commanding officer during a gunnery exercise, effectively scapegoating a subordinate crew member for a mistake that caused damage to the ship. Even afterward, when the truth of the accident was revealed to higher-ups, the commanding officer was insistent and outraged at the junior officer who leaked the truth. Abrashoff uses this example to point out his belief that the truth will eventually reveal itself, so it is best to always be honest as a leader. He transitions to another subtopic, this one more a guide for how an effective leader should behave morally. He refers to this saying that one should “Never fail the Washington Post test” (50). Effectively, one should be guided by the thought experiment: imagine this decision was front page news in The Washington Post. Would you be proud or would you be embarrassed? Abrashoff discusses the importance of leaders learning to listen to their own instincts and what feels right. As an example, he describes a particularly difficult decision he made while commander of the Benfold. A crew member had asked for permission to take leave so he could attend the birth of his child. Generally, this is against Navy policy. A crew member is allowed to leave only when a family member is critically ill. Abrashoff agonized over the decision, until finally he decided to grant the sailor’s request. As it turned out, the sailor’s child was placed in the intensive care unit (ICU) as soon as he was born. Abrashoff realized that in hindsight, he made the right decision because he trusted what his instinct was telling him was the right thing to do. Eventually, Abrashoff advocated for a change of policy regarding crew members attending the birth of their children, and the policy was ultimately modified. Lastly, Abrashoff advises that one should “Obey Even When You Disagree.” While it is important to stand up for what you believe, one should also understand their place in the hierarchy of their organizations. Abrashoff mentions that even though he achieved great success as commander of the Benfold because of his avant-garde leadership style, he was not a maverick, nor did he disobey his superiors.
Introduction-Chapter 3 Analysis
In the book’s introduction, Abrashoff lays out the intention for what he will examine in the book: “I will detail the ideas and techniques that I used to win my sailors’ trust and, eventually, their enthusiastic commitment to our joint goal of making our ship the best in the fleet” (5). Much of what follows is experience-based, and the lessons that Abrashoff attempts to impart are informed by his own time as commander of the USS Benfold. Abrashoff believes in a different kind of leadership model than the traditional top-down command style that the Navy is known for. Rather than the commander of a ship operating it according to his will, Abrashoff believes that the crew is as much a part of the ship’s success as its leader. He believes that in order to have a highly functioning, tightly knit operation, the top-down command style should be replaced by a style that delegates responsibility, fosters open communication, and builds trust. Among the lessons Abrashoff learned, perhaps most notable is his claim that “leadership is earned, not designated” (4). This claim acts as a unifying idea for much of the book.
The theme of Organizational Change emerges throughout this section. To begin with, Abrashoff establishes the fact that when he assumed command of the Benfold, it was not considered to be a successful operation. His predecessor had commanded the ship with a more traditional top-down style, and this had the effect of ruining morale amongst the sailors onboard. Abrashoff writes, “The dysfunctional ship had a sullen crew that resented being there and could not wait to get out of the Navy” (2). Turning things around involved a great deal of change, but it started with his own approach to leadership. He says, “It is well-known that every leader sets the tone for his or her organization. Show me an enthusiastic leader, and I will show you an enthusiastic workforce” (47). After assuming command of the Benfold, Abrashoff set a new kind of tone, and in the process let his crew know that he was different and that things on the ship were heading for change. Abrashoff claims that “As a manager, the one signal you need to steadily send to your people is how important they are to you. In fact, nothing is more important to you” (46). Abrashoff allowed his decision making to be guided by this principle, rather than the kind of old-fashioned leadership style in which commanders had very little personal interest in the people they led. Abrashoff further asserts that “Stasis is death to any organization. Evolve or die: It’s the law of life. Rules that made sense when they were written may well be obsolete. Make them extinct, too” (8). Here, he is suggesting that while an impersonal, detached, top-down command style of leadership may have at one time been effective, the state of the crew when he assumed command highlighted the need for immediate and drastic change. What the crew had been experiencing prior to Abrashoff’s arrival was indeed a kind of stasis that had resulted in poor performance, which in the case of the military, is a recipe for disaster.
Ultimately, Abrashoff’s leadership style can be summarized as The Impact of Empowerment on Team Morale, another theme of the book. Abrashoff maintains “that helping people realize their full potential can lead to attaining goals that would be impossible to reach under command-and-control” (5). Here, he points out the limits of the traditional command-control leadership style and notes that in order to fully operate at the highest level, all of the crew need to be empowered. Abrashoff defines what he means by the word empowerment in context: “Empowering means defining the parameters in which people are allowed to operate, and then setting them free” (27). Establishing the boundaries in a way that is clear for the crew is an important part of his method, but these are very specific and usually entail some kind of major or urgent set of circumstances. Otherwise, Abrashoff gave his crew room to be at their best for their own sake. Abrashoff fostered a sense of internal motivation in which the crew was pushing themselves as individuals because they believed they were part of something special. This enabled the ship to achieve goals that it simply could not have under the more traditional leadership style of command-control.
