Its safety record was abysmal, morale was worse, and its reenlistment rate ranked at an. When captain abrashoff took over as commander of uss benfold, a ship armed with every cuttingedge system available, it was like a. Mike abrashoff was the mostjunior officer in the pacific fleet when he took command of the nearworst performing ship. Michael abrashoff recounted the leadership lessons from the turnaround of uss benfold in its your ship, a new york times and wall street journal bestseller.
Michael abrashoff, former captain of the uss benfold, is founder and coowner of aegis performance group. This article is excerpted with permission from the book its your ship. Michael abrashoffs leadership methods and his books. Michael abrashoff, legendary commander of the uss benfold, continues in the same vein of his bestselling book its your ship with the knowledge hes gained from his speaking to and advising some of the top business minds in the world. Mike abrashoff became commander of uss benfold at age 36, making him the most junior commanding officer in the pacific fleet on a ship that was plagued by low morale, high turnover and abysmal performance evaluations.
Mike abrashoff speakers bureau and booking agent info. Prior to commanding uss benfold, our brilliant speaker mike abrashoff was the military assistant to secretary of defense william j. The most important thing that a captain can do is to see the ship. Mike abrashoff learned about leadership as captain of the uss benfold, a guidedmissile destroyer that he and his crew transformed from a disgrace into the best damn ship in the navy. Browse the amazon editors picks for the best books of 2019, featuring our favorite reads in. When captain abrashoff took over as commander of uss benfold, it was like a business that had all the latest technology but only some of the productivity. Knowing that responsibility for improving performance rested with him, he realized he had to improve his own leadership skills before he could improve his ship. Mike abrashoff former commander, uss benfold and author. The challenges of this underachieving destroyer were staggering, with low morale and the highest turnover rate.
Mike abrashoff is the ny times best selling author of its your ship former naval. The story of captain abrashoff and his command of uss benfold has become legendary inside and outside the navy. Read the short excerpt on commander abrashoffs leadership style and discuss the following two questions found at the end of the excerpt. This was abrashoffs first sea command, so he was undoubtedly anxious as he walked onto the ship. Michael abrashoff served for almost twenty years in the u. The story of that stunning transformation has lessons for every organization. Mike abrashoff generally travels from lakeland, fl, usa and can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other. At the time he was the most junior commanding officer in the pacific fleet on a ship that was plagued by low morale, high turnover and abysmal. Knowing that responsibility for improving performance rested with him, he realized he had to improve his own. Michael abrashoff was in his midthirties when he took command of the uss benfold, a guided missile destroyer and one of the worst performing ships in the navy.
Through what he calls grassroots leadership, he turned around the operations of the uss benfold, one of the u. Its your ship the legendary new york times bestselling tale of topdown change for anyone trying to navigate todays uncertain business seas. At the core of his leadership approach on uss benfold was a process of replacing command and control with commitment and cohesion, and engaging the hearts, minds, and loyalties of workers with conviction and humility. When captain abrashoff took over as commander of uss benfold, it was like a business that had all the latest. Jim loehr and tony schwartz in their groundbreaking book. Under his leadership, within 12 months the ship was ranked first in performance, utilizing the same crew. Mike recounted the leadership lessons from his turnaround of uss benfold in its your ship. Build up your people article by mike abrashoff from its. Uss benfold ddg65 is an arleigh burkeclass destroyer in the united states navy benfold is a multimission platform capable of aaw antiaircraft warfare with the powerful aegis combat systems suite and antiaircraft missiles, asw antisubmarine warfare, with towed sonar array, antisubmarine rockets, asuw antisurface warfare with a harpoon missile launcher, and strategic land. When captain abrashoff took over as commander of uss benfold. The legendary tale of topdown change for anyone trying to navigate todays uncertain business seas. Book mike abrashoff for public speaking harry walker agency. Book mike abrashoff for speaking, events and appearances.
Mikes written three books his first, its your ship, has sold over 1 million copies. Read the short excerpt on commander abrashoff s leadership style and discuss the following two questions found at the end of the excerpt. Mike abrashoff former commander, uss benfold and author, its. Mikes solution was to establish a set of management principles that he calls the leadership roadmap. Michael abrashoff s leadership methods and his books. Twelve months later the ship was the benchmark for performance the shining star. Achieving breakthrough performance michael abrashoff. When mike abrashoff took command of the uss benfold, morale was low, turnover was high and performance ranked at the bottom of the pacific fleet.
By governing his ship with his unique management techniques, abrashoff turned the benfold into a model of naval efficiency, with amazing cost savings, the highest gunnery score in the pacific fleet, and a highly motivated and top performing crew. Now abrashoff offers this fascinating tale of topdown change for anyone trying to navigate todays uncertain business seas. Regarded as the finest ship in the pacific fleet, benfold won the prestigious spokane trophy for having the highest degree of combat readiness. Management techniques from the best damn ship in the navy summary when captain abrashoff took over as commander of uss benfold, a ship armed with every cuttingedge system available, it was like a business that had all the latest. At the age of 36, the navy selected mike to become commander of uss benfold. By governing his ship through his unique management techniques, abrashoff turned the benfold into a model of naval efficiency, with amazing cost savings, the highest gunnery score in the pacific fleet, and a highly motivated and top performing crew.
First published in 2002, it quickly became a classic in the field of management books. Oct 15, 2007 the legendary new york times bestselling tale of topdown change for anyone trying to navigate todays uncertain business seas. Knowing that responsibility for improving performance rested with him, he realized. Michael abrashoff floridavirginia capitol city speakers bureau. Mike abrashoff is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics. At 36, he was selected to be commander of uss benfold and was the most junior commanding officer in the pacific fleet.
Twelve months later, the uss benfold was the best ship in the entire navy using the same crew. Michael abrashoff and his command of uss benfold has become legendary. He also helped draft the air defense plan for the naval forces in the persian gulf in 1990, coinciding with iraqs invasion of kuwait. Thats the situation mike abrashoff, author of its your ship, faced when he became the youngest commander in the u. Benfold is a guided missile destroyer staffed with 310 sailors. Michael abrashoff and his command of uss benfold has become legendary inside and outside the navy. Speaker mike abrashoff organizational change book a keynote. Mike abrashoffs inspiring speeches challenge people to reimagine their own leadership thinking and instill a renewed responsibility for results and success. New york times bestseller when captain abrashoff took over as commander of uss benfold, it was like a business that had all the latest technology but only some of the productivity. Pacific fleet presented the battle effectiveness battle e award to the crew of the guidedmissile destroyer uss benfold ddg 65 as part of a visit to local forward deployed naval force japan fdnfj ships and commands june. His latest, its our ship the no nonsense guide to leadership is the third in a series based on his command tour aboard uss benfold ddg65 and building on his experiences with leaders in the business world. By governing his ship with his unique management techniques, abrashoff turned the benfold into a model of naval efficiency, with amazing cost savings, the highest gunnery score in the pacific fleet, and a. After leaving the navy, he wrote a bestseller about progressive leadership called its your ship.
Michael abrashoff the story of captain abrashoff and his command of uss benfold has become legendary inside and outside the navy. What police leaders can learn from uss benfold commander. Uss benfold ddg65 is an arleigh burkeclass destroyer in the united states navy. Management techniques from the best damn ship in the navy, by captain d. When captain abrashoff took over as commander of uss benfold, a ship armed with every cuttingedge system available, it was like a business that had all the latest technology but only some of the productivity. The legendary new york times bestselling tale of topdown change for anyone trying to navigate todays uncertain business seas. When captain abrashoff took over as commander of uss benfold, it was like a business that had all the latest technology but only some of. Michael abrashoff was the most junior officer in the pacific fleet when he took command of the uss benfold the nearworst performing ship in the navy. Jul 23, 2014 mike abrashoff s inspiring speeches challenge people to reimagine their own leadership thinking and instill a renewed responsibility for results and success. Mike abrashoff is at the center of one of the most remarkable modern day stories of organizational transformation.
Jul 02, 2014 now abrashoff offers this fascinating tale of topdown change for anyone trying to navigate todays uncertain business seas. Michael abrashoff former commander, uss benfold and author, its your ship. Michael abrashoff was in his midthirties when he took command of the uss benfold, a guided missile destroyer and one of the worst performing ships in the. This was abrashoff s first sea command, so he was undoubtedly anxious as he walked onto the ship. Book mike abrashoff for speaking, events and appearances apb. Despite her potency, the dysfunctional ship had a sullen crew that resented being there and could not wait to get out of the navy. Navy commander michael abrashoff attracted worldwide media attention for his success in turning around a struggling ship, the uss benfold. As was military tradition, the navy rolls out the red carpet for a departing. The ship was the uss benfold, and it ranked near the bottom of the performance rating in the fleet. Abrashoffs written three books his first, its your ship, has sold over 1 million copies. Mike abrashoff former commander, uss benfold and author of. Management techniques from the best damn ship in the navy summary when captain abrashoff took over as commander of uss benfold, a ship armed with every cuttingedge system available, it was like a business that had all the latest technology but only some of the productivity.
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