On 20th July 1997, Captain Michael Abrashoff took command of USS Benfold – one of the latest and most advanced battle ships of the US Navy. Despite the impressive build, technology and combat prowess, it had two major issues: extremely poor team performance and a demoralised crew. Captain Abrashoff turned the ship around (pun intended) in 20 months and here’s how he did it.
Leveraging trust: Abrashoff broke down captain-crew barriers, fostering an open-door policy for feedback, even within the highly hierarchical command-and-control US Naval management system.
Achieving quick results: Abrashoff prioritised rapid improvements, showcasing change was feasible. Initiatives boosted USS Benfold’s readiness, cutting costs by 25% and enhancing combat preparedness above 95%.
Building ownership: Abrashoff empowered crew with ownership, trusting them with decisions. He had a simple rule: If the decision had the potential to kill or injure someone, waste taxpayer’s money or damage the ship, it would be his call; for everything else, the crew was in charge.
Among many impressive results under Abrashoff’s command, the following incident highlights the essence of the ship’s performance and morale turnaround. One of the many awards, USS Benfold earned was the Spokane Trophy – an award established in 1908 by President Theodore Roosevelt, given annually to the most combat-ready ship in the Pacific Fleet.
The commodore, Abrashoff’s boss, emailed him congratulating him for the award, but the email contained a caveat. The commodore’s ship had won the equivalent award in the Atlantic Fleet plus the navy’s all time highest gunnery score of 103.6 (out of 105). ‘Until USS Benfold can beat that score, I don’t want to hear any crowing’, the commodore’s email read.
Two weeks later, it was USS Benfold’s turn. Captain Abrashaoff, without saying a word to his crew, taped a printout of the email to the gun mount. They achieved 104.4 (out of 105), setting a new record. Captain Abrashoff writes in his New York Times best-selling book, It’s Your Ship, ‘afterwards, I let my crew respond to the commodore. I didn’t read it, but I have the impression that they crowed quite a bit.’
