It's Your Ship

It’s Your Ship is a leadership book written by Captain D. Michael Abrashoff and is based on his experiences in the navy with a focus on his leadership practices as the captain of the USS Benfold. Below are some of the main points of emphasis found in the book that I believe if applied, can help us all to be more effective leaders, and help us more successfully guide our ship.

#1 Simplicity

Captain Abrashoff mentions at many times that good leadership requires doing simple things well. He writes “the art of leadership lies in simple things.” Sometimes we believe that in order to be great leaders we have to do big things to motivate and inspire others but we are reminded time and time again in this book that simple things produce great results. For example, Captain Abrashoff allowed younger enlistees to tour the ship when visitors came aboard when it was common practice for the Captain or some other high ranking officer to provide these tours. This simple act had a profound impact on his crew. Thus as leaders, we too can focus on the little things that can have a big difference on the performance of our team.

#2 Empowerment

It is emphasized over and over again in this book how Captain Abrashoff empowered his team to make decisions. He writes “The most effective managers work hard at showing people how to find their own solutions and then get out of their way.” During his time as Captain, it seems he was never caught peering over his crew member’s shoulders but instead trusted them with great responsibilities. Captain Abrashoff confesses that in many cases he was nervous as he stood back and allowed his people to take responsibility but in the end, they always seemed to perform well and gain confidence. Likewise, when we truly empower our people we open the door to a much higher level of success. People want to feel trusted and they want to do a good job. Showing this trust as a leader and allowing our people flexibility and decision making authority will strengthen our team and end in better performance.

#3 Others Focus

Many high ranked leaders are focused on themselves but Captain Abrashoff strongly emphasizes that the best leaders are focused on others. Rather than seek for praise or recognition for one’s self, truly great leaders look for praise for their team and others. Captain Abrashoff writes, “A great leader puts other’s performance ahead of their ego. Never once do anything to promote yourself…”. By doing this, we gain the trust and respect of our team which is essential in our ability to lead them. When people feel and know you are looking out for them, they will go the extra mile for you. Having a focus on others rather than self significantly magnifies our ability to be successful leaders.

I believe these suggestions applied will greatly enhance our leadership ability. In the end, as the title suggests, ultimately it is ‘our ship’ and we can decide how effective we will become as leaders.

To see how I ranked this book click here