Commander Michael Abrashoff had the distinct honor of stepping in to lead one of the Navy’s worst performing ships, the USS Benfold.
Within two years though, it was a very different story. The ship became ranked #1 in combat readiness in the Pacific Fleet, and led in many other metrics as well.
Most importantly though, the ship’s crew flourished.
What was the cause of this incredible turnaround, going from worst to first?
For one, Abrashoff treated the sailors with dignity, honor, and empathy. He stated: “When you shift your organizing principle from obedience to performance, the highest boss is no longer the guy with the most stripes – it’s the sailor who does the work … My job was to listen … to see the ship from the eyes of the crew.”
Can you imagine, in a top-down culture like the military, to have this kind of perspective?
He backed it up with actions too. One of his first steps after taking command was to personally interview all 300+ crew members. He asked them what they liked, and what could be better.
The crew had all kinds of great ideas, and Abrashoff didn’t just listen, he acted on them. Here are some of the creative things they did:
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The metal parts of the ship were replaced with stainless steel bolts and a specially coated metal that required no constant painting; the youngest sailors, who dreaded the constant chipping and painting, were delighted.
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An agreement with an SAT administrator allowed sailors who wanted to go to college to take the SATs in Bahrain, so they could pursue their education even while at sea.
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Because the crew spent so much time away from their families and often felt cut off, Abrashoff set up a special internet account to allow his sailors to stay in touch with their families.
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He disregarded strict navy rules for shore leave and rented minivans to allow his sailors to have more freedom on shore leave in Dubai under the supervision of senior petty officers.
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Another sore spot for the crew was the food. The commander rejected naval provisions, switched to purchasing lower-cost brand names, and used the savings to send his ship’s cooks to culinary school.
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The Benfolds’s crew had pumpkins during Halloween, projected music videos on the side of the ship, and the chief navigator was known for his Elvis impersonations.
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Abrashoff knew every one of his crew by name. He wanted to help them “chart a course through life. … I considered my job to improve my little 300-person piece of society.”
Their overarching vision was to be “The best damn ship in the Navy.”
And they achieved it.
The results were nothing short of astonishing:
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100% of its career sailors signed up for an additional tour of duty, compared to 54% on average for the Navy.
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The ship’s crew completed several of its training missions in record time.
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The Benfold returned 460,000 of its $2.4 million maintenance budget and continued to further reduce its spending.
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Even sexual harassment and prejudice were nearly eliminated.
There’s a book written about this story, and here’s a short article where I first heard the story.
Hopefully you find the story of the USS Benfold inspiring.
I believe you have an equally inspiring story to write within your life and organization.
Where might you begin thinking outside the walls of the status quo, and begin flourishing within your context?
