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Speakers Keynote speaker: Capt. Mike Abrashoff
Ballroom B, 3rd floor, Hynes Convention Center
Capt. Mike Abrashoff, who took over one of the Navy’s worst-performing ships and turned it into a model of effectiveness and efficiency, will explain his principles for leadership.
As the new commander of the USS Benfold, Abrashoff refused to be impeded by military red tape – he wasn’t allowed to hire, fire or offer pay raises – as he worked to change the culture on the ship. In the process he developed a management style he calls GrassRoots Leadership.
Under Abrashoff, the Benfold soon became the Navy’s top-performing ship in its class, even though it was using the same crew that had previously performed so poorly.
In his keynote address, Abrashoff, 50, will focus on leadership principles such as listening aggressively, focusing on purpose and performance, embracing change and innovation, and making sure that each person takes ownership and feels responsible for organizational success.
When he was selected to become commander of the Benfold in 1997 at age 36, Abrashoff was the most junior commanding officer in the Pacific Fleet. The challenges were staggering, with exceptionally low morale and poor performance results.
“A lot of people do whatever it takes to secure the next promotion,” he says. “All I ever wanted to do in the Navy was to command a ship. I did not care if I ever got promoted again. And that attitude enabled me to focus solely on results instead of doing the right things for my career. Along the way, it was my people that created the results that ensured my next promotion.”
On the Benfold, Abrashoff says he began a process of replacing “command and control” with commitment and cohesion, engaging the loyalty of workers, and leading with conviction and humility.
“The most important thing that a captain can do is to see the ship through the eyes of the crew,” he says.
This meant interviewing every single person on his ship, from the most senior officer to the lowest recruit. It was an experience that began to generate invaluable ideas, often from unexpected sources.
GrassRoots leadership is a principle that inspires every individual to share the responsibility of achieving excellence, he says.
Before long, personnel turnover decreased to an unprecedented 1 percent and operating expenses were slashed by 25 percent. The Benfold became regarded as the finest ship in the Pacific Fleet, winning the prestigious Spokane Trophy for having the highest degree of combat readiness.
Abrashoff detailed the turnaround in his first book, “It’s Your Ship: Management Techniques from the Best Damn Ship in the Navy,” published in 2002. His next book, “Get Your Ship Together,” was published in January 2005.
Prior to commanding the Benfold, Abrashoff served as the military assistant to Secretary of Defense William Perry. He is the co-founder of a leadership development company called GLS World Wide.
A Pennsylvania native, Abrashoff is a 1982 graduate of the Naval Academy of Annapolis. He currently lives in Virginia.
Speakers Keynote speaker: Capt. Mike Abrashoff
Keynote speaker: Capt. Mike Abrashoff
Ballroom B, 3rd floor, Hynes Convention Center
Capt. Mike Abrashoff, who took over one of the Navy’s worst-performing ships and turned it into a model of effectiveness and efficiency, will explain his principles for leadership.As the new commander of the USS Benfold, Abrashoff refused to be impeded by military red tape – he wasn’t allowed to hire, fire or offer pay raises – as he worked to change the culture on the ship. In the process he developed a management style he calls GrassRoots Leadership.
Under Abrashoff, the Benfold soon became the Navy’s top-performing ship in its class, even though it was using the same crew that had previously performed so poorly.
In his keynote address, Abrashoff, 50, will focus on leadership principles such as listening aggressively, focusing on purpose and performance, embracing change and innovation, and making sure that each person takes ownership and feels responsible for organizational success.
When he was selected to become commander of the Benfold in 1997 at age 36, Abrashoff was the most junior commanding officer in the Pacific Fleet. The challenges were staggering, with exceptionally low morale and poor performance results.
“A lot of people do whatever it takes to secure the next promotion,” he says. “All I ever wanted to do in the Navy was to command a ship. I did not care if I ever got promoted again. And that attitude enabled me to focus solely on results instead of doing the right things for my career. Along the way, it was my people that created the results that ensured my next promotion.”
On the Benfold, Abrashoff says he began a process of replacing “command and control” with commitment and cohesion, engaging the loyalty of workers, and leading with conviction and humility.
“The most important thing that a captain can do is to see the ship through the eyes of the crew,” he says.
This meant interviewing every single person on his ship, from the most senior officer to the lowest recruit. It was an experience that began to generate invaluable ideas, often from unexpected sources.
GrassRoots leadership is a principle that inspires every individual to share the responsibility of achieving excellence, he says.
Before long, personnel turnover decreased to an unprecedented 1 percent and operating expenses were slashed by 25 percent. The Benfold became regarded as the finest ship in the Pacific Fleet, winning the prestigious Spokane Trophy for having the highest degree of combat readiness.
Abrashoff detailed the turnaround in his first book, “It’s Your Ship: Management Techniques from the Best Damn Ship in the Navy,” published in 2002. His next book, “Get Your Ship Together,” was published in January 2005.
Prior to commanding the Benfold, Abrashoff served as the military assistant to Secretary of Defense William Perry. He is the co-founder of a leadership development company called GLS World Wide.
A Pennsylvania native, Abrashoff is a 1982 graduate of the Naval Academy of Annapolis. He currently lives in Virginia.
Written by MMA Publications/Web Director John Ouellette
