notes:itsyourship [bw.net notes]

It's Your Ship (book on Amazon)
Michael Abrashoff
invest in your people, inspire them to be the best - they’ll do the work for you.
- let middle managers know its for their benefit, don’t jump over them either. have them ask employees first for ideas.
ask best thing/worst thing/change you would make & ideas,suggestions.
- jazz and cigars at sunset, happy hour w/o the beer, boost morale
tree of monkeys analogy (smiling faces and not as pleasant) - get everyone in sync with the picture/view. ex: Toyota sales
work on “your piece” of the problem, whatever it is “you control/influence”.
- can’t change the crew – can make them work better, training, SAT
if you can change it, DO IT - 100% support
- have budget, it won’t harm anyone, etc
requirement: collaboration, advancement of your people. or YOU don’t get promoted.
- 5 departments started working together, instead of fighting each other, to get things done
prioritize time - quality & quantity invested in what is important = get returns.
- weekly Friday review, pie chart to see where your time is spent, reallocate/adjust
- also look how you can work better with others. you can require it on those below, but don’t wait for it.
embrace Unity vs. diversity (women and non-whites feel picked on, whites feel women and non-whites get special treatment), change the program if it is not working
serve yourself last at the lunch line, eat on the flight deck instead of officers deck
- it’s just the way its always been done – so CHANGE it. it’s not your ‘right’ now to pick on the young/eat them.
listen to gossip from the smokers - there is ‘no rank’ here
invest in stainless steal bolts/etc on top deck → paint every 10 months instead of every other
- do $50 work instead of $5
inspire the crew - had them shot up an email of another captain bragging about 103.5/105 points in gunnery, they got 104
forget about self interests/getting promoted, work for those beneath you - get them promoted
handed out 150+ (only allowed 30?) ‘overachiever awards’ “on the spot”... w/o the paperwork
45 sec hand off, not a dry eye on deck
speech in Italy, even the Berkeley girl could learn something from the military. have lunch regularly to exchange leadership ideas.
gov money - if it ended up on the cover of the NYT tomorrow, would you feel embarrassed or proud?