E106: Command Without Control: Mike Abrashoff's Leadership Story

Leadership Presence | Mastering The Inner Work Of Leadership

What if everything you've been taught about leadership is actually holding your team back? Join me as I sit down with Mike Abrashoff, former Navy commander and bestselling author of "It's Your Ship," who shattered traditional leadership paradigms by asking one simple question: "What do you think?" When Mike took command of USS Benfold, it was near the bottom of Navy performance metrics with an abysmal 8% retention rate. Through his revolutionary leadership approach of empowering his crew rather than controlling them, he transformed it into the best ship in the Navy—and his insights are even more crucial for today's executives than they were two decades ago.

In this episode, you will be able to:

• Learn how to create a culture of ownership where team members step up and drive performance without micromanagement
• Discover how to break free from command-and-control leadership that drives away top talent in today's workplace
• Uncover the counterintuitive strategy that allowed Mike to reduce his workload by 70% while dramatically improving performance

Mike's profound wisdom about "excellence without arrogance" offers exactly what today's leaders need—connect with me on LinkedIn or subscribe to my Power Presence Academy newsletter for more insights on leading with less ego and more soul.

Grab all the links and resources mentioned in this episode HERE.

More About Mike Abrashoff

Mike Abrashoff is at the center of one of the most remarkable modern day stories of organizational transformation.

At 36, he was selected to be Commander of USS Benfold and was the most junior commanding officer in the Pacific fleet. The challenges of this underachieving destroyer were staggering, with low morale and the highest turnover rate in the Navy. Few thought the ship could improve. Yet 12 months later it was ranked #1 in performance -- using the same crew. How did Mike do it? By replacing command and control leadership with commitment and cohesion. The lesson was clear: Leadership matters and culture is everything.

Since leaving the Navy, Mike has worked with over 1200 organizations instilling leadership initiatives at every level – achieving phenomenal change in unexpected places. Leaders especially identify with Mike being accountable for results in an environment where he couldn’t make the rules. He focused on the one thing he could influence: his crew’s attitude, because culture is the ultimate competitive weapon for any organization. That’s why Wall Street Journal, Fast Company and others have cited Mike’s story. It’s also why Mike is so popular with such a wide range

Connect with Janet Ioli:
Website: janetioli.com
Linkedin: Janet Ioli
Instagram: @janetioli
Janet is the founder of Leadership Presence. She helps leaders ground themselves with confidence, connection, and purpose and lead with Less Ego, More Soul.
If you want to become more grounded, confident, and aligned with your deeper values in just 21 days. Check out Janet Ioli’s book Less Ego, More Soul: A Modern Reinvention Guide for Women.
If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Select “Listen in Apple Podcasts,” then choose the “Ratings & Reviews” tab to share what you think.
Produced by Ideablossoms