Spring 2009 Keynote Speaker

Wednesday, April 1, 2009 8:15 am- 9:15 am

D. Michael Abrashoff

Former Navy Commander and Author, It's Your Ship

The story of how the USS Benfold was transformed into the best ship in the Navy rekindles audiences with enthusiasm to work together and make a difference at work. More than that, people take away real tools they can put to use right away. Since the readiness of a ship is a matter of life and death in conflict situations, every crewmember's contribution matters. Mike Abrashoff's It's Your Ship philosophy empowered his crew to take charge and use ingenuity and initiative to improve every aspect of the way things were done - all in the interest of improving efficiency and readiness. As Mike Abrashoff talks about creating successful change within the confines of a military operation, people begin to see the possibilities for transforming their own organizations.

About Mike Abrashoff

Leading an unprecedented turnaround story, Mike Abrashoff took command of the worst performing ship in the fleet and made it #1 by changing the culture — not the crew.

Sea Lore: Performance on the ship Mike Abrashoff inherited was dreadful, but in the Navy, he didn’t have the option to hire, fire or promote personnel. What he could do was change the culture to elevate performance – and that’s exactly what he did, making his ship the Navy’s top performer. Publications from Fast Company to the Harvard Business Review have heralded the remarkable turnaround of the USS Benfold and business schools have made it a case study in organizational success. Abrashoff’s book, It's Your Ship: Management Techniques from the Best Damn Ship in the Navy, is a best seller with over 340,000 copies in print. His follow up, Get Your Ship Together, has leaders telling how their organizations have put his grassroots leadership principles to work, and his latest, It's Our Ship, highlights the leadership, motivational, and management insights and tips that Abrashoff has learned from his last six years of addressing business and corporate audiences.

Breaking the Mold: People at every level in business relate to the idea of being held accountable for results without having the ability to make the rules. Abrashoff shows that’s no excuse for poor performance. Saddled with the Navy’s rules and bureaucracy, Abrashoff shows there are options people can exercise to take control and manage results. In his case, he made a determined effort to see the ship from the eyes of his crew – a grassroots leadership approach. He bestowed a sense of ownership to every crew member, reversed excessive costs and turnover, improved morale and made performance top priority. Abrashoff’s story inspires audiences to change their organizations and instills a renewed responsibility for organizational success.