Mike Abrashoff

  • Former Commander, USS Benfold
  • Bestselling Author, It’s Your Ship
  • A Leader in Organizational Transformation

Mike Abrashoff was the most-junior officer in the Pacific Fleet when he took command of the near-worst performing ship. Twelve months later, the USS Benfold was the best ship in the entire Navy – using the same crew. The story of that stunning transformation has lessons for every organization: leadership matters – and culture is everything. Mike’s written three books – his first, It’s Your Ship, has sold over 1 million copies. His Leadership Roadmap offers clear, battle-tested, and actionable steps. Mike shows people at every level of the organization how to engage and take incremental steps toward change that can make a dramatic difference at work. Mike is clear, “I didn’t turn the ship around – my crew did that. What I did was to create an environment where they felt safe, empowered and supported. When you do that, anything is possible.”

 

Mike  Abrashoff headshot
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Past Hosts Include:
  • Denbury Resources
  • Nokia Siemens Networks
  • Wireless Zone
  • Ohio Presbyterian
  • Hearing Lab Technology
  • TransCanada Energy Operations
  • Drury Hotels Company
  • TransCanada Energy Operations
  • ADESA
  • Buffini
Rave Reviews About Mike Abrashoff
We have never had such positive feedback - you very much exceeded our expectations. You were quoted numerous times throughout the remainder of the conference which says people took your message to heart and will put it to work in their everyday jobs.

More rave reviews

"Captain Abrashoff delivered a powerful message to our team at our leadership conference. His leadership lessons are timeless and a call to action for any organization with a desire to be great company and the Employer of Choice."

-TurnPoint Service

"I have booked him several times over the past decade and he never ceases to get rave reviews. He is the perfect mix of inspiration, motivation, leadership and finds a way to weave in a little humble humor in there as well. His presentations have always garnered a standing ovation at the end."

-Financial & Insurance Fortune 100 Company

"… We really appreciated Mr. Abrashoff’s keynote performance during our Leaders Forum yesterday. Our participants truly loved his story and his message was really in line with our leadership theme."

-Sanimax

"Mike Abrashoff knocks it out of the park every time. His message is both informative and inspirational. Our conference attendees were riveted while he spoke and gave him a standing ovation when he finished."

-United Brotherhood of Carpenters

"Mike, you hit it out of the park, as I knew you would. Your message was on point and was exactly what I was looking for. It emphasized some of the things we were already working on and provided a good foundation for us to build on."

-Empire Caterpillar Southwest

"Despite the fact that it was late in the afternoon on the closing day of a 3-day conference, Abrashoff engaged and inspired the participants. As I coordinate these events, I tend to watch the crowd more than any individual speaker. Doing this tells me how the program is going based on how many faces are looking down at their phones or talking to the person next to them. The entire time Abrashoff spoke he had command of the entire room. Not a single set of eyes was anywhere but on him."

-United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America

"I didn’t get a chance to say goodbye after your presentation to our franchisee group. You did a terrific job – we heard nothing but rave reviews on your stories, your leadership ideas, your style, the lack of PowerPoint slides, etc. Well done!"

-Great Clips, Inc.

"You did an exceptional job of connecting with the audience and reinforcing that leadership in safety matters, and is in fact the very cornerstone of our future success in safety and in general at BNSF. Everyone I talked to agreed that the keynote you delivered, was the highlight of the day and had a tremendous impact on them."

-BNSF Railway

"Thank you, Mike! Your presentation was fabulous, and hit very close to home for me. Many of our members were very moved and impressed with your talk. Thank you so much! And signing the books was an extra fine touch."

-Independent Lubricant Manufacturers Association (ILMA)

"I received excellent feedback from both the panel discussion and broadcast speech… Your leadership style and personal values appear to be similar to what we are attempting to achieve and hence I am very interested in your leadership toolkit. Let me know the best way to learn more."

-ArcelorMittal Dofasco

"He knocked it out of the park. He was so good and on point that it almost looked like we wrote his script. The group loved him and the parallels to managing a ship and mill are remarkable."

-International Paper

"The feedback was overwhelmingly positive! I personally have never listened to a better speaker. Your message was tailor made for my team and I look forward to discussing future opportunities with you. Thank you so very much Mike."

-TransCanada Energy Operations

"You set the tone for the meeting and hit a home run with our group! The feedback was extremely positive. I had my meeting today at 17:30 and it took us 1 minute to report a job very well done! Thank you very much for starting the program on such a great note and providing the momentum for another very successful conference! It made my job as director for this conference a pleasure over these two days!"

-American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers

"Mike was super! He was a great storyteller, funny, and tied the message to our business throughout. It was so relevant to exactly what our org needs right now, leadership at the GM level, and I have received nothing but rave reviews. In fact, several of our vendor suppliers and audience members from other companies have asked me for info about Mike to possibly speak for their organizations. It was awesome!”"

-Houlihans

"I thought you nailed it and helped 1) land the message of “Own It”, 2) help them focus on their Leadership, and 3) Help them think about managing through change. I am so glad that you were our speaker and I think it helped us at this critical point in time."

-Office Depot

"I wouldn’t be surprised if some of the companies attending ask you to speak to some of their internal meetings as well. Many said your message was a great one for everyone, not just a specific segment of the group, and they also appreciated how approachable you were."

-Electric Utility Fleet Managers Conference

"The feedback for you was overwhelming positive. We sent out a survey last week and the feedback we got was nothing but rave reviews saying you are one of the best keynotes we have ever had. Thank you again for such a wonderful presentation. Our MD’s don’t give standing ovations very easily. You were amazing."

-VP of Marketing and Brand Management, United Capital

"Thanks for being such a big part of our conference this week. It was a huge success. It was a pleasure meeting you as well. I was watching people’s reaction to your talk on Tuesday with a lot of pride. People were engaged and enthused by what you had to say. "

-Executive VP and Chief Technology Officer, Bell Canada

"Mike was everything we had hoped for when we booked him. He had instant credibility with our attendees due to his background and accomplishments. He did a great job of relating how the leadership skills he honed in the Navy translate to leadership in the business world. He does it all through a very laid-back style of speaking that is authoritative without being didactic."

-President, Pet Industry Distributors Association

"He did a great job and took the time to speak with everyone and even signed books! He made all of us feel so comfortable. What a great guy!!! We look forward to inviting him to speak again in the future to a larger leadership team."

-Columbia Pipeline Group
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Keynote clip - Creating a Culture of Yes [0:55] - Get Sharable Link
Talks & Conversations with Mike Abrashoff
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The Virtual Leader's Roadmap

Mike Abrashoff had to change his leadership mindset when he took over the near-worst performing ship in the Navy. The situation was dire. If performance did not improve, sailors could have gotten injured…or worse. In response, Mike quickly adopted a new set of principles to guide a new way of leadin ...

Mike Abrashoff had to change his leadership mindset when he took over the near-worst performing ship in the Navy. The situation was dire. If performance did not improve, sailors could have gotten injured…or worse. In response, Mike quickly adopted a new set of principles to guide a new way of leading. His focus was on building trust and authentic ways of engaging. It was about listening to and empowering his crew who then went on to make the USS Benfold the best ship in the entire U.S. Navy. These very same principles are the foundation of success for organizations that embrace working virtually. In the short term, many organizations have found virtual work arrangements actually increase effectiveness of employees. That effectiveness may not be sustainable if leaders and organizations don’t master a new skill-set of how to lead people they can’t see. It’s about measuring results – not activity; and about finding ways to let people know their efforts are appreciated. Those who succeed in leading in the virtual environment will create a decisive competitive advantage.

No Limits: Unleashing Breakthrough Performance

Sometimes in our professional lives we might think we are in a battle to beat an adversary or a competitor when in actuality we are really in competition with ourselves but just haven't figured it out yet. When battling the competition, you want to come out on top, if only by one more sale or maybe ...

Sometimes in our professional lives we might think we are in a battle to beat an adversary or a competitor when in actuality we are really in competition with ourselves but just haven't figured it out yet. When battling the competition, you want to come out on top, if only by one more sale or maybe a few percentage points. Other times, someone at a higher level gives you a goal based on some median expectation set for others. When Mike Abrashoff took command of a well below-average ship in the U.S. Navy, his goal was to get to average. He initially set average goals and expectations for himself and his crew until one day it dawned on him: his ship could be much better than just average.  It was Mike's eureka moment: realizing they weren't in competition with anyone but themselves.  To be their best they had to stop putting limits on what they believed was possible. That realization changed Mike Abrashoff's approach to leadership and led the same crew to accomplish one of the most remarkable turnarounds that was chronicled in the Harvard Business Review, Fast Company magazine and his New York Times' and Wall Street Journal bestselling book, IT'S YOUR SHIP.  This presentation will challenge audiences to think differently on how to set expectations while realizing the only limits that you have are self-imposed.

It’s Our Ship: Putting the Leadership Roadmap to Work

For organizations that want to get serious about improving performance, this presentation delivers examples of the Mike’s Leadership Roadmap in action.  Mike reveals how the principles that led the transformation of the USS Benfold have been put into action at companies and organizations looking to ...

For organizations that want to get serious about improving performance, this presentation delivers examples of the Mike’s Leadership Roadmap in action.  Mike reveals how the principles that led the transformation of the USS Benfold have been put into action at companies and organizations looking to harness the power of their most important asset – their people.  He shows real leaders achieving dramatic results as they work to address their most pressing people challenges: collaboration, commitment, cohesion, accountability, engagement, rapid and continual innovation, safety and diversity in the workforce.  In example after example, the lessons from the Benfold clearly translate across all kinds of organizations – corporations, small business, non-profits and government.  Mike shows audiences, by example, how to use their new leadership toolkit.  “It's Our Ship” goes deep into the how-tos of creating a culture where everyone takes ownership and responsibility for raising performance to the next level.

Go Deeper: Half and Full-Day programs

Dive deep into the Leadership Roadmap with a half- or full-day program.  The sessions are most often used as a follow-on to Mike’s keynote and provide attendees with powerful tools and strategies to apply in their work environment. Depending on the circumstances, these longer sessions are facilitate ...

Dive deep into the Leadership Roadmap with a half- or full-day program.  The sessions are most often used as a follow-on to Mike’s keynote and provide attendees with powerful tools and strategies to apply in their work environment. Depending on the circumstances, these longer sessions are facilitated by a senior strategist from Mike’s firm, Aegis Performance Group, or Mike himself.  These sessions create an exciting interactive atmosphere where participants examine the key components of high performing leaders, teams and organizations.  Inquire for more details and program descriptions.

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Books by Mike Abrashoff
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Biography

Mike Abrashoff was the most-junior officer in the Pacific Fleet when he took command of the near-worst performing ship. Twelve months later, the USS Benfold was the best ship in the entire Navy – using the same crew. The story of that stunning transformation has lessons for every organization: leadership matters – and culture is everything. Mike’s written three books – his first, It’s Your Ship, has sold over 1.3 million copies. His Leadership Roadmap offers clear, battle-tested, and actionable steps. Mike shows people at every level of the organization how to engage and take incremental steps toward change that can make a dramatic difference at work. Mike is clear, “I didn’t turn the ship around – my crew did that.  What I did was to create an environment where they felt safe, empowered and supported. When you do that, anything is possible.” 

In many ways, what Mike was able to do with the USS Benfold was an extreme example of the same problems facing many organizations today. That’s why dozens of publications including The Wall Street Journal, Harvard Business Review, and Fast Company have cited Mike’s story as an inspiring lesson for business. Leaders especially identify with Mike’s being accountable for the results in an environment where he couldn’t make the rules.

“When my crew came to me with a problem, I’d say ‘It’s your ship – how would you fix it?’.” Mike focused on the one thing he could influence: his crew’s attitude, because culture is the ultimate competitive weapon for any organization.

Mike’s established a set of management principles that he calls The Leadership Roadmap. At the core of his leadership approach on Benfold was a process of replacing command and control with commitment and cohesion, and engaging the hearts, minds, and loyalties of workers with conviction and humility. “The most important thing that a captain can do is to see the ship through the eyes of the crew. The idea is to empower every individual to share the responsibility of achieving excellence.”

By every measure, these principles achieved breakthrough results: turnover decreased to an unprecedented 1%; the rate of promotions tripled; and the crew slashed operating expenses by 25%. Regarded as the finest ship in the Pacific Fleet, Benfold won the prestigious Spokane Trophy for having the highest degree of combat readiness. This remarkable turnaround was accomplished by the very same crew that had performed so poorly just months before.

Mike is author of three books. His first, It’s Your Ship, has a timeless message: don’t use outside forces that stand in your way as excuses – control the things you can influence and amazing results will happen. His next books, It’s Our Ship and Get Your Ship Together, showed how these principles have been put into action by business leaders in their own organizations.

A popular keynote speaker for audiences looking to ramp up organizational performance, Mike has spoken to every industry and kind of audience – from board retreats to front line personnel; from sales groups to universities; from Fortune 500s to startups.  He inspires audiences to rethink their beliefs about leadership and organizational culture and tailors the message to focus on engagement, execution, change, safety, diversity, leadership, teamwork, innovation, accountability and more.

Prior to commanding USS Benfold, Mike served as the Military Assistant to Secretary of Defense William J. Perry. He also helped draft the air defense plan for naval forces in the Persian Gulf in 1990, coinciding with Iraq's invasion of Kuwait; and served as the executive officer of the Cruiser Shiloh, where he deployed to the Persian Gulf in support of United Nations sanctions against Iraq.

Mike Abrashoff is the founder of Aegis Performance Group, a consulting firm which works with and supports leaders as they address leadership, talent and performance challenges within their organizations. Mike and his team prompt leaders at all levels to re-imagine their leadership thinking and create new ways to elevate individual, team and organizational performance.