It's Your Ship

Content Warning: This section contains discussions of anti-Black racial slurs found in the source text, which the guide obscures.

Abrashoff begins the chapter with more explication on the way he approaches leadership. Instead of the old-fashioned drill-sergeant model, Abrashoff prefers to find ways to build-up his crew and help them perform to the best of their abilities. He does not believe that punishment first is an effective leadership strategy. He delves into the ways the Benfold placed a high degree of emphasis on smaller details, including sending out birthday cards to spouses of crew members. He recognized that many of his crew came from difficult circumstances, so when it was warranted, he sent letters home to family members letting them know how well the sailor had been performing their duties. In one such case, this had a profound effect on a sailor who never was congratulated by his father until he received Abrashoff’s letter of praise. Even though the letters and cards were effective, Abrashoff also insists that whenever possible, praise should be delivered in-person rather than electronically. He sees the latter as an unfortunate trend in the digital age. He discusses the Navy’s ombudsman position and that it serves as a link between the ship and the family members of the crew.