Rewarding risk-takers
“Organizations should reward risk-takers, even if they fall short once in a while. Let them know that promotions and glory go to innovators and pioneers, not to stand-patters who fear controversy and avoid trying to improve anything.”
Important of self-awareness
“Real knowledge is to know the extent of one’s ignorance,” Abrashoff believes the key to leadership is about understanding yourself first and then using that knowledge to shape the organization.
You can’t order people to perform for short term benefits
My ship’s job was war; your company’s purpose is profit. But we will achieve neither by ordering people to perform as we wish. Even if doing so produces short-term benefits, the consequences can prove devastating.
Cons of command-and-control approach
The command-and-control approach is far from the most efficient way to tap people’s intelligence and skills.
Why people leave:
Employees have the answers
Accordingly, we spent several months analyzing every process on the ship. I asked everyone, “Is there a better way to do what you do?” Time after time, the answer was yes, and many of the answers were revelations to me.
Lasting change
My second assumption was that the secret to lasting change is to implement processes that people will enjoy carrying out.
Autonomy and ownership
If you can find the right people and set the direction and give them autonomy, they will handle the details. In fact, not only will they handle the details, but they will insist on it because they are owners.
Principles over rules
Instead of rules, great organizations use principles and allow for exceptions and judgment. They train people to think and make judgments on their own. If you don’t know when it makes sense to opt-out of a rule or policy, you shouldn’t be in charge of executing it.