Turn the Ship Around!
by L. David Marquet
A submarine captain describes turning the worst-performing boat in the fleet into the best by replacing leader-follower with leader-leader: pushing authority to where the information is, with 'I intend to' replacing requests for permission. The story is specific and the mechanisms are transferable to any organization.
Read it if…
you manage people who wait to be told what to do and you want that to change.
Skip it if…
you have no authority to change how decisions are made; read it anyway for later.
Three things you will actually use
- Push control to where the information lives.
- Build competence and clarity before you release control.
- Replace briefings with certifications: ask, don't tell.
Do this first
Ask your team to replace 'can I' with 'I intend to' for one week, and resist overriding them.
Our verdict
Specific, practical and one of the best leadership books of its decade.
Compare with other Leadership books
It’s Your Ship
D. Michael Abrashoff · Leadership
Warm, concrete and quick; a strong first book for new managers.
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Find Your Why
Simon Sinek, David Mead and Peter Docker · Leadership
Practical workbook; useful if you want the exercise.
CLICK TO SEEBrowse all Leadership book reviews or get the free Reality Code Cheat Sheet.
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