It’s Your Ship Summary, Key Lessons & Ideas

Lesson 1: Empowerment: Giving People the Power

Captain Mike would tell you this in his book, he talks about something called “giving people power.”

Imagine playing a game with friends, where everyone decides what to do next. That’s kind of how it works! At work or in a team, your leader can “give you power” too. This means they trust you to pick how you get your tasks done. It feels great, right?  When you have this power, you feel more in charge of your work. It’s like you’re the boss of your own tasks, which makes you want to work even harder and do your best. Like if you’re leading a school project, your teacher trusts you to figure it all out. You feel important and want to do well because you get to decide things.

So, giving people power is like handing them the keys to a car. They get to pick where to go and how to get there. It’s all about trusting them to make good choices and be in charge of their own work. That’s what Captain Mike means by empowerment!

Lesson 2: Trust: Believing in Each Other

You gotta believe your teammates will do their job well, and you’ll help them out too. That’s how you win!

In his book, Captain Mike, talks about trusting his crew on the USS Benfold ship. He believed they could do their jobs without him watching all the time. Trusting someone means letting them do their work without checking on them every minute. It’s like your parents trusting you to finish homework without nagging. They know you’re responsible, so they believe you’ll get it done. The USS Benfold crew felt important and respected because their captain trusted them. They really wanted to do their best work so they wouldn’t disappoint him.

Trust is like a strong bridge connecting people. It keeps everyone together and makes the team even stronger. When there’s trust, everyone works well together and can do amazing things, just like the USS Benfold crew working together to sail their ship perfectly.

Lesson 3: Listening with Big Ears: Captain Mike’s Important Lesson

Imagine playing a fun game with your friends. Everybody has cool ideas to make the game even more fun, right? That’s what Captain Mike talks about when he says “listening.” It means paying attention to what everyone says, just like in the game.

Picture this: You might have a super idea to make things better at school or home. But if nobody listens, your idea stays in your head, and the team might miss out on something amazing! A good leader is like a friend who always wants to hear your ideas. They know everyone has something valuable to say, and they’re excited to hear it all!

So, when you’re working with a team, remember Captain Mike’s lesson: Listen carefully to everyone’s ideas because they could make the team even better!

Lesson 4: Title: “Making Plans to Win: Setting Clear Goals”

Imagine you and your friends are on a big adventure to find treasure. You need a plan, right? That’s what setting goals is like! In the book by Captain Mike (Michael Abrashoff), he talks about making clear goals for his crew on their ship, the USS Benfold. He wanted everyone to know what they had to do and what they were aiming for.

Goals are like signs on a road trip. They show you the way and keep you focused on reaching your destination. When everyone knows the goal, they can work together as a team to get there!

Think of a soccer team. Before the game, they talk about winning. This goal helps them know what to do during the game and keeps them working hard. It’s the same with school or helping out at home. Setting clear goals helps everyone know what they’re trying to do. It gives them a reason to work hard and makes success more likely.

So, setting clear goals is like drawing a treasure map. It shows the way forward and helps the team work together to reach their goal!

Lesson 5: Being a Great Leader: Walking the Walk

Imagine playing a game with friends and you’re the leader. Everyone watches you to see how to play, right? That’s being a leader by example! Captain Mike, whose real name is Michael Abrashoff, talks about this in his book. It means doing things the way you want others to do them.  Want your friends to be kind? Be kind to yourself!  People learn by watching what you do.

How you act affects how your friends feel. If you’re happy and helpful, they’ll be happy and want to help too. But if you’re grumpy or mean, they might feel down or not want to play anymore.

So, being a leader is like showing your friends the best way to act by doing it yourself. Your actions make a big difference in how everyone feels and plays together!