Turn The Ship Around! by L. David Marquet

Summary

Turn the Ship Around! by L. David Marquet chronicles Marquet’s transformation of the USS Santa Fe, a nuclear submarine, from one of the worst-performing crews in the fleet to one of the best by shifting from a leader-follower to a leader-leader model. Marquet empowers his crew by distributing decision-making and unlocking the latent leadership potential at every level. The book offers practical tools and strategies for cultivating empowerment, accountability, and engagement within any organization.

Life-Changing Lessons

1. Empowering people to make decisions at every level unlocks hidden talent and increases motivation.

2. Shifting from a leader-follower to a leader-leader model fosters responsibility and initiative.

3. Intent-based leadership, where people state their intentions rather than ask for permission, accelerates growth and adaptability.

Publishing year and rating

The book was published in: 2013

AI Rating (from 0 to 100): 91

Practical Examples

1. Giving Control, Not Taking Control

   Instead of issuing orders, Marquet asks his crew what they intend to do. By doing this, he empowers the sailors to think for themselves and build confidence in their decision-making, quickly improving the morale and performance of the team.

2. Move Authority to Information

   Rather than expecting every decision to be approved by the captain, Marquet encourages those with the most relevant knowledge to make calls on their own. This results in faster, more effective decisions and reduces bottlenecks, as those on the front lines often have the best information.

3. Red Pen, Green Pen

   Marquet stops using his red pen to correct errors on documents and instead picks up a green pen for peer reviews and positive feedback. This simple change creates a culture of learning rather than fear of making mistakes.

4. Rewriting Procedures Together

   Santa Fe’s crew collaboratively rewrites the submarine's procedures and rules. This process ensures everyone understands the rules and increases buy-in, making adherence to procedures a collective responsibility.

5. Control by Checklists

   Instead of passively following orders, crew members proactively use checklists to ensure readiness, which fosters accountability and builds systems where team members check each other's work before proceeding.

6. Deliberate Action

   The crew adopts the habit of pausing and stating out loud what they are about to do before acting. This practice, called 'deliberate action,' dramatically reduces errors and increases mindfulness on the job.

7. Encouraging Questions

   Marquet insists that crew members always ask clarifying questions, not just follow orders blindly. This helps to spot flaws early and enables open communication, leading to better decision-making and a safer environment.

8. Certify, Don’t Brief

   Instead of giving briefings where people passively listen, Marquet implements certifications where crew members must demonstrate understanding. This ensures real learning and capability development, rather than superficial compliance.