DEAL WITH PEOPLE EFFECTIVELY Expanding Incentives.(LEADERS & SUCCESS)(IBD'S 10 SECRETS TO SUCCESS)

Byline: Cord Cooper

9 During two years as commander of the USS Benfold, Capt. Michael Abrashoff transformed the ship from a standard level-one vessel to a battle-ready juggernaut -- one of the best-run ships in the Navy.

He did it, he says, by dealing effectively with his crew and applying these principles:

Raise the stakes. Once a year, the Navy inspects ships for battle readiness and rates them in 24 categories, from level one to level four. Prior to Abrashoff's command of the Benfold, there was little incentive for ships' crews to reach beyond the required score of level one.

Abrashoff made personal pride his crew's incentive -- and level three his goal. Because scoring a level three meant more work and preparation, Abrashoff wanted senior officers overseeing the crews as they readied the testing areas.

His only problem: He didn't have enough senior staff; some were working on critical tasks. His solution: Assign some testing areas to second- and third-class petty officers and a few junior sailors. They were so honored to be chosen, Abrashoff says, that they motivated their teams to outdo many of the ones managed by the top brass.

Benfold achieved its level-three goal, and before long other commanders set their sights higher, Abrashoff writes in "It's Your Ship."