Leadership When “Good Enough” Isn’t Acceptable

January 19, 2026 by Mike Manazir – (4-5 minutes)

When Leadership Refuses to Let the Goal Drift

Big ships never stop needing maintenance—especially nuclear-powered aircraft carriers. Some work happens between sea periods. Other work requires months tied to the pier. In early 2008, after two deployments nearly back to back, Nimitz entered a six-month maintenance availability scheduled to end on December 14. That date wasn’t a suggestion. It was the vision.

For years, no aircraft carrier had completed a major maintenance period on time. Schedules slipped. Scope grew. Friction between ship crews and shipyard teams was considered normal. But national security doesn’t operate on “normal.”

The shipyard assigned a Project Superintendent—Tom—to run the work. The institutional guidance was trust but verify. A lot of verify. The unspoken message: I was captain at sea, but not fully in command while the ship was in port. I didn’t accept that. Leadership doesn’t pause when conditions change. Responsibility doesn’t shift just because the work gets complicated. Instead of creating tension, I chose partnership.

Tom and I deliberately eliminated the “us versus them” mindset. Ship’s crew and shipyard workers became one team with one goal. When we addressed thousands of sailors and shipyard workers together, I introduced Tom as my “twin.” I put my arm around his shoulder and made it unmistakable—we were leading this together. Tone matters. What leaders model at the top spreads fast.

The scope was daunting: roughly 10,000 major maintenance items. Some were simple. Others involved deep nuclear reactor work. A goal only becomes achievable when it’s crystal clear. Ours was simple: Complete all maintenance and be underway on December 14, 2008. Everything flowed from that.

The integrated master schedule ruled all decisions. Nothing was added casually. If new work was proposed, I asked one question every time: Does this get us underway before or after December 14? Scope control wasn’t bureaucracy—it was leadership.

Early in the project, we lost a day because a technician arrived ready to work but had no temporary power available. That single miss cascaded into a full week of schedule impact. No yelling. No blame. Instead, we asked the right question: Who owns temporary power?

A lieutenant commander named Joe raised his hand. “I do. Call me.” That moment changed everything. Positive accountability replaced finger-pointing. Ownership replaced excuses. Problems didn’t linger—they moved.

Week by week, barriers came down. Resources flowed where needed. Leaders stepped up. The goal stayed visible, specific, and alive. On the morning tide of December 14, 2008, Nimitz got underway. Every maintenance item complete. The ship performed flawlessly at sea.

That evening, operating 120 miles southwest of San Diego, we received a call from higher headquarters. Another aircraft carrier had suffered a critical maintenance failure and couldn’t operate. We were needed immediately. We turned back at flank speed, embarked their squadrons, and were flying the next day. That’s why the goal mattered.

Elevate and Empower

Three elements determine whether an audacious goal is achieved:

What exactly is the objective? It must be unmistakably clear.
When will it be achieved? Specificity matters.
Who owns it? Accountability must be personal, not diffuse or abstract.

The leader’s role is to champion the goal, give guidance to meet the goal, remove barriers, demand and value accountability, and most of all, elevate the team. When leaders keep the focus on the goal, empowered teams rise—and extraordinary outcomes follow.

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P.S.

If this message stirred something in you—share it. Forward it to a friend, colleague, or your leadership team. Better yet—let’s talk.

Let’s raise up a generation of leaders who know how to Lead to Win.

Mike Manazir
Bestselling Author | Navy Admiral | Fighter Pilot | Leadership Coach

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