May 3rd, 2026 by Mike Manazir – (4-5 minutes)
Recognition fuels motivation.
Want to know the secret to creating a loyal and dedicated team?
Every human being wants two things:
To be loved.
And to matter.
Recognition taps directly into that need.
People work harder when their contributions are acknowledged. They want to hear their name. They want to know their effort made a difference.
On the USS Nimitz, we made recognition a daily ritual.
Each day we selected a Sailor of the Day. That sailor would join me on the bridge, sit in the captain’s chair, receive a commemorative coin, and then be recognized in the evening announcements to the entire crew.
I loved watching their faces light up.
Recognition costs nothing—but its impact is enormous.
I learned another lesson about acknowledgment years earlier when I was commanding the USS Sacramento.
Early in my tour I made it a priority to walk the ship and meet every sailor I could. One morning I climbed down into the engine room where four massive boilers powered the ship’s engines.
Standing watch next to the Chief Engineer was a tall Petty Officer.
I introduced myself and asked his name.
“People call me OG,” he said.
I asked what it stood for.
He explained that it was simply the first two letters of his last name because no one could
pronounce it.
I asked him to spell it.
“Ogboghodo.”
He had emigrated from Nigeria several years earlier.
I told him something simple:
“I’m not calling you OG. I’m going to call you Petty Officer Ogboghodo. Your name matters.”
It wasn’t dramatic. He didn’t say much in response. But I made it a point to greet him by name whenever I saw him in the engine room.
Months later we had a serious fire in that same engineering space.
During a fuel transfer, a valve failed and jet fuel spilled into the engine room and ignited.
Petty Officer Ogboghodo was the first sailor on scene.
Soaked head-to-toe in jet fuel, he began fighting the fire alongside his crew. Their quick action likely saved the ship.
After we secured from General Quarters, I went down to the engine room and pinned a Navy Achievement Medal on his fuel-soaked chest.
Normally medals require weeks of paperwork and approvals.
Not this one.
That night I told the entire crew what Petty Officer Ogboghodo had done—and I told them his full name.
I reminded them that learning and respecting each other’s names matters.
The impact on morale was immediate.
Acknowledgment does something powerful inside a team.
History offers another powerful example.
During the crisis of the Apollo 13 mission in 1970, NASA Flight Director Gene Kranz led the team working to save the astronauts stranded in space.
Throughout the crisis, Kranz constantly acknowledged the efforts of his engineers and specialists. He praised their ingenuity and encouraged their relentless problem-solving.
That recognition strengthened the team’s determination.
Against overwhelming odds, the astronauts made it home safely.
Acknowledgment fueled belief.
When leaders acknowledge their people:
• Morale and motivation increase.
• Positive behavior is reinforced.
• Trust and loyalty grow stronger.
• Teams push harder to achieve excellence.
• Organizational culture becomes healthier.
Recognition spreads.
When one person is acknowledged, others strive to earn that same recognition.
Here’s the bottom line: Acknowledgment is one of the most powerful tools in leadership.
People want to know their work matters.
When leaders recognize effort, celebrate excellence, and call people by name, they ignite pride and commitment inside the team.
And when people feel valued, something remarkable happens.
They give their absolute best. With no hesitation.
Not because they have to.
Because they want to.
Want more powerful leadership lessons from Mike?
- Begin leading from the heart: Order Learn How to Lead to Win | The Manazir Maxims | Leadership Study Guide for Manazir Maxims
- Book Mike to Speak or for 1:1 Executive Coaching
P.S. Know someone trying to build up their people and lead with heart? Forward this to them. It might be the encouragement they need to keep going.
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Let’s lead to win together,
Mike Manazir
Retired Navy Rear Admiral | Bestselling Author | Keynote Speaker | Executive Coach