May 10th, 2026 by Mike Manazir – (4-5 minutes) Leaders learn perseverance the hard way. How do ordinary people achieve extraordinary things? In Navy flight training, one of the most important milestones for a naval aviator is carrier qualification. It’s the moment when a student pilot proves they can safely land on an aircraft carrier … Read more
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 … Read more
April 26, 2026 by Mike Manazir – (4-5 minutes) Trust can remove fear in an instant. What makes trust essential to your leadership? It was spring of 1994. I stood up inside the Fokker F100 at 14,500 feet circling over the Raeford drop zone at Fort Bragg preparing for my first free-fall jump with the … Read more
April 19, 2026 by Mike Manazir – (4-5 minutes) Leaders set the emotional climate. How does your temperament impact team dynamics? When I took command of the USS Nimitz, I loved the call sign that came with the job. Old Salt. Every evening I would come over the shipwide intercom and begin the same way: … Read more
April 12, 2026 by Mike Manazir – (4-5 minutes) Leaders don’t fail because they lack authority—they fail because they don’t listen How can leaders expect to inspire when they neglect to listen? When I took command of the USS Sacramento, I thought I had already learned everything I needed to know about leadership during my … Read more
April 5, 2026 by Mike Manazir – (4-5 minutes) The people you lead decide whether you truly led What makes leading from the heart so powerful? In May 2016, Admiral John Richardson, the Chief of Naval Operations, asked me to take on my final job in the Navy—overseeing all of the warfare directorates. That meant … Read more
March 29, 2026 by Mike Manazir – (4-5 minutes) Real leadership begins with real relationships What is the remarkable leadership impact of genuine human connections? On the USS Carl Vinson, I would occasionally walk into the galley, grab a paper hat, tie on an apron, and step behind the serving line. “Petty Officer Smith, mind … Read more
March 22, 2026 by Mike Manazir – (4-5 minutes) The fastest way to show someone they matter. How can a simple game of names revolutionize your leadership? I was walking across the ramp at Naval Air Station Fallon, Nevada, heading toward my F-14 for the morning sortie. It was one of those crisp Nevada mornings—the … Read more
March 15, 2026 by Mike Manazir – (4-5 minutes) Trust Grows Fastest in the Light. How can embracing transparency revolutionize your leadership? I was having a cold beer at the Fort Myer Officers’ Club, just up the hill from the Pentagon, when Vice Admiral “Frosty” Frost pulled me aside. He knew I was headed to … Read more
March 8, 2026 by Mike Manazir – (4-5 minutes) Inclusion is the Secret Sauce of High Morale When does inclusion become the secret to exceptional leadership? I was sharing a beer with a buddy at the bar in the Officers’ Club at Naval Air Station Oceana. We were talking about my upcoming assumption of command … Read more