October 11th, 2026 by Mike Manazir – (4-5 minutes) How do successful leaders build and maintain relationships? Before I ever wore a Navy uniform, a man named Chuck Clopton helped change the direction of my life. I was a young candidate trying to earn an appointment to the United States Naval Academy. My father knew … Read more

October 4th, 2026 by Mike Manazir – (4-5 minutes) How do you build trust and credibility? There is an old leadership story about a bank interviewing a promising young executive. He had everything going for him. Great résumé. Smart. Articulate. Strong references. He had made it through several rounds of interviews and appeared to be … Read more

September 27th, 2026 by Mike Manazir – (4-5 minutes) The goal matters, but how you reach it matters more. One of the things the sea teaches you is that in order to get to your destination, speed is not enough. You must shape the course according to weather, obstructions, and other traffic. This is a … Read more

September 20th, 2026 by Mike Manazir – (4-5 minutes) Great leaders protect trust before they have to defend it. On a ship, reputation travels fast. Sailors know which leaders tell the truth. They know which chiefs take care of their people. They know which officers own mistakes and which ones disappear when things get hard. … Read more

September 13th, 2026 by Mike Manazir – (4-5 minutes) Reputational risk is managed long before the headline. In the Navy, the name on the stern matters. When I commanded USS Nimitz, I knew the reputation of that ship did not belong to me alone. It belonged to every sailor who wore the ball cap, every … Read more

September 6th, 2026 by Mike Manazir – (4-5 minutes) Legal risk is easier to manage before it becomes crisis. When I commanded a ship, I learned quickly that the commanding officer owns more than the schedule, the mission, and the performance of the crew. I owned the standard. Legal, moral, ethical. Those were my guideposts. … Read more

August 31st, 2026 by Mike Manazir – (4-5 minutes) Great leaders identify risk early and act before it becomes crisis In June of 2007, I received orders from Admiral Bob Willard to take USS Nimitz to Chennai, India. The port visit was important to the President of the United States as he negotiated a commercial … Read more

August 23rd, 2026 by Mike Manazir – (4-5 minutes) Great leaders simplify the goal and align the team. How do you crack the code for managing complexity? Few things are more complex than a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. USS Nimitz is a small city of 5,000 people with two nuclear reactors and a runway on top. … Read more

August 16th, 2026 by Mike Manazir – (4-5 minutes) A skill that worked yesterday may fail you tomorrow. How do you stay up-to-date with industry trends without chasing every shiny object? I learned this lesson flying the Super Hornet. I had spent most of my fighter life in the F-14 Tomcat. I knew that airplane. … Read more

August 9nd, 2026 by Mike Manazir – (4-5 minutes) Great leaders learn new tools without surrendering judgment. I was 42 years old when I was told I was going to nuclear power school. I had spent my career in naval aviation. I understood fighters, carriers, squadrons, pilots, maintainers, and flight operations at sea. Nuclear power … Read more