Delegation, 9/11, and the Other Side of the Coin

November 23, 2025 by Mike Manazir – (4-5 minutes)

Delegation, Empathy, and Judgement: Three Tools That Kept a Carrier Moving

Other Side of the Coin

A Harley-Davidson Road King rumbles like distant thunder—annoying to some, music to others. I rolled through Bremerton’s morning haze onto the pier, eased into The Big XO spot by USS Carl Vinson, blipped the throttle—potato, potato, potato—killed the engine, and let the silence settle. Curious eyes followed. Good. I was sending a message: this XO is different.

On a Nimitz-class carrier—a floating city of 5,000 people powered by two nuclear reactors with an airport on the roof—the Executive Officer is “down and in” while the Captain is “up and out.” In that crucible I learned what would frame the rest of my career: delegate, give guidance, and knock down barriers.

At first, it was administrative chaos: weekly schedule summits, daily ops scrums, constant quick huddles with embarked staffs. I had 18 department heads—doctor, dentist, engineers, aviators—experts at their craft. My job wasn’t to do their jobs; it was to set clear expectations and remove obstacles so they could deliver. When leaders understand the left/right limits and trust they’ll get air cover, the machine hums.

The Towers Fall

September 12, 2001 ship’s time, we were south of India, launching training sorties. A call yanked me to the Captain’s at-sea cabin: one World Trade Center tower on fire. Minutes later, I watched live as a second airliner banked into the other tower. I stepped to the bridge. “Captain, that was intentional.” America was under attack.

As the ship absorbed the news, I caught the helmsman—a young sailor—quietly crying. “XO, my uncle works in the Trade Center.” In that moment, the mission and its human cost collided. Leadership requires operational focus and real empathy. We canvassed the crew for affected families, prepared to act if needed. Remarkably, our sailors were spared immediate loss—but their fear and grief were real. Leaders must see both.

A few weeks later, under our new CO, Captain Rick Wren, we launched the first strikes into Afghanistan on October 7, 2001. Pitch-black night, afterburners howling, Tomahawks arcing like Roman candles along the horizon. Over the racket, I heard thousands of sailors unleash a guttural victory yell. We were going to war.

Rick taught me to drive the ship by relative motion, to trust and be trusted, and—most of all—to look for the other side of the coin.

Captain’s Mast—and the Coin

At Captain’s Mast, a sailor faced charges for repeated unauthorized absence. His chain of command demanded harsh punishment. Rick sensed something off. He dug deeper and uncovered the truth: the sailor had been bullied and beaten by a supervisor while a chief looked away. Charges dismissed; the abusers faced mast; the sailor transferred. Justice required hearing both sides.

Leadership Lesson: Look for the Other Side of the Coin

Slow the snap-judgment. Proverbs 18:17 reminds us: the first story often “sounds true” until you hear the other side.

Hunt for context. What pressure, barrier, or broken process sits behind the behavior? Fix that, not just the symptom.

Pair standards with empathy. Mission first, people always—both can be true.

Delegate with clarity. Give guidance; then knock down barriers so experts can win.

Model trust. Closed-door candor, open-door unity. Your team will mirror what you show.

Never make a decision that will alter someone’s life without flipping the coin. You’ll earn better outcomes—and deeper loyalty.

Explore Leadership Resources:

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

Take Action

Mike’s Leadership Forum

Do you have a comment or question to make on today’s blog?
Do you have a leadership issue you would like us to process in a future blog?
Do you need a speaker for an upcoming leadership event?
Click CONTACT for comments.