February 1, 2026 by Mike Manazir – (4-5 minutes) The Hardest Leadership Calls Aren’t Written in the Rulebook When people ask me about the hardest leadership decisions that I had to make, my mind goes straight to a quiet night on the bridge of USS Nimitz. March 2009. Eastern Pacific Ocean. At sea, the Officer … Read more

January 25, 2026 by Mike Manazir – (4-5 minutes) Why Taking Control Can Actually Make Leaders Weaker One of my core beliefs as a commanding officer was simple: the ship is not about the Captain—it’s about the team. I wanted my bridge team to be highly trained. That meant resisting the temptation to always give … Read more

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 … Read more

January 11, 2026 by Mike Manazir – (4-5 minutes) Ever Been Stuck Between Two Bad Options With Everyone Watching? When people ask, “What was the closest your career came to ending?” my mind immediately goes to the Strait of Malacca. We were heading home from deployment. I was Captain of the USS Nimitz—a 1,000-foot nuclear-powered … Read more

January 4, 2026 by Mike Manazir – (4-5 minutes) Fear Whispers. Leadership Answers The Indian Ocean in July is no joke. When the southwest monsoon flares up, it can turn a 1,000-foot aircraft carrier into a toy boat. We were steaming alone—no escort, no cruiser, no shotgun—because the Pacific Commander had given me a diplomatic … Read more

December 28, 2025 by Mike Manazir – (4-5 minutes) Even the Captain Needs Coaching Sometimes I was coming back to the Nimitz alone in a Super Hornet tanker—the last jet airborne after giving fuel to a strike package. Gorgeous day; the ship carving a perfect white wake through a glassy blue sea. I slid back … Read more

December 23, 2025 by Mike Manazir – (4-5 minutes) Leadership is Contagious. The Question is: What are People Catching? My call sign in the jet was Nasty. But on the bridge of the USS Nimitz, I was known as Old Salt—and I loved it. Every evening I’d grab the microphone for the shipwide announcing system … Read more

December 14, 2025 by Mike Manazir – (4-5 minutes) What Happens When Confidence Outruns Judgement? Often the Road to Purpose Runs Straight Through Disappointment I was roaring down the Strand toward Imperial Beach at 120 miles an hour on my Harley—shorts, T-shirt, Teva sandals. Not exactly safety gear. I wasn’t thinking about safety. I wasn’t thinking … Read more

December 7, 2025 by Mike Manazir – (4-5 minutes) What Happens When Confidence Outruns Judgement? The night I nearly hit the USS Carl Vinson didn’t start as a crisis—it started as confidence. I was now the Captain of the USS Sacramento, the fast combat support ship for the Carl Vinson Strike Group. I had just … Read more

November 30, 2025 by Mike Manazir – (4-5 minutes) Leadership Isn’t About You- It’s About How You Make Others Feel Authentic Inclusion USS Carl Vinson – At sea. I’d walk into the galley, grab a paper hat, tie on an apron, and shout, “Petty Officer Smith, may I serve food next to you?” Then we’d … Read more