Take Care of Your Crew, and They’ll Take Care of You

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

Why Trust and Care Can Unleash a Team’s Full Potential

Frosty
Vice Admiral “Frosty” Frost pulled me aside one evening at the Fort Myers Officer’s Club near the Pentagon. Frosty knew I was headed for command, and he wanted to pass along one powerful lesson. It stuck with me for the rest of my career.

Planes Won’t Fly
Frosty described a moment when he was commanding a fighter squadron at sea. The ship was preparing to pull into a liberty port for five days of much-needed rest. But there was one big problem: all twelve of his F-14 Tomcats were broken. Not one could fly.

The Air Wing Commander (CAG) told Frosty that liberty was canceled. His squadron would spend the entire port call fixing aircraft. Frosty listened, then made his own promise: the planes would be ready when the ship got underway in five days.

Liberty? Yes, But…
Instead of canceling liberty, Frosty gathered his squadron. He told them plainly: “Some wanted to cancel your liberty. I think we can take three days off and get all twelve jets flying in the last two.” It was a bold gamble. But Frosty knew what his people needed most. They had been at sea for months. They needed a break—and he trusted their determination.

Mission Accomplished
The squadron went ashore for three days. When they returned, they worked tirelessly. On the morning the ship left port, all twelve Tomcats were up and ready to fly. Frosty had bet on his team, and they delivered. His message to me that night was clear: Take care of your crew, and your crew will take care of you.

On to Miramar
Not long after, I got the call I had been working toward for years—command of a Tomcat squadron. Kelly and I packed up our kids and drove across the country to NAS Miramar in San Diego. But before taking the squadron, I completed refresher training and joined VF-31 as Executive Officer under my friend Dave “Possum” Cully. Frosty’s lesson went with me.

Leadership Lesson: Take Care of Your Crew

In the military, as in any organization, your success rests on the performance of your people. If you want them motivated and engaged, two things matter most:

Know them. Take the time to learn names, stories, and circumstances. Let them know they matter to you.

Care about them. When a spouse is in the hospital or a child is struggling, show up. Demonstrate you care about more than just the job.

Frosty understood these two truths. Canceling liberty would have crushed squadron morale. He even knew that giving them more time to get those jets up would not have the result he wanted: 12 up jets. Giving his people three days off gave them strength, energy, and resolve. They returned determined to succeed. The same holds true in every field. People thrive when they feel valued and respected. When they believe their leader trusts them, they will walk through fire to accomplish the mission.

Takeaway
Winning in business is never a solo act. It’s always a team effort. When leaders foster trust, love, and respect, teams rise above what seems possible. Take care of your team, and your team will take care of you. That is the Frosty principle.

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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
Rear Admiral, U.S. Navy (Ret.)
Author of Learn How to Lead to Win

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