Shipyard Commander Rear Adm. Kavon Hakimzadeh Launches Leadership Insight Series at America’s Shipyard

Shipyard Commander Rear Adm. Kavon Hakimzadeh launched the Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY) Leadership Insight Series June 10, hosting a discussion entitled “The 5 Enemies of Greatness: Lessons from Coach Nick Saban’s Playbook.” From entitlement, lack of discipline, circumstances over vision, self-pity, and complacency, Hakimzadeh detailed how these enemies can affect the workforce at America’s Shipyard – and shared his insights on how to overcome these enemies and the choices that can be made to ensure employees are approaching each day at their best.

“When it comes to excellence, you have to be bought into your pursuit of it. You have the ability to choose how you approach each day and your investment into your career,” said Hakimzadeh. “Despite everyone having a different job title at our shipyard, we all technically have the same job. We’re problem solvers – our business is to create an ecosystem to solve problems so that we can fix our naval warships. It’s very common to see these enemies pop up across our shipyard, spreading those mentalities and having a negative effect on our workforce. We have to make a conscious effort to fight those mentalities, focus on what the mission requires of us and strive to earn that excellence. We have some of the most talented individuals in the world working some of the toughest jobs out there – but talent without discipline is just wasted potential. You’ve got the power of greatness – it’s up to you to achieve it. That means approach each day fresh and ready to go, do the right thing, don’t allow the circumstances to deter you from being able to solve problems, take ownership in your path, and maintain that relentless drive to improve in everything you do.”

This monthly series is aimed to provide a unique opportunity to bridge the gaps between executive leadership and the broader workforce of NNSY, promoting a culture of continuous learning, mentorship, and excellence across the shipyard. Each month, a different NNSY leader will present on a leadership topic of their choosing, drawing from their personal experiences, operational challenges, and strategic vision.

“We have built these leadership lectures to provide an opportunity for leaders to share what they’ve learned in their journeys,” said Hakimzadeh. “We are an environment built on hard work and dedication to our mission, and we are also built on mentoring and learning so that all of us can excel every day as we service our nation’s fleet. I feel that these discussions will be a valuable asset in our toolbelts to show our investment in helping our team grow professionally. Leadership is a continuum and everyone has something unique to bring to the table. I hope this inspires many to come to the stage and share their valuable insights.”

These talks are hosted through Waypoints and can be attended in-person or through Teams live. To register, please visit [https://don.csodfed.com/ui/lms-learning-details/app/event/23e705f5-beda-4bc0-a72d-17c7bd7bd704](https://don.csodfed.com/ui/lms-learning-details/app/event/23e705f5-beda-4bc0-a72d-17c7bd7bd704). You can also search via Waypoints 24-NNSY Leadership Insight Series to sign up. If you are interested in hosting a monthly discussion, please contact [NNSY_PAO@us.navy.mil](mailto:NNSY_PAO@us.navy.mil).