LEADING CHANGE: Control v. Courage?

CONTROL IS NOT LEADERSHIP!

That’s from Admiral William H. McRaven, former Navy Seal, U.S. Navy Retired and Author.

That line caught my eye as I was reading his column on LEADERSHIP recently.

And I AGREE!

CONTROL is what MANAGERS do…or try to. LEADERSHIP is about TRANSFORMING…individuals and teams and organizations.

And THAT takes COURAGE!

“Control to me is a negative,” says Admiral McRaven. “Courage is the most important quality because it guarantees all the rest.”

Why? If you don’t have COURAGE to do what’s right, support your friends or be honest, “then everything else is problematic.”

This courage, he explains, is more important than being controlling.

“If you’re worried about where things are gonna go and you're overly controlling, then you don’t have faith and confidence in your rank and file… and you probably haven’t trained them well,” he says.

I’ve asked many audiences over the years

“What’s the OPPOSITE of COURAGE?”

Almost without exception the top two answers are FEAR and COWARDICE.

But that’s NOT TRUE. The OPPOSITE OF COURAGE IS CONFORMITY!

Being or behaving just like everyone else. And that takes NO COURAGE at all.

Most Captains of Enterprise KNOW that COURAGE is about RISKING and going for it in the face of whatever odds seem to be against you. That is the COURAGE of the Entrepreneur.

What does courage in leadership look like to you?

Here’s to Your Big Life,

Michael

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EDITORS NOTE:

Michael York is an accomplished AUTHOR and SPEAKER...as well as the Co-Founder and Host of CETV. And his latest project Michael York’s CETV NOW!

In 2022 He was named “Most Unique Leadership Coach” by Corporate Vision International, and in 2023 was awarded the “Transformation Coach of the Year” by Wealth and Finance magazine, and in 2024 “Leadership Coach of the Year” by Global Business Insight magazine.

And just this year in 2025, named “MOST INSPIRATIONAL BUSINESS COACH” by Acquisition International Magazine.

He is an award-winning CONSULTANT and COACH retained by ORGANIZATIONS for his contribution to the improvement of HUMAN POTENTIAL, PERSONALLY as well as PROFESSIONALLY.

He is the RADICAL IMPROVEMENT CATALYST behind major advancements with his clients over two decades and the EVIDENCE of his EXPERTISE is confirmed by empirical RESULTS, some of which can be seen at www.MichaelYork.com