What I Think I Know about Courage
 Eric J. Everard, MBA, MA, LSSMBB
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You can explain courage. Model it. Encourage it. But you cannot give it.
Courage is doing what is right when fear is present. Confidence grows from doing so. Leaders of Character require both.
In 1931, Winston Churchill wrote, “Courage is rightly esteemed the first of human qualities, because, as has been said, it is the quality which guarantees all others.”
Lykeion Leader® gives a teenager and Trusted Adult Mentor a way to face difficult choices together before the teenager must face them alone.
Coach Eric's BioEXPERIENCED & EDUCATED
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My leadership journey began on a dairy farm in Wisconsin then formed through serving and uniting others. My leadership was developed in the 82nd Airborne Division, refined in Germany and tested during two combat tours in Iraq with 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne).
I have led solders on three continents, influenced change in healthcare and coached high school wrestling for the past two decades, which confirmed that courage is the keystone for confident leaders of character.
In addition to completing primary, basic, intermediate and advanced Army leadership courses, I was inducted into the Sergeant Morales Distinguished Leadership Club.
I earned a Master of Business Administration, MA in Management & Leadership and a Graduate Certificate in Health Care Informatics (i.e. coached doctors, nurses and healthcare professionals).
I have taught in graduate school as an Adjunct Professor for three years, Systems Life Cycle, and I am currently enrolled in a MA in Curriculum & Instruction (Instructional Technology Emphasis) with a scheduled graduation date of May 2027.
I have also completed certifications in PMI Disciplined Agile Scrum Master, PROSCI Change Management, Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt and passed the NREMT exam.
I retired from the Defense Health Agency in December 2025, at age 50, with over 28 years of federal government service. In February 2027, my wife and I will celebrate our 28th wedding anniversary spanning North Carolina, Germany and Colorado.
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