If You Want to Be a Great Leader, Act Like You Have a Traumatic Brain Injury

I’m not being flippant with the title or subject of this post. I’m writing it because the things I needed to do to survive severe TBI saved my life. They are also things that great leaders do. 

The kicker is that when I was dealing with the negative effects of TBI for over 20 years from injuries incurred during my time as a Navy SEAL, I wasn’t even aware that TBI was the cause of my mental and emotional challenges. 

What 20 Years of Undiagnosed TBI Looked Like

When I finally received a brain scan that measured the energy in my brain, I was told the area of my brain responsible for emotional control was essentially dormant, there was no energy going there. How, the doctor asked, had I not only survived, but thrived while dealing with such a severe injury I wasn’t even aware I had for over 20 years?

The Moment I Realized Emotions Were Driving Decisions

I was lucky to be sure. Especially that night that I sat and stared at a bottle of Jack Daniels placed next to my FBI service Glock 40 handgun. That’s how bad it got at times. 

But I also put myself in the best position I could to make good, conscious decisions in spite of my emotions raging out of control. I realized I was having trouble not letting my emotions dictate how I acted and influence the decisions I was making.

As you can imagine, the issue was the flood of negative emotions I was dealing with and the decisions I was making based on those negative emotions were destructive. Feelings of desperation overwhelmed me which added to the negative cycle. I vividly remember praying for answers on how to stop this destructive pattern before it became the end of me.

The SEAL Question That Gave Me Control Back: “And What?”

The best I could do was reflect on the strong emotions of fear, doubt, anxiety, and frustration I would deal with during my time operating as a Navy SEAL. I remember thinking, “I know I had those strong emotions while operating, but I also know I moved through them effectively and became very good at making logical, well thought out decisions quickly during these times of heightened emotions and stress.”

“How,” I asked myself, “had I done it?” And next, “Can I employ the same method to my day to day which feels like emotions are controlling my life and leading me down a terrible road of bad decision making?”

The answer was a resounding “Yes!” on both counts.

I reflected on some of the most harrowing moments I faced as a Navy SEAL and pondered the emotions I had felt at the time. As I reflected, it came to me as clear as day what I had done. I remembered thinking on numerous occasions, “OK, you’re scared crapless right now.” And then I would ask myself one simple question, “And what?”

The “And what?” represented a clear decision making process that was essentially saying, “You are afraid. Now how do you want to act based on that fear?”

It was a process that put me back in control of my decision-making, not the emotion itself. 

The 3 Step Process Great Leaders Use Under Pressure

I had a decision to make once I recognized the emotion and asked myself, “And what?” I could act afraid, thereby letting the emotion control events. Or I could give myself options. I could tell myself to act with courage. I could tell myself to act aggressively. I could ask myself what the best behavior was to match the situation. 

I remembered doing this in a split second as a Navy SEAL leader. But after the injuries, it was much more difficult. I couldn’t do it in a split second as I had done before the injuries. But that was ok because I still did it and it worked. 

I took back control of my life. It was hard and sometimes I failed. But, because of a simple process, I knew why I had failed. “I just acted. I didn’t take the time to recognize the emotion and decide on a good behavior. I’ll do better next time.”

A simple three step process that you can use to act like a great leader:

1. Recognize the emotion. Especially the bad ones. Identify it. Name it. Call it out loud. Then…
2. Ask yourself, “And what?” Just act on it without thinking and leave the results to chance? Or decide on a behavior that will match the situation. Courage. Aggressiveness. Patience. Compassion. Etc. Then…
3. Act! Act courageous. Act with aggression. Act with patience. Act with compassion.

The Takeaway: Leadership Is Decision Making

This simple process will reframe and transform how you make decisions and how you act as a leader. It will also allow you to know yourself. You will know what emotions and instincts to trust and which ones need more consideration. 

Leadership is decision making. Decision making that doesn’t leave a path of destruction behind you, but decision making that makes people excited to follow your every move. 

Errol Doebler is a combat-proven Navy SEAL Officer turned FBI Special Agent, now an executive coach, author, and entrepreneur committed to redefining how leaders lead. His career began in one of the most unforgiving proving grounds in the world: Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) training, where less than 20% make it through. Errol went on to serve as a Platoon Commander at SEAL Team ONE and SEAL Team FOUR, where accountability and disciplined processes weren’t abstract concepts—they were life or death.

When his SEAL career ended abruptly due to injuries, Errol refused to let adversity define him. He pivoted into the FBI, where for more than a decade he served as a Special Agent and SWAT Operator. He led counterterrorism operations around the world, worked Violent Crimes, and ran high-stakes missions where chaos and consequence collided. His time in the FBI wasn’t without its challenges—he witnessed firsthand the cracks in leadership culture and chose to walk away rather than compromise his principles.

That decision became the seed for his next chapter. In 2016, Errol founded Ice Cold Leader, a leadership consultancy built on the belief that leadership isn’t charisma, talent, or gut instinct—it’s a repeatable process that anyone can learn. His methodology blends the uncompromising discipline of the SEALs, the investigative rigor of the FBI, and the emotional awareness leaders need in today’s world. His book, Ice Cold Leader: Leading from the Inside Out, is now trusted by executives worldwide as a framework for instilling accountability, building culture, and driving measurable performance.

Through Ice Cold Leader, Errol has coached CEOs, founders, and executive teams across industries—from tech startups to mining operations to billion-dollar enterprises. His clients consistently report transformative ROI: measurable revenue growth, stronger margins, lower turnover, and cultures where accountability thrives. At the heart of his work is a simple truth: leaders who shy away from accountability fail to unlock the excellence of their teams.

Beyond the boardroom, Errol is a husband, father, and storyteller who believes leadership starts at home. His personal journey—including struggles with trauma, recovery, and resilience—shapes the candor and authenticity he brings to every stage, every coaching call, and every keynote.

This blog is an extension of that mission: practical, hard-won lessons on leadership, accountability, and excellence—delivered without fluff, but with the conviction that true leaders do what’s uncomfortable, because that’s what excellence requires.