Michael Morell, former deputy director and two-time acting director of the CIA, is no stranger to high-stakes situations.
Image Credit: Courtesy of MasterClass. Michael Morell.
Over the course of his decades-long career with the agency, Morell had to lead under pressure on numerous occasions, from briefing President George W. Bush during the 9/11 attacks to conducting secret negotiations in North Korea under President Barack Obama.
Morell didn’t set out to become a leader in the CIA, but when he was recruited at 22, the idea of serving his country and providing decision-makers with critical information convinced him to give the work a chance — and he kept doing it for more than 33 years.
“There’s something pure about that, where your job is to say what you really think, not based on policy preference or …