---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It does not matter how brave or brilliant…"
description: "\"“It does not matter how brave or brilliant a man is, if his commands cannot be heard.”\" — George R.R. Martin"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69c/george-r-r-martin-48_brave_it-does-not-matter-how-brave-or-brillian_890722.png"
---

#  It does not matter how brave or brilliant a man is, if his…

![“It does not matter how brave or brilliant a man is, if his commands cannot be heard.” quote by George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69c/george-r-r-martin-48_brave_it-does-not-matter-how-brave-or-brillian_890722.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69c/george-r-r-martin-48_brave_it-does-not-matter-how-brave-or-brillian_890722.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69c/george-r-r-martin-48_brave_it-does-not-matter-how-brave-or-brillian_890722.png)

> ““It does not matter how brave or brilliant a man is, if his commands cannot be heard.””

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Effective leadership requires clear communication; otherwise authority fails.

**In simple terms:** Clear communication is essential for leadership.

Key Takeaway

Speak clearly and listen actively.

Themes

leadership communication authority clarity

Mood

strategic serious

Type

advice philosophical

When to use this quote

- military command
- corporate meetings
- team projects
- public speaking

Key Concepts

Organizational dynamics power structures

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you ensure messages are understood?
- What barriers hinder clear communication?

A Different Perspective

Complex situations may need nuanced messaging.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Brave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brave/) [Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/)

## Related quotes

> [“It dose not matter how brave or brilliant a man is, if his commands cannot be heard.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/it-dose-not-matter-how-brave-or-brilliant-a-man-is-if-his-commands/)

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

> [It has certainly never been news to me that a brave and brilliant man could love other men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling-2/it-has-certainly-never-been-news-to-me-that-a-brave-and-brilliant-man/)

[J. K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling-2/)

> [Man is his own star, and the soul that can Render an honest and a perfect man, Commands all light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fletcher/man-is-his-own-star-and-the-soul-that-can-render-an-honest-and-a-2/)

[John Fletcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fletcher/)

> [Dialogue's brave, brilliant and eclectic list is one that I am very privileged to be joining and I look forward to an exciting collaboration…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paterson-joseph/dialogue-s-brave-brilliant-and-eclectic-list-is-one-that-i-am-very/)

[Paterson Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paterson-joseph/)

> [When Laura Poitras asked me if she could film our encounters, I was extremely reluctant. I'm grateful that I allowed her to persuade me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/when-laura-poitras-asked-me-if-she-could-film-our-encounters-i-was/)

[Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/)

> [“There is power in his touch, power in the slightest look. He is a hard man who commands a billion-dollar enterprise, and right now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-kenner/there-is-power-in-his-touch-power-in-the-slightest-look-he-is-a-hard/)

[J. Kenner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-kenner/)

> [The man who obeys is nearly always better than the man who commands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-renan/the-man-who-obeys-is-nearly-always-better-than-the-man-who-commands/)

[Ernest Renan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-renan/)

> [The man who commands efficiently must have obeyed others in the past, and the man who obeys dutifully is worthy of someday being a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/the-man-who-commands-efficiently-must-have-obeyed-others-in-the-past/)

[Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/)

> [“I couldn't love a man who commands me, anymore than I could love one who lets himself be commanded by me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacquotte-delahaye/i-couldn-t-love-a-man-who-commands-me-anymore-than-i-could-love-one/)

Jacquotte Delahaye

> [It has been wonderful to be the home port for the brave and brilliant forces of ABC News around the world and to feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-sawyer/it-has-been-wonderful-to-be-the-home-port-for-the-brave-and-brilliant/)

[Diane Sawyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-sawyer/)

> [I was offered a screen test for a business show on Japanese TV. I did it for a laugh, really, and I got the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-nightingale/i-was-offered-a-screen-test-for-a-business-show-on-japanese-tv-i-did/)

[Mary Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-nightingale/)

> [I-uh-have the utmost respect for Yamamoto-san. If it had not been for him, there would be no naval aviation. However-the most brilliant man can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuichi-nagumo/i-uh-have-the-utmost-respect-for-yamamoto-san-if-it-had-not-been-for/)

Chuichi Nagumo

> [“A wise man learns from his failures. A brilliant man learns how not to fail.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-mcphail/a-wise-man-learns-from-his-failures-a-brilliant-man-learns-how-not-to/)

[Melissa McPhail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-mcphail/)

> [I keep things moving along with a seriously loving, caring, and brilliant man, a fierce group of friends - and really strong coffee.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wangechi-mutu/i-keep-things-moving-along-with-a-seriously-loving-caring-and/)

[Wangechi Mutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wangechi-mutu/)

> [“It never ceased to amaze him the power of the sex drive. No matter how intelligent and rational a person was otherwise, the sex…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-e-richards/it-never-ceased-to-amaze-him-the-power-of-the-sex-drive-no-matter-how/)

[Douglas E. Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-e-richards/)

## More by George R.R. Martin

> [“Neither's the one you get, less you want me to see if your apple's ripe, yet. - Yoren”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/neither-s-the-one-you-get-less-you-want-me-to-see-if-your-apple-s/)

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

> [“You are the queen, he ought to be begging leave of you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/you-are-the-queen-he-ought-to-be-begging-leave-of-you/)

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

> [“It is my look they will flinch from now, my frown that they must fear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/it-is-my-look-they-will-flinch-from-now-my-frown-that-they-must-fear/)

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

> [“A good threat is often more telling than a blow.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/a-good-threat-is-often-more-telling-than-a-blow/)

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

> [“This wine is very choice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/this-wine-is-very-choice/)

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

> [“Everything Syrio Forel had ever taught her vanished in a heartbeat. In that instant of sudden terror, the only lesson Arya could remember was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/everything-syrio-forel-had-ever-taught-her-vanished-in-a-heartbeat-in/)

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

> [“Megga couldn’t sing, but she was mad to be kissed. She and Alla played a kissing game sometimes, she confessed, but it wasn’t the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/megga-couldn-t-sing-but-she-was-mad-to-be-kissed-she-and-alla-played/)

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

> [“The rain feels good against my face, Sam. It feels like tears. Let me stay a while longer, I pray you. It has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/the-rain-feels-good-against-my-face-sam-it-feels-like-tears-let-me/)

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

> [“Every man who walks the earth casts a shadow on the world. Some are thin and weak, others long and dark.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/every-man-who-walks-the-earth-casts-a-shadow-on-the-world-some-are/)

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

> [“The shy girl she had known at Riverrun had grown into a woman who was by turns proud, fearful, cruel, dreamy, reckless, timid, stubborn,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/the-shy-girl-she-had-known-at-riverrun-had-grown-into-a-woman-who-was/)

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

> [“He won the war on the battlefield and lost it in a bedchamber, poor fool.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/he-won-the-war-on-the-battlefield-and-lost-it-in-a-bedchamber-poor/)

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

> [“On the morning after battle the crows had feasted on victors and vanquished alike. How much can a crown be worth when a crow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/on-the-morning-after-battle-the-crows-had-feasted-on-victors-and/)

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

> [“The little man gave the big one a look. One of his eyes was green, one was black, and both were cool.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/the-little-man-gave-the-big-one-a-look-one-of-his-eyes-was-green-one/)

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

> [“Jon, could there be honor in a lie, if it were told for a...good purpose? - Samwell”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/jon-could-there-be-honor-in-a-lie-if-it-were-told-for-a-good-purpose/)

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

> [“My mother said my father had a drop of dragon blood.” “Two drops. That, or a cock six feet long.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/my-mother-said-my-father-had-a-drop-of-dragon-blood-two-drops-that-or/)

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

[Explore all 1,761 George R.R. Martin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

## More Brave quotes

> [In the current climate, things that are true, brave human stories become political.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-blanchett/in-the-current-climate-things-that-are-true-brave-human-stories/)

[Cate Blanchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-blanchett/)

> [If You Love Someone, Be Brave Enough To Tell Them., Otherwise Be Brave Enough To Watch Them To Be Loved By Someone Else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bilal-zahoor/if-you-love-someone-be-brave-enough-to-tell-them-otherwise-be-brave/)

[Bilal Zahoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bilal-zahoor/)

> [Be convinced that to be happy means to be free and that to be free means to be brave. Therefore do not take lightly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thucydides/be-convinced-that-to-be-happy-means-to-be-free-and-that-to-be-free/)

[Thucydides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thucydides/)

> [It's always brave to be yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liu-yifei/it-s-always-brave-to-be-yourself/)

[Liu Yifei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liu-yifei/)

> [“Victory is for the fucking brave, not the timid and excuse-riddled weak.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zakk-wylde/victory-is-for-the-fucking-brave-not-the-timid-and-excuse-riddled-weak/)

[Zakk Wylde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zakk-wylde/)

> [I'm very proud of 'Every Girl's a Super Girl.' I want all girls to know that no matter what size, color, or shape, whatever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jojo-siwa/i-m-very-proud-of-every-girl-s-a-super-girl-i-want-all-girls-to-know/)

[JoJo Siwa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jojo-siwa/)

> [And I read the moral--A brave endeavour To do thy duty, whate'er its worth, Is better than life with love forever, And love is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-jeffrey-roche/and-i-read-the-moral-a-brave-endeavour-to-do-thy-duty-whate-er-its/)

James Jeffrey Roche

> [I admire machinery as much is any man, and am as thankful to it as any man can be for what it does for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-admire-machinery-as-much-is-any-man-and-am-as-thankful-to-it-as-any/)

[Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/)

> [You know what really made me sick? I was in Washington, D.C. at another time reading in a paper where the U.S. gives Byron…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-lou-hamer/you-know-what-really-made-me-sick-i-was-in-washington-d-c-at-another/)

[Fannie Lou Hamer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-lou-hamer/)

> [To be able to live and train in Iraq under these circumstances you need to be brave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-be-able-to-live-and-train-in-iraq-under-these-circumstances-you/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [There's a fallacy with stand up comedy, which is, people come up to comedians, and they go, 'You say what I think but I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-jefferies/there-s-a-fallacy-with-stand-up-comedy-which-is-people-come-up-to/)

[Jim Jefferies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-jefferies/)

> [Fortune helps the brave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence/fortune-helps-the-brave/)

[Terence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence/)

> [“A ‘good’ father will tenderly cultivate his children. But a ‘good’ father who is also a ‘brave’ father will let the children without cultivate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/a-good-father-will-tenderly-cultivate-his-children-but-a-good-father/)

[Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/)

> [And is it selfish of me to crave victory, or is it brave?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/and-is-it-selfish-of-me-to-crave-victory-or-is-it-brave/)

[Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/)

> [THE British are brave people. They can face anything, except reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mikes/the-british-are-brave-people-they-can-face-anything-except-reality/)

[George Mikes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mikes/)

[Browse all 3,314 Brave quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brave/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“It does not matter how brave or brilliant a man is, if his commands cannot be heard.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "George R.R. Martin"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/it-does-not-matter-how-brave-or-brilliant-a-man-is-if-his-commands/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Brave"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/it-does-not-matter-how-brave-or-brilliant-a-man-is-if-his-commands/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69c/george-r-r-martin-48_brave_it-does-not-matter-how-brave-or-brillian_890722.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69c/george-r-r-martin-48_brave_it-does-not-matter-how-brave-or-brillian_890722.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69c/george-r-r-martin-48_brave_it-does-not-matter-how-brave-or-brillian_890722.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“It does not matter how brave or brilliant a man is, if his commands cannot be heard.” — George R.R. Martin",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "George R.R. Martin",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“It does not matter how brave...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/it-does-not-matter-how-brave-or-brilliant-a-man-is-if-his-commands/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/it-does-not-matter-how-brave-or-brilliant-a-man-is-if-his-commands/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
