'Every organization should tolerate rebels who tell the emperor he has no clothes.'
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Organizations should allow dissenting voices that expose uncomfortable truths.
- In plain terms
- Accept rebels who point out flaws.
- What can you take from it?
- Value honest criticism.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How do you balance dissent and unity?
- When is silence more harmful than speech?
Another view
Too much dissent can destabilize cohesion.
More from Colin Powell
'If you are going to achieve excellence in big things, you develop the habit in little matters. Excellence is not an exception, it is a prevailing attitude.'
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Permalink to quote #19 'Being responsible sometimes means pissing people off.'
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