Leadership Quote -

Created By Erin Morey

Leadership is a tough endeavor. Defining a vision, getting the team to buy into it and then working toward that end goal are not easy things to do. Add in the very human response of resistance to change and a person can find themselves very easily at odds with the very people he/she is trying to lead and hopefully help.

In this week's quote, President of the United States Ronald Regan shares his thoughts on this concept:

When You Can't Make Them See The Light, Make Them Feel The Heat. 
- US President Ronald Regan

When President Regan first thought of this statement, he may have been relating to another common American Idiom: If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen. The point I take from his line is that people who can see the light will be generating the heat and excited about the change. They will be creating fire and using it to help reach the goal.

However, there can be another effect of all this progress. Others may feel the heat and be scared of it. They can become afraid that the fire will burn them, or burn down the comfort and habits that they knew and relied upon. These people have a choice to make:


1. Embrace the heat and see the light from it, deciding to work with the fire.
2. Fight to put out the fire, sabotaging and undermining the efforts of the leader and/or team
3. Hope the fire burns itself out, as so many "good ideas" in organizations do (i.e. do nothing)
4. Leave the kitchen because the heat is too hot

As a leader work to identify which of these choices your team members (and other stakeholders) have made. You will have to deal with each one differently, but at the very least be aware of the person's choice.

1. This person is a change champion and will readily work to see the change happen. Embrace them and continue to put kindling on the ember that they represent (i.e. coaching, training, praise, guidance, etc.)
2. This person needs to be either converted or removed immediately. Either way, you cannot let this person remain in the decision that they have made.
3. This person most likely needs to be trained and educated on what the vision really means and how it will impact them. Try to get this person off the fence.
4. This person will likely either leave the job or change departments. Minimal for a leader to do except perhaps help them move on to their next position.

A lot of material for a small quote. Now, go light a fire!
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Ronald Reagan was the 40th President of the United States. Prior to becoming President he was an actor and Govenor of California. he is considered a Repiblican Party icon for his sweeping initiatives while in office, including tax rate redutions, deregulaton of industry, and reductions in government spending. He also Presided over the conclusion of the Cold War with the Soviet Union.