---
title: "2 Practice Leadership Quotes By Ronald A. Heifetz"
description: "2 Practice Leadership quotes by Ronald A. Heifetz. Plus more from Ronald A. Heifetz and more Practice Leadership sayings from other authors."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a41/ronald-a-heifetz-23775_accepting_but-to-practice-leadership-you-need-to-a_1288598.png"
---

> [But to practice leadership, you need to accept that you are in the business of generating chaos, confusion, and conflict](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-a-heifetz/but-to-practice-leadership-you-need-to-accept-that-you-are-in-the/)

[Ronald A. Heifetz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-a-heifetz/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a41/ronald-a-heifetz-23775_accepting_but-to-practice-leadership-you-need-to-a_1288598.png)

> [“You stay alive in the practice of leadership by reducing the extent to which you become the target of people’s frustrations. The best way to stay out of range is to think constantly about giving the work back to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-a-heifetz/you-stay-alive-in-the-practice-of-leadership-by-reducing-the-extent/)

[Ronald A. Heifetz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-a-heifetz/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a1c/ronald-a-heifetz-23775_goals_you-stay-alive-in-the-practice-of-leader_2332236.png)

## More by Ronald A. Heifetz

> [Exercising leadership is an expression of your aliveness... But when you cover yourself up, you risk losing something as well. In the struggle to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-a-heifetz/exercising-leadership-is-an-expression-of-your-aliveness-but-when-you/)

[Ronald A. Heifetz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-a-heifetz/)

> [And leadership then is about mobilizing and engaging the people with the problem rather than trying to anesthetize them so you can go off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-a-heifetz/and-leadership-then-is-about-mobilizing-and-engaging-the-people-with/)

[Ronald A. Heifetz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-a-heifetz/)

> [“The person who has a disproportionate need for control, who is too hungry for power, is susceptible to losing sight of the work.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-a-heifetz/the-person-who-has-a-disproportionate-need-for-control-who-is-too/)

[Ronald A. Heifetz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-a-heifetz/)

> [“When you need someone to talk to in difficult times, it’s tempting to try to turn a trusted ally into a confidant as well.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-a-heifetz/when-you-need-someone-to-talk-to-in-difficult-times-it-s-tempting-to/)

[Ronald A. Heifetz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-a-heifetz/)

> [I think that notion of leadership is bankrupt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-a-heifetz/i-think-that-notion-of-leadership-is-bankrupt/)

[Ronald A. Heifetz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-a-heifetz/)

> [Attention is the currency of leadership.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-a-heifetz/attention-is-the-currency-of-leadership/)

[Ronald A. Heifetz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-a-heifetz/)

> [“What happened has hurt us. Now you have to work this out.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-a-heifetz/what-happened-has-hurt-us-now-you-have-to-work-this-out/)

[Ronald A. Heifetz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-a-heifetz/)

> [But to practice leadership, you need to accept that you are in the business of generating chaos, confusion, and conflict](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-a-heifetz/but-to-practice-leadership-you-need-to-accept-that-you-are-in-the/)

[Ronald A. Heifetz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-a-heifetz/)

> [“When you lead people through difficult change, you take them on an emotional roller coaster because you are asking them to relinquish something—a belief,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-a-heifetz/when-you-lead-people-through-difficult-change-you-take-them-on-an/)

[Ronald A. Heifetz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-a-heifetz/)

> [“You know best who you really are by watching what you do rather than listening to what you say.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-a-heifetz/you-know-best-who-you-really-are-by-watching-what-you-do-rather-than/)

[Ronald A. Heifetz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-a-heifetz/)

> [Progress on problems is the measure of leadership; leaders mobilize people to face problems, and communities make progress on problems because leaders challenge them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-a-heifetz/progress-on-problems-is-the-measure-of-leadership-leaders-mobilize/)

[Ronald A. Heifetz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-a-heifetz/)

> [“Win-win solutions are ideal but not common with strategic choices. When we hear someone talk "win-wins," we wonder if anything really lasting is going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-a-heifetz/win-win-solutions-are-ideal-but-not-common-with-strategic-choices/)

[Ronald A. Heifetz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-a-heifetz/)

> [“In the heat of leadership, with the adrenaline pumping, it is easy to convince yourself that you are not subject to the normal human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-a-heifetz/in-the-heat-of-leadership-with-the-adrenaline-pumping-it-is-easy-to/)

[Ronald A. Heifetz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-a-heifetz/)

> [Values are shaped and refined by rubbing against real problems, and people interpret their problems according to the values they hold.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-a-heifetz/values-are-shaped-and-refined-by-rubbing-against-real-problems-and/)

[Ronald A. Heifetz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-a-heifetz/)

> [“Mental health professionals have said for a long time that individuals cannot adapt well to too many life changes at once. If you suffer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-a-heifetz/mental-health-professionals-have-said-for-a-long-time-that/)

[Ronald A. Heifetz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-a-heifetz/)

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