--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Every organization should tolerate rebels…" description: "\"Every organization should tolerate rebels who tell the emperor he has no clothes\" — Colin Powell" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14a/colin-powell-691_clothes_every-organization-should-tolerate-rebel_2068499.jpg" --- # Every organization should tolerate rebels who tell the… ![“Every organization should tolerate rebels who tell the emperor he has no clothes” quote by Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14a/colin-powell-691_clothes_every-organization-should-tolerate-rebel_2068499.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14a/colin-powell-691_clothes_every-organization-should-tolerate-rebel_2068499.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14a/colin-powell-691_clothes_every-organization-should-tolerate-rebel_2068499.jpg) > “Every organization should tolerate rebels who tell the emperor he has no clothes” [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Leaders should accept dissenters who expose uncomfortable truths, as they prevent complacency and promote honesty. **In simple terms:** Accept rebels who speak truth. Key Takeaway Embrace dissent to stay honest. Themes leadership honesty dissent Mood pragmatic inspirational Type motivational leadership When to use this quote - corporate meetings - political cabinets - team projects Key Concepts power dynamics organizational health truth‑seeking Questions to Reflect On - What benefits arise from dissent? - How to balance dissent with unity? A Different Perspective Rebels can cause conflict and destabilize authority. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Clothes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clothes/) [Emperor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emperor/) [Organization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/organization/) [Organization Tolerate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/organization-tolerate-3982488/) [Rebel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rebel/) [Rebellion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rebellion/) [Rebels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rebels/) [Rebels Tell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rebels-tell-3982487/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Tell Emperor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tell-emperor-3982489/) [Tolerate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tolerate/) [Tolerate Rebels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tolerate-rebels-3982486/) ## Related quotes > [Comedians are the one who have to tell the emperor he has no clothes on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rock/comedians-are-the-one-who-have-to-tell-the-emperor-he-has-no-clothes/) [Chris Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rock/) > [The constellations this year seem unfavourable to rebels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesare-borgia/the-constellations-this-year-seem-unfavourable-to-rebels/) [Cesare Borgia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesare-borgia/) > [“As her feet beat the concrete ground beneath them, her chest began to ache. It had been a long time since she had run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-caligiuri/as-her-feet-beat-the-concrete-ground-beneath-them-her-chest-began-to/) [Ross Caligiuri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-caligiuri/) > [True lovers are as rare as true rebels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masha-tupitsyn/true-lovers-are-as-rare-as-true-rebels/) [Masha Tupitsyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masha-tupitsyn/) > [If you're in part of rebel-controlled Syria, and suddenly your house blows up or a building next to you blows up, it would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-engel/if-you-re-in-part-of-rebel-controlled-syria-and-suddenly-your-house/) [Richard Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-engel/) > [“Most personalities have been obliged to be rebels. Half their strength has been wasted in friction.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/most-personalities-have-been-obliged-to-be-rebels-half-their-strength/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [I started, actually, as an analyst on African affairs, mainly on Al Jazeera. I remember the first few series were about Saudi students, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wadah-khanfar/i-started-actually-as-an-analyst-on-african-affairs-mainly-on-al/) [Wadah Khanfar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wadah-khanfar/) > [America is a land of creators and rebels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-marti/america-is-a-land-of-creators-and-rebels/) [Jose Marti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-marti/) > [Honduras is strongly anti-Communist, maintains no diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union, and has provided vital support for United States-backed rebels fighting to overthrow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-kinzer/honduras-is-strongly-anti-communist-maintains-no-diplomatic-relations/) [Stephen Kinzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-kinzer/) > [We do not come to God as bad people trying to become good people; we come as rebels to lay down our arms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/we-do-not-come-to-god-as-bad-people-trying-to-become-good-people-we/) [C. 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They joyfully welcomed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/it-seems-that-the-rebels-found-the-chaos-of-transition-more-difficult/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“My dream is to create something so beautiful that it encourages people to present the best version of themselves to me everywhere I go.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-caligiuri/my-dream-is-to-create-something-so-beautiful-that-it-encourages/) [Ross Caligiuri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-caligiuri/) > [“Try to think of it as though we are rewriting history––the first time this experience occurred you and I never kissed in this Dream…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-caligiuri/try-to-think-of-it-as-though-we-are-rewriting-history-the-first-time/) [Ross Caligiuri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-caligiuri/) > [Persecution matures young rebels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/han-suyin/persecution-matures-young-rebels/) [Han Suyin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/han-suyin/) ## More by Colin Powell > [Failure is a part of life and you have to learn to deal with it. 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Any time you tolerate mediocrity in others, it increases your mediocrity.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/the-less-you-associate-with-some-people-the-more-your-life-will/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [Be careful what you choose: You may get it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/be-careful-what-you-choose-you-may-get-it/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) [Explore all 408 Colin Powell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) ## More Clothes quotes > [Personal Style comes from within. It's when the woman, her individuality and spirit come through. 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I keep all of my awards down there, and childhood photos, and even all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-kelly/downstairs-in-my-house-i-have-a-museum-room-i-keep-all-of-my-awards/) [R. Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-kelly/) > [My problems are sort of more on a nuisance level. 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