--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Well, on the American side, every new…" description: "\"Well, on the American side, every new administration has to cut its teeth in a crisis, because before a crisis, you don't really know what your various..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/511/henry-a-kissinger-1068_administration_well-on-the-american-side-every-new-admi_2534687.jpg" --- # Well, on the American side, every new administration has… ![“Well, on the American side, every new administration has to cut its teeth in a crisis, because before a crisis, you don't really know what your various subordinates are thinking under stress.” quote by Henry A. Kissinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/511/henry-a-kissinger-1068_administration_well-on-the-american-side-every-new-admi_2534687.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/511/henry-a-kissinger-1068_administration_well-on-the-american-side-every-new-admi_2534687.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/511/henry-a-kissinger-1068_administration_well-on-the-american-side-every-new-admi_2534687.jpg) > “Well, on the American side, every new administration has to cut its teeth in a crisis, because before a crisis, you don't really know what your various subordinates are thinking under stress.” [Henry A. Kissinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-a-kissinger/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Crises reveal true capabilities and thinking of subordinates, forcing rapid learning. **In simple terms:** Crises test and teach leaders and teams. Key Takeaway Use crises as learning opportunities. Themes leadership crisis management organizational behavior Mood serious analytical Type political strategic When to use this quote - military planning - corporate restructuring - government transitions - emergency response Key Concepts stress response decision making learning under pressure Questions to Reflect On - What can you do to prepare teams for unexpected stress? - How do you balance rapid action with thoughtful analysis? A Different Perspective Not all crises are constructive; stress can impair judgment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Administration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/administration/) [Crisis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crisis/) [Crisis Crisis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crisis-crisis-688348/) [Cutting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cutting/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Management](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/management/) [New Administration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-administration-313951/) [Sides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sides/) [Stress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stress/) [Subordinates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/subordinates/) [Subordinates Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/subordinates-thinking-1375910/) [Teeth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teeth/) [Teeth Crisis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teeth-crisis-1375911/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Under stress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/under-stress/) [Various](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/various/) [Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wells/) ## Related quotes > [There is no energy crisis, only a crisis of ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-buckminster-fuller/there-is-no-energy-crisis-only-a-crisis-of-ignorance/) [R. Buckminster Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-buckminster-fuller/) > [When you have a crisis, the crisis itself becomes one of your biggest asset if that crisis is bad enough. Everyone get very modest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-henric-svanberg/when-you-have-a-crisis-the-crisis-itself-becomes-one-of-your-biggest/) [Carl-Henric Svanberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-henric-svanberg/) > [We already know enough to begin to cope with all the major problems that are now threatening human life and much of the rest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-wald/we-already-know-enough-to-begin-to-cope-with-all-the-major-problems/) [George Wald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-wald/) > [We're in a crisis. We're in a crisis like I don't think America has ever known in my lifetime. But we have to keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/we-re-in-a-crisis-we-re-in-a-crisis-like-i-don-t-think-america-has/) [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) > [The administration in my view is once again manufacturing a crisis. There is no crisis in the Social Security system. The system is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-sarbanes/the-administration-in-my-view-is-once-again-manufacturing-a-crisis/) [Paul Sarbanes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-sarbanes/) > [We are confronting a situation in which the Administration, in my view, is once again manufacturing a crisis. There is no crisis in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-sarbanes/we-are-confronting-a-situation-in-which-the-administration-in-my-view/) [Paul Sarbanes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-sarbanes/) > [I believe the world, and particularly the Judeo-Christian West, is in a crisis. And it is a crisis of - both of capitalism, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-k-bannon/i-believe-the-world-and-particularly-the-judeo-christian-west-is-in-a/) [Stephen K. Bannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-k-bannon/) > [We continue to go from crisis to crisis, whether it is electricity or whether it is gas prices. We need comprehensive solutions, not patchwork…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-mcclellan/we-continue-to-go-from-crisis-to-crisis-whether-it-is-electricity-or/) [Scott McClellan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-mcclellan/) > [Social Security is not in crisis. It's a crisis the president's created, period.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-reid/social-security-is-not-in-crisis-it-s-a-crisis-the-president-s/) [Harry Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-reid/) > [“Libraries are not facing crisis, they are in crisis.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/libraries-are-not-facing-crisis-they-are-in-crisis/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) > [“Because we were having a family crisis." " Your family had a crisis?" "Yes, Ethan. My family. Had a crisis. A crisis was had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-zarr/because-we-were-having-a-family-crisis-your-family-had-a-crisis-yes/) [Sara Zarr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-zarr/) > [“Theology starts with a crisis, the very crisis of reality itself. The crisis is the fact that you live, that you have a life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-root/theology-starts-with-a-crisis-the-very-crisis-of-reality-itself-the/) [Andrew Root](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-root/) > [Rock bottom is a crisis... and everyone wants to avoid crisis. But what 'crisis' means literally is 'to sift' - like a child who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glennon-doyle-melton/rock-bottom-is-a-crisis-and-everyone-wants-to-avoid-crisis-but-what/) [Glennon Doyle Melton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glennon-doyle-melton/) > [Debt, we've learned, is the match that lights the fire of every crisis. Every crisis has its own set of villains - pick your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-ross-sorkin/debt-we-ve-learned-is-the-match-that-lights-the-fire-of-every-crisis/) [Andrew Ross Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-ross-sorkin/) > [When you have a thousand children that die a day from lack of drinking water, that's a crisis and that's a crisis that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-r-wheeler/when-you-have-a-thousand-children-that-die-a-day-from-lack-of/) [Andrew R. Wheeler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-r-wheeler/) ## More by Henry A. Kissinger > [90% of politicians give the other 10% a bad name.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-a-kissinger/90-of-politicians-give-the-other-10-a-bad-name/) [Henry A. Kissinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-a-kissinger/) > [I believe it is a mistake to isolate arms control from other areas of policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-a-kissinger/i-believe-it-is-a-mistake-to-isolate-arms-control-from-other-areas-of/) [Henry A. Kissinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-a-kissinger/) > [ Before the Freedom of Information Act, I used to say at meetings "The illegal we do immediately. The unconstitutional takes a little longer." \[...\]… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-a-kissinger/before-the-freedom-of-information-act-i-used-to-say-at-meetings-the/) [Henry A. Kissinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-a-kissinger/) > [The convictions that leaders have formed before reaching high office are the intellectual capital they will consume as long as they continue in office.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-a-kissinger/the-convictions-that-leaders-have-formed-before-reaching-high-office/) [Henry A. Kissinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-a-kissinger/) > [Nothing is more urgent than a serious, dare I say compassionate, debate as to where we are going at home and abroad. Technicians cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-a-kissinger/nothing-is-more-urgent-than-a-serious-dare-i-say-compassionate-debate/) [Henry A. Kissinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-a-kissinger/) > [Jews were segregated from 1933 on. We could only play against other Jewish teams. This wasn't just social segregation; this was the beginning of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-a-kissinger/jews-were-segregated-from-1933-on-we-could-only-play-against-other/) [Henry A. Kissinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-a-kissinger/) > [The Russian people, at least the ones I know, have pride in being a Russian. And, therefore, they want to be taken seriously in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-a-kissinger/the-russian-people-at-least-the-ones-i-know-have-pride-in-being-a/) [Henry A. Kissinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-a-kissinger/) > [There are only two reasons to sit in the back row of an airplane: Either you have diarrhea, or you're anxious to meet people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-a-kissinger/there-are-only-two-reasons-to-sit-in-the-back-row-of-an-airplane/) [Henry A. Kissinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-a-kissinger/) > [John Paul II was one of the greatest men of the last century. Perhaps the greatest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-a-kissinger/john-paul-ii-was-one-of-the-greatest-men-of-the-last-century-perhaps/) [Henry A. Kissinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-a-kissinger/) > [Does anyone have any questions for my answers?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-a-kissinger/does-anyone-have-any-questions-for-my-answers/) [Henry A. Kissinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-a-kissinger/) > [Taiwan will probably not declare independence. The question isn't independence. The issue is whether Taiwan will declare itself as a sovereign separate state. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-a-kissinger/taiwan-will-probably-not-declare-independence-the-question-isn-t/) [Henry A. Kissinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-a-kissinger/) > [China is a country with a record of continuous self-government going back 4,000 years, the only society that has achieved this. One must start…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-a-kissinger/china-is-a-country-with-a-record-of-continuous-self-government-going/) [Henry A. Kissinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-a-kissinger/) > [With proper tactics, nuclear war need not be as destructive as it appears.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-a-kissinger/with-proper-tactics-nuclear-war-need-not-be-as-destructive-as-it/) [Henry A. Kissinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-a-kissinger/) > [I think a resumption of the Cold War would be a historic tragedy. If a conflict is avoidable, on a basis reflecting morality and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-a-kissinger/i-think-a-resumption-of-the-cold-war-would-be-a-historic-tragedy-if-a/) [Henry A. Kissinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-a-kissinger/) > [University politics make me long for the simplicity of the Middle East.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-a-kissinger/university-politics-make-me-long-for-the-simplicity-of-the-middle-east/) [Henry A. Kissinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-a-kissinger/) [Explore all 298 Henry A. Kissinger quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-a-kissinger/) ## More Administration quotes > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [While the people retain their virtue and vigilance, no administration, by any extreme of wickedness or folly, can very seriously injure the government in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/while-the-people-retain-their-virtue-and-vigilance-no-administration/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [If you want to serve in a Trump administration, you're going to serve this country, not yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-spicer/if-you-want-to-serve-in-a-trump-administration-you-re-going-to-serve/) [Sean Spicer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-spicer/) > [Listen, I have a great affection and respect for Joe Biden. I think he's been a great vice president. He's taken on a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-axelrod/listen-i-have-a-great-affection-and-respect-for-joe-biden-i-think-he/) [David Axelrod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-axelrod/) > [I don't believe anyone that I know in the administration ever said that Iraq had nuclear weapons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/i-don-t-believe-anyone-that-i-know-in-the-administration-ever-said/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [What was unique about me being in City Hall during the Giuliani Administration, I was the only one who wasn't an attorney. I may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-lhota/what-was-unique-about-me-being-in-city-hall-during-the-giuliani/) [Joe Lhota](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-lhota/) > [The Trump administration launched the cruise missile strikes in Syria, an act of war, without a U.N. resolution or Congressional authorization.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bergen/the-trump-administration-launched-the-cruise-missile-strikes-in-syria/) [Peter Bergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bergen/) > [The only way I'll ever run a marathon is if I'm involved in the administration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-phillips/the-only-way-i-ll-ever-run-a-marathon-is-if-i-m-involved-in-the/) [Sally Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-phillips/) > [Obama spent the first two years of his administration practicing political unilateral disarmament.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cenk-uygur/obama-spent-the-first-two-years-of-his-administration-practicing/) [Cenk Uygur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cenk-uygur/) > [The actions of the University in my case make it abundantly clear that the Administration's rhetoric about Harvard's desire to attract and retain the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-geller/the-actions-of-the-university-in-my-case-make-it-abundantly-clear/) [Margaret Geller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-geller/) > [In mid-May, the House of Representatives approved the full amount of money that the Veterans Administration said was needed for next year - plus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doc-hastings/in-mid-may-the-house-of-representatives-approved-the-full-amount-of/) [Doc Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doc-hastings/) > [In 1953, the United States played a significant role in orchestrating the overthrow of Iran's popular prime minister, Mohammed Mossadegh. 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