Attitude Quote by Mike Espy
“We have made changes at the USDA in our personnel and in the attitude that we would like to instill in our personnel. Some don't want to do that and some protest and some target me.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Press conference, USDA, 1995
He announced personnel changes and a new attitude, noting resistance and personal attacks.
In simple terms: He changed staff and culture, but faced opposition and criticism.
Key Takeaway
Implement change while managing dissent.
Themes
leadership
organization
culture
resistance
politics
Mood
defensive
determined
reflective
Type
statement
political
When to use this quote
- government agency reform
- staff restructuring
- public criticism
- personal attacks
Key Concepts
change management
organizational behavior
public scrutiny
Questions to Reflect On
- How can leaders balance reform with staff morale?
- What strategies mitigate personal attacks during change?
A Different Perspective
Not all staff will accept new direction; external pressures can intensify conflict.
![“A nationwide study published by the USDA in 1996 found that [...] 78.6 percent of the ground beef contained microbes that are spread primarily by fecal matter. The medical literature on the causes of food poisoning is full of euphemisms and dry scientific terms: coliform levels, aerobic plate…” quote by Eric Schlosser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/06c/eric-schlosser-3894_beef_a-nationwide-study-published-by-the-usda_811818.jpg)
