To instigate changes toward democracy a situation has to be created for a certain period where the leader is sufficiently in control to rule out influences he does not want and to manipulate the situation to a sufficient degree. The goal of the democratic leader in this transition period will have to be the same as any good teacher, namely to make himself superfluous, to be replaced by indigenous leaders from the group.

As cited in: M.K. Smith (2001) "Kurt Lewin, groups, experiential learning and action research". In: The Encyclopedia of Informal Education. - Resolving social conflicts; selected papers on group dynamics, 1948