Answer: Strike while the iron is hot. If you wait, you miss the opportunity to make a difference. If the issue is burning, it has people's attention. Speak up and be heard when they are likely to respond.
Explanation: The expression comes from blacksmithing. The blacksmith heats a bar of iron in the forge until it is red hot. Then the smith places the iron on the anvil and strikes it with a mallet to shape it. The red hot metal is soft enough to bend or flatten, Once the iron is cold, it is very difficult to bend or shape. The smith must reheat it if there is more work to be done.
