Politics is human beings; it’s addition rather than subtraction.
DONALD RUMSFELDIt is easier to get into something than to get out of it.
More Donald Rumsfeld Quotes
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With the press there is no ‘off the record.’
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First rule of politics: you can’t win unless you’re on the ballot. Second rule: If you run, you may lose. And, if you tie, you do not win.
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If in doubt, move decisions up to the President.
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Reduce the number of lawyers. They are like beavers – they get in the middle of the stream and dam it up.
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There are known knowns, things we know that we know; and there are known unknowns, things that we know we don’t know. But there are also unknown unknowns, things we do not know we don’t know.
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Presidential leadership needn’t always cost money. Look for low- and no-cost options. They can be surprisingly effective.
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It is easier to get into something than to get out of it.
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The price of being close to the President is delivering bad news. You fail him if you don’t tell him the truth. Others won’t do it.
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Let’s stick something in the ground and not pretend that it’s perfect.
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Simply because you do not have evidence that something exists does not mean that you have evidence that it doesn’t exist.
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If we know anything, it is that weakness is provocative.
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Whatever your position, reach out to those who know more than you do, and have been around longer than you have. Find those people. Listen carefully. And learn.
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Arguments of convenience lack integrity and inevitably trip you up.
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Every day is filled with numerous opportunities for serious error. Enjoy it.
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Your performance depends on your people. Select the best, train them and back them. When errors occur, give sharper guidance. If errors persist or if the fit feels wrong, help them move on. The country cannot afford amateur hour in the White House.
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Agreement can always be reached by increasing the generality of the conclusion; when this is done, the form is generally preserved but only the illusion of policy is created.
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Prune – prune businesses, products, activities, people. Do it annually.
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Think ahead. Don’t let day-to-day operations drive out planning.
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Know that the amount of criticism you receive may correlate somewhat to the amount of publicity you receive.
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What you measure improves.” A corollary rule in the military is that “You get what you inspect, not what you expect.
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Remember where you came from.
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Amidst all the clutter, beyond all the obstacles, aside from all the static, are the goals set. Put your head down, do the best job possible, let the flak pass, and work towards those goals.
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Those who made the decisions with imperfect knowledge will be judged in hindsight by those with considerably more information at their disposal and time for reflection.
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Be able to resign. It will improve your value to the President and do wonders for your performance.
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Reduce the layers of management. They put distance between the top of an organization and the customers.
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If in doubt, don’t. If still in doubt, do what’s right.
DONALD RUMSFELD