The way to do well is to do well.
DONALD RUMSFELDLet your family, staff, and friends know that you’re still the same person, despite all the publicity and notoriety that accompanies your position.
More Donald Rumsfeld Quotes
-
-
What you measure improves.” A corollary rule in the military is that “You get what you inspect, not what you expect.
DONALD RUMSFELD -
Think ahead. Don’t let day-to-day operations drive out planning.
DONALD RUMSFELD -
Be precise. A lack of precision is dangerous when the margin of error is small.
DONALD RUMSFELD -
Don’t speak ill of your predecessors or successors. You didn’t walk in their shoes.
DONALD RUMSFELD -
Learn to say ‘I don’t know.’ If used when appropriate, it will be often.
DONALD RUMSFELD -
Don’t necessarily avoid sharp edges. Occasionally they are necessary to leadership.
DONALD RUMSFELD -
Reduce the number of lawyers. They are like beavers – they get in the middle of the stream and dam it up.
DONALD RUMSFELD -
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.
DONALD RUMSFELD -
There are a lot of people who lie and get away with it, and that’s just a fact.
DONALD RUMSFELD -
Every day is filled with numerous opportunities for serious error. Enjoy it.
DONALD RUMSFELD -
Be able to resign. It will improve your value to the President and do wonders for your performance.
DONALD RUMSFELD -
It isn’t making mistakes that’s critical; it’s correcting them and getting on with the principal task.
DONALD RUMSFELD -
Remember where you came from.
DONALD RUMSFELD -
If in doubt, move decisions up to the President.
DONALD RUMSFELD -
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.
DONALD RUMSFELD -
Arguments of convenience lack integrity and inevitably trip you up.
DONALD RUMSFELD -
Treat each federal dollar as if it was hard earned; it was – by a taxpayer.
DONALD RUMSFELD -
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.
DONALD RUMSFELD -
There are no “knowns.” There are things we know that we know. There are known unknowns. That is to say there are things that we now know we don’t know. But there are also unknown unknowns. There are things we do not know we don’t know.
DONALD RUMSFELD -
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.
DONALD RUMSFELD -
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.
DONALD RUMSFELD -
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.
DONALD RUMSFELD -
If you are not criticized, you may not be doing much.
DONALD RUMSFELD -
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.
DONALD RUMSFELD -
You go to war with the army you have, not the army you might want or wish to have at a later time.
DONALD RUMSFELD -
Prune – prune businesses, products, activities, people. Do it annually.
DONALD RUMSFELD