Enjoy your time in public service. It may well be one of the most interesting and challenging times of your life.
DONALD RUMSFELDWhat you measure improves.” A corollary rule in the military is that “You get what you inspect, not what you expect.
More Donald Rumsfeld Quotes
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Test ideas in the marketplace. You learn from hearing a range of perspectives. Consultation helps engender the support decisions need to be successfully implemented.
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Learn to say ‘I don’t know.’ If used when appropriate, it will be often.
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Don’t blame the boss. He has enough problems.
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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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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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Politics is human beings; it’s addition rather than subtraction.
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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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It is easier to get into something than to get out of it.
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Every day is filled with numerous opportunities for serious error. Enjoy it.
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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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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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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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Don’t necessarily avoid sharp edges. Occasionally they are necessary to leadership.
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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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Think ahead. Don’t let day-to-day operations drive out planning.
DONALD RUMSFELD