Donald Rumsfeld Quotes

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.

It isn’t making mistakes that’s critical; it’s correcting them and getting on with the principal task.

Remember where you came from.

Arguments of convenience lack integrity and inevitably trip you up.

Let your family, staff, and friends know that you’re still the same person, despite all the publicity and notoriety that accompanies your position.

If you try to please everybody, somebody’s not going to like it.

Reduce the layers of management. They put distance between the top of an organization and the customers.

If you are not criticized, you may not be doing much.

Test ideas in the marketplace. You learn from hearing a range of perspectives. Consultation helps engender the support decisions need to be successfully implemented.

Don’t necessarily avoid sharp edges. Occasionally they are necessary to leadership.