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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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" Learn to say 'I don't know.' If used when appropriate, it will be often. "

" In our system leadership is by consent, not command. To lead a President must persuade. Personal contacts and experiences help shape his thinking. They can be critical to his persuasiveness and thus to his leadership. "

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" Death has a tendency to encourage a depressing view of war. "

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" The way to do well is to do well. "

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" Leave the President's family business to him. You will have plenty to do without trying to manage the First Family. They are likely to do fine without your help. "

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" Secretary Powell and I agree on every single issue that has ever been before this administration except for those instances where Colin's still learning. "

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" If it were a fact, it wouldn't be called intelligence. "

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" In the execution of Presidential decisions work to be true to his views, in fact and tone. "

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" I don't do quagmires. "

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

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" Make decisions about the President's personal security. He can overrule you, but don't ask him to be the one to counsel caution. "

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" Don't divide the world into 'them' and 'us.' Avoid infatuation with or resentment of the press, the Congress, rivals, or opponents. Accept them as facts. They have their jobs and you have yours. "

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" You will launch many projects, but have time to finish only a few. So think, plan, develop, launch and tap good people to be responsible. Give them authority and hold them accountable. Trying to do too much yourself creates a bottleneck. "

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" If in doubt, don't. If still in doubt, do what's right. "

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" Don't blame the boss. He has enough problems. "

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" There are known knowns. These are things we know that we know. There are known unknowns. That is to say, there are things that we know we don't know. But there are also unknown unknowns. There are things we don't know we don't know. "

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" One of your tasks is to separate the 'personal' from the 'substantive.' The two can become confused, especially if someone rubs the President wrong. "

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" Treat each federal dollar as if it was hard earned; it was - by a taxpayer. "

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

Donald Rumsfeld

" If the staff lacks policy guidance against which to test decisions, their decisions will be random. "

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

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" Don't think of yourself as indispensable or infallible. As Charles De Gaulle said, the cemeteries of the world are full of indispensable men. "

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" In politics, every day is filled with numerous opportunities for serious error. Enjoy it. "

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" You're thinking of Europe as Germany and France. I don't. I think that's old Europe. "

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" Members of the U.S. House and the U.S. Senate are not there by accident. Each managed to get there for some reason. Learn what it was and you will know something important about them, about our country and about the American people. "

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" Don't speak ill of your predecessors or successors. You didn't walk in their shoes. "

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" When you raise issues with the President, try to come away with both that decision and also a precedent. Pose issues so as to evoke broader policy guidance. This can help to answer a range of similar issues likely to arise later. "

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" If you foul up, tell the President and correct it fast. Delay only compounds mistakes. "

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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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" With the press there is no 'off the record.' "

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