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" Be yourself. Follow your instincts. Success depends, at least in part, on the ability to 'carry it off.' "
Donald Rumsfeld
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" If you are not criticized, you may not be doing much. "
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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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" 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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" Prune - prune businesses, products, activities, people. Do it annually. "
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" Arguments of convenience lack integrity and inevitably trip you up. "
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" Our task, your task... is to try to connect the dots before something happens. People say, 'Well, where's the smoking gun?' Well, we don't want to see a smoking gun from a weapon of mass destruction. "
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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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" 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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" 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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" 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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" 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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" Plan backwards as well as forward. Set objectives and trace back to see how to achieve them. You may find that no path can get you there. Plan forward to see where your steps will take you, which may not be clear or intuitive. "
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" Don't necessarily avoid sharp edges. Occasionally they are necessary to leadership. "
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" The way to do well is to do well. "
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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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" I can't tell you if the use of force in Iraq today will last five days, five weeks or five months, but it won't last any longer than that. "
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" Enjoy your time in public service. It may well be one of the most interesting and challenging times of your life. "
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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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" Oh my goodness gracious, what you can buy off the Internet in terms of overhead photography. A trained ape can know an awful lot of what is going on in this world, just by punching on his mouse, for a relatively modest cost. "
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" If it were a fact, it wouldn't be called intelligence. "
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" Learn to say 'I don't know.' If used when appropriate, it will be often. "
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" When cutting staff at the Pentagon, don't eliminate the thin layer that assures civilian control. "
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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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" It is easier to get into something than to get out of it. "
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" With the press there is no 'off the record.' "
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" Let your family, staff, and friends know that you're still the same person, despite all the publicity and notoriety that accompanies your position. "
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" Visit with your predecessors from previous Administrations. They know the ropes and can help you see around some corners. Try to make original mistakes, rather than needlessly repeating theirs. "
Donald Rumsfeld
" Don't automatically obey Presidential directives if you disagree or if you suspect he hasn't considered key aspects of the issue. "
Donald Rumsfeld