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" Don't blame the boss. He has enough problems. "
Donald Rumsfeld
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" If you foul up, tell the President and correct it fast. Delay only compounds mistakes. "
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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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" See that the President, the Cabinet and staff are informed. If cut out of the information flow, their decisions may be poor, not made, or not confidently or persuasively implemented. "
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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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" If in doubt, don't. If still in doubt, do what's right. "
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" Don't necessarily avoid sharp edges. Occasionally they are necessary to leadership. "
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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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" Imagine, a September 11 with weapons of mass destruction. It's not 3,000. It's tens of thousands of innocent men, women and children. "
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" If you develop rules, never have more than ten. "
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" Preserve the President's options. He may need them. "
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" Treat each federal dollar as if it was hard earned; it was - by a taxpayer. "
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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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