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" If it were a fact, it wouldn't be called intelligence. "
Donald Rumsfeld
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" If in doubt, move decisions up to the President. "
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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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" 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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" Don't automatically obey Presidential directives if you disagree or if you suspect he hasn't considered key aspects of the issue. "
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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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" If the staff lacks policy guidance against which to test decisions, their decisions will be random. "
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" Many people around the President have sizeable egos before entering government, some with good reason. Their new positions will do little to moderate their egos. "
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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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" When cutting staff at the Pentagon, don't eliminate the thin layer that assures civilian control. "
Donald Rumsfeld
" There are a lot of people who lie and get away with it, and that's just a fact. "
Donald Rumsfeld
" 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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" Public servants are paid to serve the American people. Do it well. "
Donald Rumsfeld
" Know that the amount of criticism you receive may correlate somewhat to the amount of publicity you receive. "
Donald Rumsfeld
" One of your tasks is to separate the 'personal' from the 'substantive.' The two can become confused, especially if someone rubs the President wrong. "
Donald Rumsfeld
" 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
" The way to do well is to do well. "
Donald Rumsfeld
" You're thinking of Europe as Germany and France. I don't. I think that's old Europe. "
Donald Rumsfeld
" Reduce the layers of management. They put distance between the top of an organization and the customers. "
Donald Rumsfeld
" Don't necessarily avoid sharp edges. Occasionally they are necessary to leadership. "
Donald Rumsfeld
" 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. "
Donald Rumsfeld
" When asked for your views, by the press or others, remember that what they really want to know is the President's views. "
Donald Rumsfeld
" 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. "
Donald Rumsfeld
" 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. "
Donald Rumsfeld
" Don't think of yourself as indispensable or infallible. As Charles De Gaulle said, the cemeteries of the world are full of indispensable men. "
Donald Rumsfeld
" Don't be a bottleneck. If a matter is not a decision for the President or you, delegate it. Force responsibility down and out. Find problem areas, add structure and delegate. The pressure is to do the reverse. Resist it. "
Donald Rumsfeld
" If you are not criticized, you may not be doing much. "
Donald Rumsfeld
" 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. "
Donald Rumsfeld
" It isn't making mistakes that's critical; it's correcting them and getting on with the principal task. "
Donald Rumsfeld
" If a prospective Presidential approach can't be explained clearly enough to be understood well, it probably hasn't been thought through well enough. If not well understood by the American people, it probably won't 'sail' anyway. Send it back for further thought. "
Donald Rumsfeld
" Don't blame the boss. He has enough problems. "
Donald Rumsfeld