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" If the staff lacks policy guidance against which to test decisions, their decisions will be random. "
Donald Rumsfeld
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" Don't speak ill of your predecessors or successors. You didn't walk in their shoes. "
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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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" Be able to resign. It will improve your value to the President and do wonders for your performance. "
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" If in doubt, don't. If still in doubt, do what's right. "
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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. "
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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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" When asked for your views, by the press or others, remember that what they really want to know is the President's views. "
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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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" 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
" Enjoy your time in public service. It may well be one of the most interesting and challenging times of your life. "
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
" 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. "
Donald Rumsfeld
" If it were a fact, it wouldn't be called intelligence. "
Donald Rumsfeld
" It is easier to get into something than to get out of it. "
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
" Reduce the layers of management. They put distance between the top of an organization and the customers. "
Donald Rumsfeld
" Make decisions about the President's personal security. He can overrule you, but don't ask him to be the one to counsel caution. "
Donald Rumsfeld
" Know that the amount of criticism you receive may correlate somewhat to the amount of publicity you receive. "
Donald Rumsfeld
" Congress, the press, and the bureaucracy too often focus on how much money or effort is spent, rather than whether the money or effort actually achieves the announced goal. "
Donald Rumsfeld
" I don't do quagmires. "
Donald Rumsfeld
" 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. "
Donald Rumsfeld
" Reduce the number of lawyers. They are like beavers - they get in the middle of the stream and dam it up. "
Donald Rumsfeld
" Look for what's missing. Many advisors can tell a President how to improve what's proposed or what's gone amiss. Few are able to see what isn't there. "
Donald Rumsfeld
" Be precise. A lack of precision is dangerous when the margin of error is small. "
Donald Rumsfeld
" Test ideas in the marketplace. You learn from hearing a range of perspectives. Consultation helps engender the support decisions need to be successfully implemented. "
Donald Rumsfeld
" First rule of politics: you can't win unless you're on the ballot. Second rule: If you run, you may lose. And, if you tie, you do not win. "
Donald Rumsfeld
" If you foul up, tell the President and correct it fast. Delay only compounds mistakes. "
Donald Rumsfeld
" Treat each federal dollar as if it was hard earned; it was - by a taxpayer. "
Donald Rumsfeld
" Arguments of convenience lack integrity and inevitably trip you up. "
Donald Rumsfeld
" You're thinking of Europe as Germany and France. I don't. I think that's old Europe. "
Donald Rumsfeld