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" It is easier to get into something than to get out of it. "
Donald Rumsfeld
Related Quotes:
" Don't do or say things you would not like to see on the front page of The Washington Post. "
Donald Rumsfeld
" Be precise. A lack of precision is dangerous when the margin of error is small. "
Donald Rumsfeld
" In the execution of Presidential decisions work to be true to his views, in fact and tone. "
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
" Simply because you do not have evidence that something exists does not mean that you have evidence that it doesn't exist. "
Donald Rumsfeld
" Be able to resign. It will improve your value to the President and do wonders for your performance. "
Donald Rumsfeld
" Arguments of convenience lack integrity and inevitably trip you up. "
Donald Rumsfeld
" 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. "
Donald Rumsfeld
" Presidential leadership needn't always cost money. Look for low- and no-cost options. They can be surprisingly effective. "
Donald Rumsfeld
" The Federal Government should be the last resort, not the first. Ask if a potential program is truly a federal responsibility or whether it can better be handled privately, by voluntary organizations, or by local or state governments. "
Donald Rumsfeld
" 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. "
Donald Rumsfeld
" 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. "
Donald Rumsfeld
" 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. "
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
" 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
" Think ahead. Don't let day-to-day operations drive out planning. "
Donald Rumsfeld
" 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. "
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
" If it were a fact, it wouldn't be called intelligence. "
Donald Rumsfeld
" When cutting staff at the Pentagon, don't eliminate the thin layer that assures civilian control. "
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
" Don't automatically obey Presidential directives if you disagree or if you suspect he hasn't considered key aspects of the issue. "
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
" The way to do well is to do well. "
Donald Rumsfeld
" Preserve the President's options. He may need them. "
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 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
" 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
" If in doubt, move decisions up to the President. "
Donald Rumsfeld
" Don't speak ill of your predecessors or successors. You didn't walk in their shoes. "
Donald Rumsfeld