Donald Rumsfeld Quotes

Donald Rumsfeld
Donald Rumsfeld
American Politician
Born: Jul 9, 1932
Decisions Know People President Will You
Related authors: Alexander Hamilton Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Benjamin Franklin Bernie Sanders John F. Kerry Nancy Pelosi Robert Kennedy Shirley Chisholm
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
Unknown Unknowns Say Know Also Known Things
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
Best Guidance People Country Move On White White House Back Give Select Wrong Performance Feels Sharper Hour House Occur Amateur Fit Errors Train Persist Afford Move Depends Cannot Them Your Help
Death has a tendency to encourage a depressing view of war. Donald Rumsfeld
Death War Tendency Encourage Depressing View
Public servants are paid to serve the American people. Do it well. Donald Rumsfeld
People Well American Public American People Paid Public Servants Servants Serve
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. Donald Rumsfeld
You World Congress Press Jobs Divide Facts Rivals Accept Opponents Infatuation Them Us Avoid Yours Resentment
Think ahead. Don't let day-to-day operations drive out planning. Donald Rumsfeld
Drive Think Out Day-To-Day Operations Planning
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
Time Good You Yourself People Too Much Will Good People Few Think Too Projects Launch Responsible Give Finish Only Develop Tap Accountable Trying Authority Hold Them Plan Much Creates Many
Be precise. A lack of precision is dangerous when the margin of error is small. Donald Rumsfeld
Dangerous Small Error Precise Precision Lack Margin
If the staff lacks policy guidance against which to test decisions, their decisions will be random. Donald Rumsfeld
Guidance Random Will Policy Test Lacks Staff Which Against Decisions
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 Marketplace Range Consultation Support Implemented Ideas Learn Test Hearing Decisions Perspectives Successfully Helps Need
Be able to resign. It will improve your value to the President and do wonders for your performance. Donald Rumsfeld
Will Value President Able Performance Improve Wonders Your Resign
If you foul up, tell the President and correct it fast. Delay only compounds mistakes. Donald Rumsfeld
You Delay Mistakes President Correct Tell Compounds Only Up Foul Fast
Don't necessarily avoid sharp edges. Occasionally they are necessary to leadership. Donald Rumsfeld
Leadership Sharp Occasionally Edges Avoid Necessarily Necessary
Arguments of convenience lack integrity and inevitably trip you up. Donald Rumsfeld
You Integrity Argument Trip Inevitably Up Lack Convenience
You're thinking of Europe as Germany and France. I don't. I think that's old Europe. Donald Rumsfeld
You Old Think Thinking France Germany Europe
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
You Try Mistakes Corners Visit Administration See Some Rather Previous Know Make Around Repeating Than Predecessors Ropes Your Help Original
In the execution of Presidential decisions work to be true to his views, in fact and tone. Donald Rumsfeld
Work Be True Presidential Fact True Execution His In Fact Decisions Views Tone
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
Family You Business Will First President Plenty Fine Likely Him Without Leave Family Business Trying Manage Your Help
Let your family, staff, and friends know that you're still the same person, despite all the publicity and notoriety that accompanies your position. Donald Rumsfeld
Family You Despite Know Still Accompanies Friends Person Same Staff Your Notoriety Publicity Position
Be yourself. Follow your instincts. Success depends, at least in part, on the ability to 'carry it off.' Donald Rumsfeld
Success Yourself Be Yourself Carry Ability Follow Part Instincts Least Off Depends Your
Know that the amount of criticism you receive may correlate somewhat to the amount of publicity you receive. Donald Rumsfeld
You Criticism Correlate Somewhat Know May Publicity Amount Receive
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
You Guidance Try Decision President Later Broader Range Evoke Similar Both Arise Come Likely Also Policy Answer Issues Precedent Help Away Raise Pose
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
Confused Become Rubs President Someone Wrong Personal Tasks Substantive Separate Your Two
Work continuously to trim the White House staff from your first day to your last. All the pressures are to the contrary. Donald Rumsfeld
Work Day First White White House Pressures Trim House Continuously Contrary Staff Your Last
Don't do or say things you would not like to see on the front page of The Washington Post. Donald Rumsfeld
You Post Say Would See Like Front Front Page Page Washington Washington Post Things
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
Money Focus Congress Too Spent Press Rather Announced How How Much How Much Money Goal Than Effort Bureaucracy Often Achieves Whether Much Actually
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