Donald Rumsfeld Zitate auf Englisch

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If you develop rules, never have more than ten.

Donald Rumsfeld

If you foul up, tell the President and correct it fast. Delay only compounds mistakes.

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

Reduce the number of lawyers. They are like beavers - they get in the middle of the stream and dam it up.

Donald Rumsfeld

The Secretary of Defense is not a super General or Admiral. His task is to exercise civilian control over the Department for the Commander-in-Chief and the country.

Donald Rumsfeld

It is easier to get into something than to get out of it.

Donald Rumsfeld

Be able to resign. It will improve your value to the President and do wonders for your performance.

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

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 price of being close to the President is delivering bad news. You fail him if you don't tell him the truth. Others won't do it.

Donald Rumsfeld

Don't say 'the White House wants.' Buildings can't want.

Donald Rumsfeld

Don't do or say things you would not like to see on the front page of The Washington Post.

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

Don't necessarily avoid sharp edges. Occasionally they are necessary to leadership.

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 precise. A lack of precision is dangerous when the margin of error is small.

Donald Rumsfeld

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.

Donald Rumsfeld

Don't blame the boss. He has enough problems.

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

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

Know that the amount of criticism you receive may correlate somewhat to the amount of publicity you receive.

Donald Rumsfeld

Learn to say 'I don't know.' If used when appropriate, it will be often.

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

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

Work continuously to trim the White House staff from your first day to your last. All the pressures are to the contrary.

Donald Rumsfeld

Be yourself. Follow your instincts. Success depends, at least in part, on the ability to 'carry it off.'

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

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

Reduce the layers of management. They put distance between the top of an organization and the customers.

Donald Rumsfeld

Prune - prune businesses, products, activities, people. Do it annually.

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