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Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

Book by Donald Rumsfeld · 16 quotes · President, Ifs, People

The volume includes a collection of speeches, interviews, and press conferences delivered by Donald H. Rumsfeld, offering insights into his perspectives and policies as the Secretary of Defense during a significant period in American history.

Book detail: Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001 is presented as a focused source page for quotations connected with this book, collection, transcript, or source record.

The volume includes a collection of speeches, interviews, and press conferences delivered by Donald H. Rumsfeld, offering insights into his perspectives and policies as the Secretary of Defense during a significant period in American history.

The quotes below use the same card format as the rest of the site, including topics, source notes, copy actions, image creation, and sharing controls.

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All President Ifs People Decision May Knows Staff Helping House Thinking Trying Wells White White House World Firsts Guidance Jobs Moving Policy

Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001 Quotes

“When you're skiing, if you're not falling you're not trying.”

Ifs Trying Fall Skiing

Book:Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

Source: Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

“Control your time. If you're working off your in-box, you're working off the priorities of others. Be sure the staff is working on what you move to them from the President, or the President will be reacting, not leading.”

Ifs Moving President Boxes Priorities Staff Reacting

Book:Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

Source: Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

“Walk around. If you are invisible, the mystique of the President's office may perpetuate inaccurate impressions about you or the President, to his detriment. After all, you may not be as bad as they're saying.”

Ifs May President Walks Office Invisible Impression Mystique

Book:Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

Source: Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

“If you try to please everybody, somebody's not going to like it.”

Ifs Trying Please

Book:Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

Source: Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

“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.”

People Ifs Inspirational Wells Enough Funny Perspective Approach Understood Presidential Sail Sailing

Book:Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

Source: Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

“Don't automatically obey Presidential directives if you disagree or if you suspect he hasn't considered key aspects of the issue.”

Ifs Issues Keys Aspect Presidential Suspects Disagree

Book:Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

Source: Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

“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.”

Ifs Firsts May Running Politics Winning Loses Ties Ballots Can't Win

Book:Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

Source: Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

“If the staff lacks policy guidance against which to test decisions, their decisions will be random.”

Ifs Decision Policy Tests Guidance Staff

Book:Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

Source: Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

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

Ifs President Mistake Delay Foul Compounds

Book:Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

Source: Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

“One of your tasks is to separate the 'personal' from the 'substantive.' The two can become confused, especially if someone rubs the President wrong.”

Ifs Two President Tasks Confused

Book:Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

Source: Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

“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.”

Source: Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

“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.”

Ifs Matter Problem Force President Decision Responsibility Areas Pressure Down And Structure Add Reverse Delegates Delegation Bottlenecks

Book:Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

Source: Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

“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.”

Ifs Should Firsts States Government Lasts Asks Responsibility Program Organization Locals Federal Government Resorts State Government

Book:Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

Source: Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

“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.”

Ifs May Made President Decision Poor Cutting Information Flow Staff Cabinets Information Flow

Book:Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

Source: Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

“If you develop rules, never have more than ten.”

Book:Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

Source: Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

“If in doubt, move decisions up to the President.”

Ifs Moving President Decision Doubt

Book:Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

Source: Public Statements of Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, 2001

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