Rumsfeld

"Going, Like, Everybody"

"Cost, Always, Effective"

"Think, Old, I Think"

"Never, More, Than"

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

"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."

"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."

"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."

"Public servants are paid to serve the American people. Do it well."

"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."

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

"Make decisions about the President's personal security. He can overrule you, but don't ask him to be the one to counsel caution."

"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."

"Amidst all the clutter, beyond all the obstacles, aside from all the static, are the goals set. Put your head down, do the best job possible, let the flak pass, and work towards those goals."

"Preserve the President's options. He may need them."

"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."

"If you are not criticized, you may not be doing much."

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

"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."

"Test ideas in the marketplace. You learn from hearing a range of perspectives. Consultation helps engender the support decisions need to be successfully implemented."

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

"Don't speak ill of your predecessors or successors. You didn't walk in their shoes."

"Arguments of convenience lack integrity and inevitably trip you up."

"Don't think of yourself as indispensable or infallible. As Charles De Gaulle said, the cemeteries of the world are full of indispensable men."

"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."

"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."

"Simply because you do not have evidence that something exists does not mean that you have evidence that it doesn't exist."

"Enjoy your time in public service. It may well be one of the most interesting and challenging times of your life."

"It isn't making mistakes that's critical; it's correcting them and getting on with the principal task."

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

"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."

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

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

"Think ahead. Don't let day-to-day operations drive out planning."

"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."

"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."

"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."

"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."

"Oh my goodness gracious, what you can buy off the Internet in terms of overhead photography. A trained ape can know an awful lot of what is going on in this world, just by punching on his mouse, for a relatively modest cost."

"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."