In our system leadership is by consent, not command. To lead a President must persuade. Personal contacts and experiences help shape his thinking. They can be critical to his persuasiveness and thus to his leadership.

Quote by Donald Rumsfeld

Topics: Leadership Quotes

Test ideas in the marketplace. You learn from hearing a range of perspectives. Consultation helps...

Test ideas in the marketplace. You learn from hearing a range of perspectives. Consultation helps...

Control your time. If you're working off your in-box, you're working off the priorities of...

Control your time. If you're working off your in-box, you're working off the priorities of...

Politics is human beings; it's addition rather than subtraction.

Politics is human beings; it's addition rather than subtraction.

Don't be a bottleneck. If a matter is not a decision for the President or...

Don't be a bottleneck. If a matter is not a decision for the President or...

Imagine, a September 11 with weapons of mass destruction. It's not 3,000. It's tens of...

Imagine, a September 11 with weapons of mass destruction. It's not 3,000. It's tens of...

When cutting staff at the Pentagon, don't eliminate the thin layer that assures civilian control.

When cutting staff at the Pentagon, don't eliminate the thin layer that assures civilian control.

Walk around. If you are invisible, the mystique of the President's office may perpetuate inaccurate...

Walk around. If you are invisible, the mystique of the President's office may perpetuate inaccurate...

Work continuously to trim the White House staff from your first day to your last....

Work continuously to trim the White House staff from your first day to your last....

When you raise issues with the President, try to come away with both that decision...

When you raise issues with the President, try to come away with both that decision...

Members of the U.S. House and the U.S. Senate are not there by accident. Each...

Members of the U.S. House and the U.S. Senate are not there by accident. Each...

The way to do well is to do well.

The way to do well is to do well.

Don't begin to think you're the President. You're not. The Constitution provides for only one.

Don't begin to think you're the President. You're not. The Constitution provides for only one.

The most underestimated risk for a politician is overexposure.

The most underestimated risk for a politician is overexposure.

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

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

I don't do quagmires.

I don't do quagmires.

Oh my goodness gracious, what you can buy off the Internet in terms of overhead...

Oh my goodness gracious, what you can buy off the Internet in terms of overhead...

There are a lot of people who lie and get away with it, and that's...

There are a lot of people who lie and get away with it, and that's...

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

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

Make decisions about the President's personal security. He can overrule you, but don't ask him...

Make decisions about the President's personal security. He can overrule you, but don't ask him...

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

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