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.

Quote by Donald Rumsfeld

Topics: Profession And Professionals Quotes

Leave the President's family business to him. You will have plenty to do without trying...

Leave the President's family business to him. You will have plenty to do without trying...

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...

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

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

Look for what's missing. Many advisors can tell a President how to improve what's proposed...

Look for what's missing. Many advisors can tell a President how to improve what's proposed...

Remember where you came from.

Remember where you came from.

First rule of politics: you can't win unless you're on the ballot. Second rule: If...

First rule of politics: you can't win unless you're on the ballot. Second rule: If...

If in doubt, don't. If still in doubt, do what's right.

If in doubt, don't. If still in doubt, do what's right.

The Federal Government should be the last resort, not the first. Ask if a potential...

The Federal Government should be the last resort, not the first. Ask if a potential...

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...

Arguments of convenience lack integrity and inevitably trip you up.

Arguments of convenience lack integrity and inevitably trip you up.

You will launch many projects, but have time to finish only a few. So think,...

You will launch many projects, but have time to finish only a few. So think,...

Leave the President's family business to him. You will have plenty to do without trying...

Leave the President's family business to him. You will have plenty to do without trying...

Don't think of yourself as indispensable or infallible. As Charles De Gaulle said, the cemeteries...

Don't think of yourself as indispensable or infallible. As Charles De Gaulle said, the cemeteries...

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

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

Strive to make proposed solutions as self-executing as possible. As the degree of discretion increases,...

Strive to make proposed solutions as self-executing as possible. As the degree of discretion increases,...

Plan backwards as well as forward. Set objectives and trace back to see how to...

Plan backwards as well as forward. Set objectives and trace back to see how to...

The way to do well is to do well.

The way to do well is to do well.

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...

Don't automatically obey Presidential directives if you disagree or if you suspect he hasn't considered...

Don't automatically obey Presidential directives if you disagree or if you suspect he hasn't considered...

The Federal Government should be the last resort, not the first. Ask if a potential...

The Federal Government should be the last resort, not the first. Ask if a potential...