Rumsfeld's Rules: Leadership Lessons in Business, Politics, War, and Life

Admiral Hyman Rickover warns, "If you are going to sin, sin against God, not the bureaucracy. God will forgive you but the bureaucracy won't."That's one of over 400 "rules" in Donald Rumsfeld's keep-this-on-your-desk treasure. The quotations, axioms, rules and corner office wisdom ooze off almost every page. In the front of my copy, I noted 36 rules that I will use again, such as these keepers from "Running a Meeting" in chapter two:* "The first consideration for meetings is whether to call one at all."* "If you can find something everyone agrees on, it's wrong." (Rep. Mo Udall)Rumsfeld adds, "The default tendency in any bureaucracy, especially in government, is to substitute discussion for decision-making. The act of calling a meeting about a problem can in some cases be confused with actually doing something."* "If you expect people to be in on the landing, include them for the takeoff."* "Stubborn opposition to proposals often has no basis other than the complaining question, `Why wasn't I consulted?'" (Pat Moynihan)* "As drill sergeants are fond of saying, `If you're five minutes early, you're on time. If you're on time, you're late. If you're late, you have some explaining to do.'"The 33-page appendix of over 400 "Rumsfeld's Rules" is worth the price of the book, yet I also underlined dozens and dozens of one-liner insights in the 12 fascinating chapters including:* Picking People (a must read)* Thinking Strategically (excellent)* The Unknown Unknowns* Confronting Crisis* Meeting the Press (relevant today!)* Inside the Oval OfficeHe quotes Jack Watson who served President Jimmy Carter, "The role of White House Chief of Staff is that of a `javelin catcher.'" (Who is the Chief Javelin Catcher in your organization?)Rumsfeld, who served President Gerald Ford in that role writes, "Arguably, there is no more consequential staff position in the U.S. government, perhaps even the world, than the position of White House Chief of Staff. At its core, the job is about making sure the President is able to focus on what is important for the country, that he is prepared, on schedule, and safe." (Who is focusing on those four issues for your CEO or senior pastor?)Rumsfeld credits dozens of others for his rules. Vice President Dick Cheney's favorite rule, attributed to Sam Rayburn, "You never get in trouble for what you don't say."Even though Rumsfeld served four U.S. presidents, the book is not highly political. Now past 80, he dispenses street-smart wisdom from his stunning career: Princeton, U.S. Navy, U.S. House of Representatives (six years), White House Chief of Staff, U.S. Ambassador to NATO, Secretary of Defense (twice), Fortune 500 company CEO (twice), and married for almost 60 years. Their secret to a long marriage? Joyce Rumsfeld's response: "He travels a lot."Here's a taste:* "If you are not prepared to live with the fact that your actions may lead to failure, then you probably ought not to be in leadership."* "In the execution of the boss's decisions, work to be true to his [her] views in both fact and tone."* "Another lesson a smart staff member quickly learns is to always carry a pen and some paper when meeting with the boss."* "One of the more important--and difficult--tasks for a staff member is to tell the boss when he might be wrong."* "Disagreement is not disloyalty." (Curtis E. Sahakian)* "My advice upon entering an organization is to build your own team--and do it fast--while recognizing that it won't be the happiest task in your life. Get any reassignments over with as quickly as possible."* "Prune businesses, products, activities, and people. Do it annually."* "A's hire A's. B's hire C's."* "If you want to find out which managers are A's and which are B's, take a hard look at the teams that surround them."* "Forward-thinking leaders try to have some names in mind before a key vacancy needs to be filled."* "Resumes should not require a decoder ring." (He quotes Samuel Johnson here, "What is written without effort is in general read without pleasure.")* "I lean toward people who have lives outside of work--an interesting hobby, perhaps, or fluency in a foreign language, for example."* "Many people have the ability to review something and make it better. Few are able to identify what is missing."* "Never hire anyone you can't fire."I've already sent this book to a client with the request to read the brilliant chapter on "Thinking Strategically."* "This strategy represents our policy for all time. Until it's changed." (Marlin Fitzwater)* "Without the discipline and time invested in strategic planning, one of two things is likely to happen. Your organization will be buffeted by outside events and forced to be reactive. Or it will stay on autopilot, propelled by the inertia of policies and plans that were decided months or years before."* "If you are working from your inbox, you are working on other people's priorities."* "If you get the objectives right, a lieutenant can write the strategy." (General George C. Marshall)* "If you don't know what your top three priorities are, you don't have priorities."* "What you measure improves."Rumsfeld recommends four steps in strategic planning:Step 1: Set the GoalsStep 2: Identify Your Key AssumptionsStep 3: Determine the Best Course of ActionStep 4: Monitor Progress Through MetricsHe says that the second step "tends to be one of the most neglected. Assumptions are often left unstated, it being taken for granted that everyone around a table knows what they are, when frequently that is not the case. The assumptions that are hidden or held subconsciously are the ones that often get you into trouble." He adds:"It is possible to proceed perfectly logically from an inaccurate premise to an inaccurate and unfortunate conclusion."Yikes! I gotta stop and end this review--but I have dozens of more rules I wanted to squeeze in. Much like Bill Hybels' book,  Leadership Axioms: Powerful Leadership Proverbs , and  The Best of Success: A Treasury of Inspiration , by Mac Anderson and Bob Kelly, Rumsfeld's book will exceed your expectations for memorable quotations and poignant PowerPoints.IDEA: Create a "Rumsfeld's Rule-of-the-Week" feature on the bulletin board closest to your coffee machine. Pass the book around for a year--and invite one team member each week to post a favorite rule.

I first met Don Rumsfeld in 1972 when he headed the President's Cost of Living Council. This was of course before he served as the President's Chief of Staff, as Ambassador to NATO, as CEO of two Fortune 500 companies, and as Secretary of Defense (twice). But those of us privileged to work with and around him were deeply impressed by his raw intelligence and his ability to cut through the layers of "stuff" and get to the essence of a problem or issue.Four decades later, I'm still impressed.Yes, I know, I know. Rumsfeld is a lightning rod, especially for his service in the George W. Bush administration. But as my grandfather used to say, if you don't upset a few people you're probably not doing your job. To this day, I regard Don Rumsfeld as one of the most capable and thought-provoking people I've ever known. Controversial or otherwise.His latest book, Rumsfeld's Rules, is a treasure trove of wisdom. He's the first to acknowledge that it didn't come from him. In fact, early in the book he writes: "It's worth noting that `Rumsfeld's Rules' are not all Rumsfeld's. Nor are they all rules. Many are life's lessons and pieces of wisdom I've gathered from others. Truth be told, I don't know if I've had a truly original thought in my life."Modest, to be sure. But not really accurate. A crucial ingredient in wisdom is the ability to take OPS (Other People's Stuff) and add value to it. That's exactly what Rumsfeld has done in this fine book. Read it. Digest it. You'll be the better for it.

This wonderful book of 331-pages is filled with much needed wisdom found in Rumsford's pithy musings. Rather than trying to illustrate I remember one quite vividly as I observed the same rule in my employment some years ago. On page 60 Rumsfeld says "Don't begin to think you are indespensable or infallable..." I had a supervisor who thought just that. He thought he was so indespensable in his role as supervisor that management always overlooked him when promotions rolled around. As a consequence his underlings rose around and over him through the years. What became of him? I suppose he retired from his role as a line supervisor. Tragically, in my view he was brilliant, but not very smart. Another pithy saying says: "Mistakes in hiring are the employer's error, not the employee." In one of my published articles some years ago (subject: Interviewing) I wrote these words. Tragically even today most companies allow supervisors to discharge newly-hired employees for so-called incompetency. The incompetent is the company's interviewer, not the applicant.This book contains 14 chapters, each focusing on a different aspect of life in the corporate (or political) world. Of all the chapters, one that stands out is Chapter 6: "The Unknown Unknowns." Read and learn from the master Donald Rumsfeld.

But for the occasional bit of bleating on about the Military (which is probably more about him being American than right wing) this is a brilliant and succinct work from a man who has sat at the top (and near the top) of superstructures and this is as practical a book about management and being managed at a high level, prioritising and organising, applying good sense and working with limitations. It's not a memoir - its for your benefit not his.

Donald Rumsfeld has been much criticized for his key role in the invasion of Iraq and the disastrous occupation that followed - and quite rightly. However, this (admittedly large) black spot overshadows an otherwise long and distinguished career in the US Navy, business and government. This book is a very insightful collection of wisdom and insights gained over the course of that career. Rumsfeld's "Rules" are sensible, practical and very applicable for anyone in business or government and come from a man who has certainly experienced the ups and downs of operating at very senior levels in both sectors and learnt from it.

Perfect, what I needed

good book came on time perfectly

A huge character with amazing experiences packaged in a readable book. Probably best for dipping into but I read it in a stretch. highly recommended