Authority Quote by Donald Rumsfeld
“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.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Business Leadership Conference, 2004
Rumsfeld advises delegating authority and accountability to avoid bottlenecks and ensure project completion.
In simple terms: Delegate responsibility to avoid overload.
Key Takeaway
Empower others and hold them accountable.
Themes
leadership
project management
delegation
Mood
pragmatic
strategic
Type
instructional
leadership
When to use this quote
- startup development
- corporate projects
- team leadership
Key Concepts
Organizational efficiency
accountability
strategic planning
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you balance delegation with oversight?
- What criteria define accountability?
A Different Perspective
Delegation can lead to loss of control.
![“The rationale which accompanies that imposition of male authority euphemistically referred to as 'the battle of the sexes' bears a certain resemblance to the formulas of nations at war, where any heinousness is justified on the grounds that the enemy is either an inferior [part of the] species or…” quote by Kate Millett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/895/kate-millett-7301_accompany_the-rationale-which-accompanies-that-imp_8896.jpg)