--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Don't be a bottleneck. If a matter is not…" description: "\"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 ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b2/donald-rumsfeld-1507_add_don-t-be-a-bottleneck-if-a-matter-is-not_149238.jpg" --- # Don't be a bottleneck. If a matter is not a decision for… ![“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.” quote by Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b2/donald-rumsfeld-1507_add_don-t-be-a-bottleneck-if-a-matter-is-not_149238.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b2/donald-rumsfeld-1507_add_don-t-be-a-bottleneck-if-a-matter-is-not_149238.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b2/donald-rumsfeld-1507_add_don-t-be-a-bottleneck-if-a-matter-is-not_149238.jpg) > “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.” [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Effective leadership requires delegating decisions to appropriate levels, preventing bottlenecks and ensuring responsibility flows downward. **In simple terms:** Delegate decisions to avoid bottlenecks. Key Takeaway Empower others to act. Themes leadership delegation efficiency responsibility management Mood pragmatic assertive Type advisory motivational When to use this quote - corporate management - government agencies - project teams - nonprofits Key Concepts decision-making hierarchy organizational structure empowerment Questions to Reflect On - What tasks truly need your direct input? - How can you ensure delegated tasks stay aligned with goals? A Different Perspective Delegation can lead to loss of control if not monitored. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bottleneck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bottleneck/) [Decision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision/) [President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president/) [Pressure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pressure/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility/) [Structure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/structure/) ## Related quotes > [An attorney general's duty is to render her opinion and honest advice; she cannot set herself up as a judge overruling the president's decision.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-barr/an-attorney-general-s-duty-is-to-render-her-opinion-and-honest-advice/) [William Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-barr/) > [When a president makes life and death decisions, he should draw strength and wisdom from broad and deep experience with the reasons for and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/when-a-president-makes-life-and-death-decisions-he-should-draw/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [As president, you can get all kinds of advice from all kinds of people. But at the end of the day, when it comes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/as-president-you-can-get-all-kinds-of-advice-from-all-kinds-of-people/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [We hope that diplomacy works before you ever use force. The hardest decision a president makes is ever to use force.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/we-hope-that-diplomacy-works-before-you-ever-use-force-the-hardest/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [The decision he made with Usama bin Laden was a tactical decision. It wasn't a strategic decision. The strategic decision was made by President…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-santorum/the-decision-he-made-with-usama-bin-laden-was-a-tactical-decision-it/) [Rick Santorum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-santorum/) > [From the first day I took the decision as President to defend my country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bashar-al-assad/from-the-first-day-i-took-the-decision-as-president-to-defend-my/) [Bashar al-Assad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bashar-al-assad/) > [Nobody has ever said in the United States government that we are going to war next month. No decision has been made by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/nobody-has-ever-said-in-the-united-states-government-that-we-are/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [Ive gotten to see up close and personal what being president really looks like. At the end of the day, when it comes time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/ive-gotten-to-see-up-close-and-personal-what-being-president-really/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [We are disappointed at the decision. The president remains fully committed to building a culture of life ... that is built on valuing life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-mcclellan/we-are-disappointed-at-the-decision-the-president-remains-fully/) [Scott McClellan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-mcclellan/) > [At the end of the day, when it comes time to make that decision, as president, all you have to guide you are your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/at-the-end-of-the-day-when-it-comes-time-to-make-that-decision-as/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [The bottleneck wasn't, How do we make pixels prettier? It was, How do we engage with them more?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jefferson-han/the-bottleneck-wasn-t-how-do-we-make-pixels-prettier-it-was-how-do-we/) [Jefferson Han](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jefferson-han/) > [I say an hour lost at a bottleneck is an hour out of the entire system. I say an hour saved at a non-bottleneck…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliyahu-m-goldratt/i-say-an-hour-lost-at-a-bottleneck-is-an-hour-out-of-the-entire/) [Eliyahu M. Goldratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliyahu-m-goldratt/) > [To manipulate the immune system, you need to find the key bottlenecks that govern the system. The T-cell is an absolute bottleneck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-hood/to-manipulate-the-immune-system-you-need-to-find-the-key-bottlenecks/) [Leroy Hood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-hood/) > [“The entire bottleneck concept is not geared to decrease operating expense, it’s focused on increasing throughput.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliyahu-m-goldratt/the-entire-bottleneck-concept-is-not-geared-to-decrease-operating/) [Eliyahu M. Goldratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliyahu-m-goldratt/) > [As a company grows, things get stuck at the top. It can be a bottleneck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/belinda-johnson/as-a-company-grows-things-get-stuck-at-the-top-it-can-be-a-bottleneck/) [Belinda Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/belinda-johnson/) ## More by Donald Rumsfeld > [Five days or five months, but it certainly isn't going to last longer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/five-days-or-five-months-but-it-certainly-isn-t-going-to-last-longer/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [I don't believe anyone that I know in the administration ever said that Iraq had nuclear weapons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/i-don-t-believe-anyone-that-i-know-in-the-administration-ever-said/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [I don't think we'll discover anything, myself. I think what will happen is we'll discover people who will tell us where to go find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/i-don-t-think-we-ll-discover-anything-myself-i-think-what-will-happen/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [Members of the U.S. House and the U.S. Senate are not there by accident. Each managed to get there for some reason. Learn what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/members-of-the-u-s-house-and-the-u-s-senate-are-not-there-by-accident/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [The Federal Government should be the last resort, not the first. Ask if a potential program is truly a federal responsibility or whether it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/the-federal-government-should-be-the-last-resort-not-the-first-ask-if/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [The price of being close to the President is delivering bad news. You fail him if you don't tell him the truth. Others won't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/the-price-of-being-close-to-the-president-is-delivering-bad-news-you/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [Don't speak ill of your predecessors or successors. You didn't walk in their shoes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/don-t-speak-ill-of-your-predecessors-or-successors-you-didn-t-walk-in/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [If you can't solve a problem, make it bigger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/if-you-can-t-solve-a-problem-make-it-bigger/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [Enjoy your time in public service. It may well be one of the most interesting and challenging times of your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/enjoy-your-time-in-public-service-it-may-well-be-one-of-the-most/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [There will be good moments, and there will be less good moments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/there-will-be-good-moments-and-there-will-be-less-good-moments/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [From where you sit, the White House may look as untidy as the inside of a stomach. As is said of the legislative process,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/from-where-you-sit-the-white-house-may-look-as-untidy-as-the-inside/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/you-will-launch-many-projects-but-have-time-to-finish-only-a-few-so/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [What is the value of having millions of people in Iraq not having a repressive regime? What is the value of having the Iraqi…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/what-is-the-value-of-having-millions-of-people-in-iraq-not-having-a/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [When you're skiing, if you're not falling you're not trying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/when-you-re-skiing-if-you-re-not-falling-you-re-not-trying/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [No. That's someone else's business. Quagmire is - I don't do quagmires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/no-that-s-someone-else-s-business-quagmire-is-i-don-t-do-quagmires/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) [Explore all 234 Donald Rumsfeld quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) ## More Add quotes > [Most marriages don't add two people together. They subtract one from the other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-fleming/most-marriages-don-t-add-two-people-together-they-subtract-one-from/) [Ian Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-fleming/) > [Friendship, "the wine of life," should, like a well-stocked cellar, be continually renewed; and it is consolatory to think, that although we can seldom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-boswell/friendship-the-wine-of-life-should-like-a-well-stocked-cellar-be/) [James Boswell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-boswell/) > [Life as we know it is fundamentally unsatisfying. I think most folks feel this to be true. They know that a life of aimless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-yates/life-as-we-know-it-is-fundamentally-unsatisfying-i-think-most-folks/) [Michael Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-yates/) > [Give me a platter of choice finnan haddie, freshly cooked in its bath of water and milk, add melted butter, a slice or two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-claiborne/give-me-a-platter-of-choice-finnan-haddie-freshly-cooked-in-its-bath/) [Craig Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-claiborne/) > [Writing adds up to the conscience of our times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-firrell/writing-adds-up-to-the-conscience-of-our-times/) [Martin Firrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-firrell/) > [A 'modern' man has nothing to add to modernism, if only because he has nothing to oppose it with. The well-adapted drop off the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elias-canetti/a-modern-man-has-nothing-to-add-to-modernism-if-only-because-he-has/) [Elias Canetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elias-canetti/) > [Observation and theory get on best when they are mixed together, both helping one another in the pursuit of truth. It is a good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-eddington/observation-and-theory-get-on-best-when-they-are-mixed-together-both/) [Arthur Eddington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-eddington/) > [I may add that we have more than once stated our willingness to conclude nonaggression pacts with the states neighboring our own!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/i-may-add-that-we-have-more-than-once-stated-our-willingness-to/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [The American Constitution declares 'All men are born equal.' The British Socialist Party add: 'All men must be kept equal'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/the-american-constitution-declares-all-men-are-born-equal-the-british/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [New generations of humans inherit the acquired discoveries of generations past, allowing cosmic insight to accumulate without limit. Each discovery of science therefore adds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/new-generations-of-humans-inherit-the-acquired-discoveries-of/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [Thirty days is just about the right amount of time to add a new habit or subtract a habit - like watching the news…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-cutts/thirty-days-is-just-about-the-right-amount-of-time-to-add-a-new-habit/) [Matt Cutts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-cutts/) > [In presenting a mathematical argument the great thing is to give the educated reader the chance to catch on at once to the momentary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edensor-littlewood/in-presenting-a-mathematical-argument-the-great-thing-is-to-give-the/) [John Edensor Littlewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edensor-littlewood/) > [The Greeks said grandly in their tragic phrase, 'Let no one be called happy till his death;' to which I would add, 'Let no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-barrett-browning/the-greeks-said-grandly-in-their-tragic-phrase-let-no-one-be-called/) [Elizabeth Barrett Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-barrett-browning/) > [Mostly we just add to the piles of rainbow glass that's been blown off the exteriors of the cany-colored buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/mostly-we-just-add-to-the-piles-of-rainbow-glass-that-s-been-blown/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [Global is a unifying bond for people. Once they get outside their own heads and their own communities and see themselves in a broader…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-calvin/global-is-a-unifying-bond-for-people-once-they-get-outside-their-own/) [Kathy Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-calvin/) Browse all 2,710 Add quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "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. 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