--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The worst thing you can do is allow a…" description: "\"The worst thing you can do is allow a coalition to determine what your mission is.\" — Donald Rumsfeld" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95c/donald-rumsfeld-1507_can-do_the-worst-thing-you-can-do-is-allow-a-co_2247587.png" --- # The worst thing you can do is allow a coalition to… ![“The worst thing you can do is allow a coalition to determine what your mission is.” quote by Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95c/donald-rumsfeld-1507_can-do_the-worst-thing-you-can-do-is-allow-a-co_2247587.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95c/donald-rumsfeld-1507_can-do_the-worst-thing-you-can-do-is-allow-a-co_2247587.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95c/donald-rumsfeld-1507_can-do_the-worst-thing-you-can-do-is-allow-a-co_2247587.png) > “The worst thing you can do is allow a coalition to determine what your mission is.” [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. Allowing external groups to define your purpose undermines autonomy and effectiveness. **In simple terms:** Don’t let others set your mission. Key Takeaway Define and protect your own mission. Themes leadership autonomy mission political strategy Mood cautious assertive Type political strategic When to use this quote - government policy - corporate vision - personal goals - team management Key Concepts self‑determination strategic planning Questions to Reflect On - Who influences your mission the most? - How can you safeguard your purpose? A Different Perspective External pressure can dilute core objectives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Allow Coalition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/allow-coalition-5120545/) [Can do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/can-do/) [Coalition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coalition/) [Coalition Determine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coalition-determine-5120546/) [Coalitions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coalitions/) [Determine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/determine/) [Determine Mission](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/determine-mission-5120547/) [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Missions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/missions/) [Worst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worst/) [Worst thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worst-thing/) [Worst things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worst-things/) ## Related quotes > [One of the things the United States does well is building coalitions. What the U.S. knows is that if you don't have a coalition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shimon-peres/one-of-the-things-the-united-states-does-well-is-building-coalitions/) [Shimon Peres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shimon-peres/) > [You're lucky to head a coalition government. I am a coalition government on my own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-major/you-re-lucky-to-head-a-coalition-government-i-am-a-coalition/) [John Major](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-major/) > [You don't build a coalition by insulting our friends or acting like a loose cannon. 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We need to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kasich/we-have-to-go-massively-like-we-did-in-the-first-gulf-war-where-we/) [John Kasich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kasich/) > [There's a lot of things we can do to balance out what Obama's done and going forward show the American people the Republican Party…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsey-graham/there-s-a-lot-of-things-we-can-do-to-balance-out-what-obama-s-done/) [Lindsey Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsey-graham/) > [And the commitment that I've been giving to the Australian people is that there'll be no surprises and no excuses under a Coalition government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-abbott/and-the-commitment-that-i-ve-been-giving-to-the-australian-people-is/) [Tony Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-abbott/) > [Look, the center right coalition in American politics today is best understood as a coalition of groups and individuals that on the issue that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grover-norquist/look-the-center-right-coalition-in-american-politics-today-is-best/) [Grover Norquist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grover-norquist/) ## 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. 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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/) > [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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/don-t-be-a-bottleneck-if-a-matter-is-not-a-decision-for-the-president/) [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/) [Explore all 234 Donald Rumsfeld quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) ## More Can do quotes > [Changes before your eyes, things you can do and things you can't. My attitude is always let it keep rolling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terrence-malick/changes-before-your-eyes-things-you-can-do-and-things-you-can-t-my/) [Terrence Malick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terrence-malick/) > [The happy medium is television. And if you find a good suitor, you can do it for years. 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