Trying to get everyone to like you is a sign of mediocrity.

Good and solid analysis and a formal way of looking at a problem [are the core ingredients of good decisions].

Even the greatest of all strategists must occasionally take into account the presence of an enemy.

I'll tell you what they're all going to face, whichever one of them becomes president on January 21st of 2009. They will face a military force - a United States military force that cannot sustain - continually sustain 140,000 people deployed in Iraq and the 20-odd or 25,000 people we have deployed in Afghanistan and our other deployments.

Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier.

I have always admired the Linking Pin theory of management specialist Rensis Likert. It says that in every organization there are leaders who link the lower level to the upper level. What makes somebody an effective link as a leader is that he conveys down everything that above wants and he conveys up everything that below needs.

I think leadership is both a trained thing and a natural gift.