Know that the immediate staff and others in the Administration will assume that your manner, tone and tempo reflect the President's.

Is it likely that an aircraft carrier or a cruise missile is going to find a person?

Presidential leadership needn't always cost money. Look for low- and no-cost options. They can be surprisingly effective.

In our system leadership is by consent, not command. To lead a President must persuade. Personal contacts and experiences help shape his thinking. They can be critical to his persuasiveness and thus to his leadership.

Watch the growth of middle level management. Don't automatically fill vacant jobs. Leave some positions unfilled for 6-8 months to see what happens. You will find you won't need to fill some of them.

Keep your sense of humor. As General Joe Stillwell said, 'The higher a monkey climbs, the more you see of his behind'.

Don't do or say things you would not like to see on the front page of The Washington Post.