"Don't necessarily avoid sharp edges. Occasionally they are necessary to leadership"
About this Quote
Leadership often rewards smooth diplomacy, but change rarely arrives without friction. The warning against always sanding off the roughness acknowledges that candor, boundaries, and decisive breaks with the status quo can be essential tools. Sharp edges are the tough calls that disappoint allies, the blunt feedback that cuts through fog, the hard lines that protect standards and mission when compromise would corrode them. The key lies in the qualifiers: not necessarily and occasionally. Edge is a scalpel, not a sledgehammer.
That calibration reflects Donald Rumsfelds own world. As a two-time U.S. secretary of defense, he operated amid bureaucracy, urgency, and war, where euphemism and delay carry real costs. His famous snowflake memos insisted on clarity and speed; his managerial style prized brevity and confrontation of assumptions. After 9/11, he pushed for transformation of the military and prosecuted campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq. Supporters saw necessary resolve; critics saw an abrasive certainty that sidelined dissent and underestimated postwar realities. The line captures both the force and the hazard of that approach.
Practically, the insight argues that leaders must accept the discomfort that comes with setting direction. Reforming an entrenched organization, enforcing ethical standards, or facing a crisis often requires saying no, naming problems precisely, and moving before consensus congeals. There is a moral dimension: seeking to be liked can slide into evasion. Yet the edge must be purposeful, proportionate, and transparent, or it becomes cruelty masquerading as toughness. Overused, it erodes trust, silences information flow, and breeds brittle cultures.
Good judgment, then, means pairing firmness with respect, explaining the why, and inviting challenge even while deciding. Consideration and courage are not opposites. The leader willing to carry the burden of unpopular decisions should also be first to own mistakes and to repair the relationships stressed by the cut. Popularity is optional. Credibility is not.
That calibration reflects Donald Rumsfelds own world. As a two-time U.S. secretary of defense, he operated amid bureaucracy, urgency, and war, where euphemism and delay carry real costs. His famous snowflake memos insisted on clarity and speed; his managerial style prized brevity and confrontation of assumptions. After 9/11, he pushed for transformation of the military and prosecuted campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq. Supporters saw necessary resolve; critics saw an abrasive certainty that sidelined dissent and underestimated postwar realities. The line captures both the force and the hazard of that approach.
Practically, the insight argues that leaders must accept the discomfort that comes with setting direction. Reforming an entrenched organization, enforcing ethical standards, or facing a crisis often requires saying no, naming problems precisely, and moving before consensus congeals. There is a moral dimension: seeking to be liked can slide into evasion. Yet the edge must be purposeful, proportionate, and transparent, or it becomes cruelty masquerading as toughness. Overused, it erodes trust, silences information flow, and breeds brittle cultures.
Good judgment, then, means pairing firmness with respect, explaining the why, and inviting challenge even while deciding. Consideration and courage are not opposites. The leader willing to carry the burden of unpopular decisions should also be first to own mistakes and to repair the relationships stressed by the cut. Popularity is optional. Credibility is not.
Quote Details
| Topic | Leadership |
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