Jack Keane Quotes

Committees have become so important nowadays that subcommittees have to be appointed to do the work.

When you establish a powerful position, the first think you have to do is check that power and make it accountable.

Once you have hierarchy you need rules to protect and administer it, and then you need law and the enforcement of the rules, and you end up with some kind of chain of command or system of order that destroys relationship rather than promotes it. Hierarchy imposes laws and rules and you end up missing the wonder of relationship that we intended for you.

The reality is even if you are a hands-on Mayor or Governor or chief executive, at best, you must know about 10 or 20% of what's going on. Otherwise, you never get through the day... I was very hands on, and there's lots of stuff I didn't know, and lots of things that either went wrong or right that I would find out about afterwards.

No matter how many or how few people you have reporting to you, you must remember that as you climb higher in the ranks, your words will be taken as commands even if you're just thinking out loud.

In my opinion, the most important thing in governance is management control.

We have created trouble for ourselves in organizations by confusing control with order.

I micromanage the selection of the cabinet.

Delegation of authority is a fact of modern life.

Lack of accountability in any decision making structure is not tolerable.

Structure is not about moving boxes around on a chart. Structure is about power.

Good organization does not necessarily mean it will produce good policy. But bad organization will almost never produce good policy.

The most important rule of bureaucracy is never be wrong and alone.

There is … no minister who would not think it safer to act by orders than from his own discretion.

As a company commander you have absolute definitions: the mission, the people.

As you grow as a company, you get layers and hierarchy that, in theory, should make your decisions a lot better. They get reviewed, and thoughtful people look at decision.

One thing that we've invested a lot of in, that we all live by, is the power of the commissioner.

The Spectator' has to be managed and people have to report. We all have bosses in this world and that's true of 'The Spectator' too.

In general, we believe in regulation - just as long as it is fair and balanced.

When I was working in the Pentagon, I had to own the recommendations I made up the chain of command.

The organization of ofices follows the principle of hierarchy ... each lower office is under the control and supervision of a higher one

All organizations are hierarchical. At each level people serve under those above them. An organization is therefore a structured institution. If it is not structured, it is a mob. Mobs do not get things done, they destroy things.

The public is going to be looking for examples of immaturity or inexperience or whatever it might be, but I think that's where we have to prove what we're capable of doing from a policy standpoint and from a leadership standpoint.

I fully intend in all cases and in all ways at all times to fully comply with all laws. I would expect the same of any employee or member of DHS.

I understand that bureaucracy, hierarchy and managing politics is not easy.