When I became president, I did not want to have a powerful chief of staff. Wilson had his Colonel House, Eisenhower his Sherman Adams, Nixon his Halderman, and I was aware of the trouble those top assistants had caused my predecessors.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Ford explains his decision to avoid a powerful chief of staff by citing historical precedents where such roles caused trouble for previous presidents.
- In plain terms
- He avoided giving his chief of staff too much power to prevent past problems.
- What can you take from it?
- Limit staff power to avoid internal political conflict.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How much power should staff have?
- Does concentration of power cause trouble?
Another view
Some argue strong chiefs of staff are necessary for efficiency.
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