Timely Response Quotes

Want of foresight, unwillingness to act when action would be simple and effective, lack of clear thinking, confusion of counsel until the emergency comes, until self-preservation strikes its jarring gong—these are the features which constitute the endless repetition of history.

Even a correct decision is wrong when it was taken too late.

You know, I know, all of us know that the time factor is the vital consideration - and vital is the correct meaning of the term - of our national defense program; that we must never be caught in the same situation we found ourselves in 1917.

If the enemy opens the door, you must race in.

When issues emerge that might harm a campaign, like the Clinton e-mails, you have to get all the facts out right away, but not before you have all the facts.

Whatever must happen ultimately should happen immediately.

Putting aid for Harvey victims in limbo because of our own inability to handle pressing deadlines in a timely manner is not only inappropriate, but it sends the wrong message to millions of Americans in Texas and millions more who put us in Washington to do a job. We owe them better.

Having too many layers of approval in a dynamic battlefield environment delays our ability to fight and win, especially when troops are engaged in combat.

Defend yourselves instantly, and I say you will be wise: delay it, and you may wish in vain to do so hereafter.

Never, never, never postpone following a prompting.

A decision will be made before it's too late or soon thereafter.

Return telephone calls promptly but be judicious about the time spent on the phone.

Challenges are something that can only be tackled in the present moment and require action.

I had the honor to receive your Official communication by the hand of Mr Secretary Thompson, about one O’Clock this day. Having concluded to obey the important and flattering call of my Country, and having been impressed with an idea of the expediency of my being with Congress at as early a period as possible; I propose to commence my journey on thursday morning which will be the day after tomorrow...

If you leave me waiting 'round for hours and then call on me to do something, I need to be able to do it straight away. That's my job, like your job is to do what you do.

The art of managing and leading comes down to a simple thing. Determining and facing reality about people, situations, products, and then acting decisively and quickly on that reality. Think how many times we have procrastinated, hoped it would get better. Most of the mistakes you've made have been through not being willing to face into it, straight in the mirror that reality you find, then taking action on it. That's all managing is, defining and acting. Not hoping, not waiting fro the next plan. Not rethinking it. Getting on with it. Doing it. Defining and doing it.

Never let your correspondence fall behind.

There is such a thing as being too late. This is no time for apathy or complacency. This is a time for vigorous and positive action.

I did it thirty-five minutes ago.

The soul of dispatch is decision.

One thing I can't stand is when people - not our team, but other people - don't respond. Everybody can email, everybody can text... using an email auto-response is not the world we live in.

I don't think you should wait. I think you should speak now.

I communicate with my commissioners quite often. Rather than call them and not know if they are going to be there at that time, I can just sit down and bang out a couple of sentences, send it off, and I'll have the answer within a matter of minutes if they are around, or in hours if they are not.

We are prepared for some things, and we receive just as fast as we prepare ourselves.

You cannot leave your office until you have answered every phone call from every Congressman or Senator who called you that day….Break your backside to respond fast to every request…and if you have to say no, do it gently.