Quotations from Vice President Al Gore

The Chinese Revolution had its Little Red Book--"Quotations from Chairman Mao Tsetung." The National Performance Review's cultural revolution has one, too--the Blair House Papers by Vice President Al Gore. Here are some culture change exhortations from Gore's Little Red Book.

Get the best from people.

"First, get power to the front line."

"Don't decide anything in headquarters that could be decided someplace else."

"Move high-grade positions to the field, lower grades to headquarters."

"Push dollar controls to the front line."

"Second, raise the spirit of the workforce."

"Give them a vision of what they can be and what they can do."

"Keep the job from grinding them down with red tape and distrust."

Find out how things are going by getting out of Washington

"People who face the customers every day already know how to improve service."

"Front-line workers know more about the work and how to improve efficiency than managers in Washington."

"Talking to customers will change your plans."

"Senior executive groups know how to make government work."

Move money and positions to service jobs.

"Flatten the organization and push authority down."

"Reorganize so your key management slots focus on the needs of customers and partners."

"Shift positions and budget controls from headquarters to the field."