Annals of Cases on Information Technology (v. 5)

Power has to be built. From his close observation of his father’s presidency, Bush knew that the job comes with little reservoir of power. A president has to work hard to fill that reservoir in order to get anything done.

Target your effort. Both in Texas and in Washington, Bush was convinced that too many goals were worse than no goals at all. A focused strategy was the keystone of success.

Broaden the base. Many key players can make the difference in achieving the agenda. Discovering who they are and how to win their support—or blunt their opposition—requires a subtle combination of the tools at the president’s disposal.

Reach deeply to engage all team members. Winning loyalty from the inner team is one thing. Everyone sets their compass by the budget; using the budget to focus managers’ energy improves the odds that everyone sails in the same direction.