Lessons from Dune.
Extracts from God Emperor of Dune:

The wise man observed that wealth is a tool of freedom. But the pursuit of wealth is the way to slavery.

The difference between a good administrator and a bad one is about five heartbeats. Good administrators make immediate choices.
A bad administrator, on the other hand, hesitates, diddles around, asks for committees, for research and reports. - A bad administrator is more concerned with reports than with decisions. He wants the hard record which he can display as an excuse for his errors.

(Good administrators) depend on verbal orders. They never lie about what they've done if their verbal orders cause problems, and they surround themselves with people able to act wisely on the basis of the verbal orders. Often, the most important piece of information us that something has gone wrong. Bad administrators hide their mistake until it's too late to make corrections.

Most bureaucracies before mine sought out and promoted people who avoided decisions.

The above was from a particularly striking conversation between Hwi and Leto. Chapter 28 of the God Emperor of Dune.