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The 48 Laws of Power - Robert Greene

By Josh Kaufman

The use – and abuse – of power is a critically important part of the human experience. If you don’t understand how to accumulate and wield power responsibly, you’ll forever be at the mercy of other people’s plans for you. The 48 Laws of Power is part history, part primer: it tells the stories of leaders past and present who have accumulated, wielded, and been affected by power – to their benefit and often their detriment.

I’ll be frank: The 48 Laws of Power is a disconcerting read – that’s the point. Greene’s treatment of power is completely amoral: it treats the accumulation and use of power as an end in and of itself, making no judgements on good and evil. The book assumes you’re interested in increasing your control and influence by any means necessary, and like a modern Machiavelli, shows you how to go about doing just that.

While some of the historical examples aren’t immediately applicable (please don’t behead your enemies), it’s not difficult to see echos of these “laws” in modern business life. Forewarned is forearmed – knowing these principles makes it much easier to defend against those that would use them against you.

By the time you finish The 48 Laws of Power, you’ll be far less naive when it comes to the uses and abuses of power, and far better prepared to handle the power plays you’ll experience in your career – time very well spent.

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