Leadership in Chaordic Organizations

Appendix C

Quotations from The 48 Laws of Power

Snippets from the book’s preface prepare the stage:

… being perfectly honest will inevitably hurt and insult a great many people, some of whom will choose to injure you in return. No one will see your honest statement as completely objective and free of some personal motivation. And they will be right ….

If the world is like a giant scheming court and we are trapped inside it, there is no use in trying to opt out of the game. That will only render you powerless, and powerlessness will make you miserable. Instead of struggling against the inevitable, instead of arguing and whining and feeling guilty, it is far better to excel at power.

… power’s crucial foundation, is the ability to master your ...