Power

All human relationships are based on Power-the ability to influence the actions of other people. We can never control people in the sense that we've discussed in the section on Perceptual Control-we don't have direct access to the inner processes that make people do the things they do. All we can really do is act in ways that encourage people to do what we suggest.

The use of Power typically takes one of two fundamental forms: influence or compulsion. Influence is the ability to encourage someone else to want what you suggest. Compulsion is the ability to force someone else to do what you command. Encouraging an employee to "go the extra mile" out of a sense of loyalty or craftsmanship is influence. Forcing the employee to work over the week-end by threatening to fire them if they refuse is compulsion. The actions that employee takes may be exactly the same, but how they feel about taking those actions will be quite different.

On the whole influence is much more effective than compulsion. The vast majority of people naturally resist being forced to do something against their will or better judgment, so constantly relying on compulsion to get things done is a poor strategy. Bossing people around only serves to make them dislike you, and they'll find ways to retaliate or quit working with you at the earliest available opportunity. Influence, on the other hand, is sustainable encouraging people to want what you want gets you the results you're looking for without provoking unnecessary ill will. Like it or not, everyone relies on Power to get things done.

In The 48 Laws of Power, Robert Greene argues that no one is completely exempt from dealing with others, which inevitably involves Power. Power is a neutral tool-one that can be used for good or ill. Power represents your ability to get things done through other people-the more power you have, the more things you can do. Accordingly, there's nothing morally wrong with consciously seeking to increase your Power, provided you respect the rights of other people. The more Power you have, the more you can ultimately accomplish, but with great Power comes great responsibility.

The reason that interactions among large groups of people inevitably become political is the ever-present nature of Power. If you don't have a plan, your actions will be determined by someone else. By refusing to make the effort to move in the direction you think is best, you're ceding Power to those who do have plans. Refuse to understand that Power is important, and you're likely to find that any influence you have rapidly disappears. The only way to win is to decide to play. The best way to increase your Power is to do things that increase your influence and Reputation. The more people know your capabilities and respect the Reputation you've built, the more Power you will have.