Recently, I read and reviewed Jeffrey Pfeffer’s book, 7 Rules of Power. I had mixed feelings about the book, because even though it provides practical advice about how to attain power within an organization, it is explicitly amoral when it came to the use of your power when you have it. The dominant standard is, do what works, because becoming powerful will excuse anything you did to get it, or what you do with it once you have it.
Ironically, one of the strongest counterpoints to Pfeffer’s argument comes from a book he recommended, by his Stanford colleague Deborah Gruenfeld, Acting with Power: Why We Are More Powerful than We Believe.
The book’s title contains a clue to its two key themes. The first is that leadership is a form of acting. The second is that it’s important not only to have power, but how you act with it once you have it.
Let’s cover the latter theme first: Gruenfeld reflects on those who seek power because:
“…they want to be associated with the brand, create a personal platform, build a resume, and become more visible as a mover and shaker. Many books on power will tell you this is the right way to think about power. I have always thought it was nonsense. Everyone knows when this happens. These people have not just lost the plot, they never cared about the plot to begin with. “
As she says, “…the measure of a person is not how much power a person has but what one uses power for.” In other words, it’s not just about accumulating power, but in using it effectively. Effectively, in this case, does not mean for selfish ends, but for a greater good: for the team, the organization, the community.
Gruenfeld’s exhortation to use power for the greater good is not merely preachy moralizing, it’s also practical, because it makes others more likely to follow you and support you if they know you have their best interests at heart.
Back to the first key theme: leadership is a form of acting. The essential insight is that power is not a personal attribute, but something that others confer on you because of the situation, because we can give or withhold something they need. So power derives from the role we play in concert with others.
That means that, like an actor, we have to play the role assigned to us in the truest possible way. Paradoxically, this does not mean being “authentic”. It means bringing out the best aspects of ourself that are most appropriate to the situation. For example, you could be the big boss at work and play a totally different role around your family, or your friends.
I call it calculated authenticity, Gruenfeld calls it playing a role, hence the title of the book. So, if you play the role properly, others will see you acting responsibly and thus deserving of the power they grant you.
Some people may have trouble buying into this idea, but I wholeheartedly agree, as I’ve written before. For example, if you’re suffering from imposter syndrome or stage fright, being authentic will only make it worse. So, acting with power means that sometimes you need to win the battle within yourself, which is another reason not to be “authentic”. Often, you might have to radiate outward confidence even when you’re boiling with anxiety inside, and there are a number of useful tips for doing so. Incidentally, the chapter on acting to play up your power would fit perfectly into a book on presentations; I especially like the advice to act as a host and not a guest.
Gruenfeld also rightly recognizes that it’s not always about playing the alpha dog. Sometimes the situation dictates that you play down your power. If you have a lot of power, you may need to tone it down to make others more comfortable. If you report to someone more powerful, you have to “ride shotgun” effectively.
Pfeffer tells us we don’t have a right to preach, so I won’t. I’ll just leave it with a simple question. If you had a choice of leaders, one who got there by following either Pfeffer’s or Gruenfeld’s advice, which would you choose?
Bill Dellecker is not a famous management guru, business school professor, retired general or big name CEO, so why should you read his book on leadership?
Precisely because he doesn’t bring any of those specific perspectives. He merely brings the perspective of a professional small-to-medium business leader, one who knows what it’s like to get his hands dirty, meet payroll, build a business without unlimited capital budgets, deal directly with clients, train and motivate a diverse work force, and successfully meet the infinite variety of daily challenges posed by the market.
But experience by itself doesn’t automatically translate to a worthwhile book. Dellecker also adds the perspective of a thoughtful student of his profession, one who has long worked on, not just in business. He has done extensive reading and it shows.
Those two perspectives, I believe, will resonate with the vast majority of potential readers who will never go on to run a Fortune 500 company, but who nevertheless will make a tremendous impact on their own business, department, or team. Dellecker has turned his experience and learning into relatable practical advice that the reader can immediately begin to apply. He doesn’t just tell you what to do, he also demonstrates how to do it. For example, while he urges you to hire top talent, he also provides you with a specific list of questions that you can use during the interview to help you figure it out.
Leadership Worthy is well-written and clearly laid out. The first section deals with his three pillars of business success: People First, Purpose Second and Valuing Details. The second section covers specific skills, such as establishing culture, measuring what matters and communication. With the exception of his citing the old canard that only 7% of feeling content is carried in the words we speak, I thought his chapter on leadership communication was strong. The third section covers how to apply these principles and skills in a dynamic environment.
Ultimately, Dellecker’s three pillars of business success must rest on a solid foundation of knowing yourself. The most important theme of the book is that to do leadership right, it begins inside of you. To be worthy to lead, you must know who you are and what you stand for, and have an honest view of your own strengths and weaknesses. I’m not sure that lesson is taught in business schools today, but it certainly should be.
This was a hard review for me to write, because I am so conflicted about 7 Rules of Power: Surprising–but True–Advice on How to Get Things Done and Advance Your Career, by Jeffrey Pfeffer.
Here’s the good news. If you follow Pfeffer’s advice, you are much more likely to attain positions of power and be able to use that power to get things done. The bad news is that you might not like the person you become—or reveal yourself to be.
Let’s address the good news first.
I’ve been a fan of Jeffrey Pfeffer’s work for a long time, since I first read The Knowing-Doing Gap almost 30 years ago. I’ve read at least six of his books, and like them because they are filled with evidence-based management and personal advice, and because his research leads him to counter so much of what passes for management advice, and focus on uncomfortable truths about how power actually works in the real world, vs. how idealist leadership “gurus” want it to be.
His latest book, 7 Rules of Power: Surprising—but True—Advice on How to Get Things Done, follows that same tradition: a lot of practical advice based on solid research. There is a lot to like in this book. (If you haven’t read Pfeffer before, this book is useful because it encapsulates a lot of his ideas briefly. If you have read Power or Managing with Power, you probably won’t learn much that’s new.)
Briefly, the 7 Rules are:
- Get out of your own way
- Break the rules
- Appear powerful
- Build a powerful brand
- Network relentlessly
- Use your power
- Success excuses (almost) everything
Without going into detail for each rule, the gist is this: the world is not fair, and you don’t move up or accumulate power simply by showing up and doing good work, especially if others are employing some of the 7 rules to leapfrog you.
I don’t argue against the efficacy of Pfeffer’s 7 rules in attaining and maintaining power. They make sense to me, and he backs up his claims with solid evidence.
But I strongly take issue with Pfeffer’s stance on attaining and using power. Pfeffer says that morality is irrelevant to the pursuit of power. He says “Leadership is not a moral pursuit. It is above all about the pragmatism of making things happen.”
My first critique is that the suggestion that the ends justify the means sounds suspiciously close to those who praised a certain dictator because he made the trains run on time, or evangelicals who tolerate extremely un-Christian behavior from a leader because it gets them seats on the Supreme Court. Even if the ends are honorable, the means always carry consequences that are harmful to many people along the way.
Second, the people who most enthusiastically embrace some of the behaviors described in the book are the least likely to pursue honorable, altruistic aims once they are in power. It’s not so much that power corrupts—more often it reveals true character, because those in power tend to care less about what others think and they get away with it.
Finally, Pfeffer correctly notes that success excuses a lot. Those who attain positions of great power are shielded by that power, so anything you do to get it will carry no consequences. That sadly appears to be more true than ever. But, like most “how to” books, he ignores the fact that it’s possible or even likely that one could carefully employ the first five rules and still fail to attain power, making the last two rules moot. They won’t get to the point where they are immune from the consequences of their behavior.
If you want practicality, this is the book for you. If you want morality, don’t read it. In the end, I ask myself, would I want my son or daughter to read it? I would give a cautious yes, but I would trust them to sort out what they are comfortable with. I agree with Pfeffer’s contention that I don’t have a right to preach to you, so the same applies to you.
For further reading:
Dave Brock and I have inadvertently begun a snowball of mutually referential posts since I dashed off a comment to a post on creating value. In his latest response, he states that: “First, these conversations can’t exist without a strong foundation of trust. If our customers don’t trust us, if we don’t trust them, we can’t open up.”
As much as I trust Dave’s wisdom, I don’t fully agree. Yes, trust is critical in creative sales conversations, but he implies the common misconception that trust takes a long time to establish. The reality is that trust can click almost instantly. In fact, Charles Green, co-author of The Trusted Advisor Fieldbook, says, “Contrary to popular wisdom, people make serious judgments of trust very quickly. Trust is a mix of the rational and emotional and snap emotional judgments are commonplace. People decide almost instantaneously whether they trust you—without much proof.”[1]
I used the word “click” because it accurately describes my experience over four decades of selling and teaching. In sales calls, as well as in training sessions (which are in effect sales calls also), I’ve often experienced those “click” moments, when you can tell you have quickly won someone’s trust—when arms unfold, they lean forward, and their face comes alive. When these moments happen there is a step change in the quality of the conversation, and magic can happen.
There are more principles and practices you can follow to increase the chances of having these moments than I can cover in one post, and I recommend several books at the end of this article. But, for what it’s worth, I would like to share some of those things that have worked for me over the years, all of which I stumbled on by accident, I have to admit!
- Listen to them as if your life depends on it. When I was a banker, I made a sales call on the owner of a sales training company. He offered me a job on the spot. Later, after I had gone to work for him, I asked him how he made such a snap decision. He said, “I was impressed with the way you listened to me.”
- Meet their challenge. I had gotten my foot in the door with a major office equipment manufacturer, but I had to pass the final test of meeting with their famously bilious EVP of Sales. He asked me, “So, you’re a sales consultant?” I replied, “No, I’m not that smart. I’m just a damn good sales trainer.” He said, “Good. I hate consultants”, and we got along great after that.
- Admit your ignorance. Long story which is recounted here, but I once had a prospect ask me why he should do business with me. My answer (which I had not planned), was “I don’t know.” He didn’t know how to respond to that, but I quickly said. “I don’t even know if you should do business with me. May I ask a few questions?” That one conversation turned into a long, mutually profitable relationship.
- Ask a not-so-dumb question. In one meeting, I had a sales in the bag, but I knew it wasn’t exactly the best approach for this client. I asked, “Can I just ask why you want to do this?” The VP of Training said, “What do you mean, we told you we want it; don’t you want the business?” I repeated my question and that sparked a whole line of discussion that resulted in a much larger—and more successful—project.
- Find something or someone in common. We’re predisposed to trust people who are similar to us, are “one of us”. If that something in common is a mutual friend that you both know and trust, it’s a double shortcut.
Of course, if trust can click instantly, it can also vanish just as quickly. But that’s a topic for a future article.
The Trusted Advisor Fieldbook, by Charles Green and Andrea Howe
The Code of Trust, by Robin Dreeke
The Confidence Game: Why We Fall for It…Every Time , by Maria Konnikova
[1] Charles H. Green and Andrea P. Howe, The Trusted Advisor Fieldbook, p. 5. By the way, this statement appears to reflect an evolution in Green’s thinking. In his original book, The Trusted Advisor, he says trust rarely develops instantly.
