7 Rules of Power

If you want to 'change lives, change organizations, change the world,' as per the Stanford business school's motto, you need power.

But is power the dirty secret or the secret to success? Both. While it carries some negative connotations, power is a tool that can be used for good or evil.

In 7 Rules of Power, Jeffrey Pfeffer, Professor of Organizational Behavior at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, provides the insights that have made both his online and on campus classes incredibly popular — with life-changing results often achieved in eight weeks.

Rooted firmly in social science research, Dr. Pfeffer's seven rules provide a manual for how to accomplish change in your organization, your life, the lives of others, and the world.

• In the Beginning: The Challenge of Power
• Introduction: Power, Getting Things Done, and Career Success
• Rule 1: Get Out of Your Own Way
• Rule 2: Break the Rules
• Rule 3: Appear Powerful
• Rule 4: Build a Powerful Brand
• Rule 5: Network Relentlessly
• Rule 6: Use Your Power
• Rule 7: Success Excuses (Almost) Everything: Why This Is the Most Important Rule of All
• Coda: Staying on the Path to Power

A very pragmatic book on how to attain and use power. A bit chatty at times, and very far away from the idealized power structures that are learnt at business schools and leadership courses. In short, hard-hitting, and some uncomfortable truths.

I rate it as Good as you need to have some grounding in some of his other books to make the best use if this one, and as I mentioned, it is unnecessary verbose from time to time.

But if you want to make a career in the world, this is very much recommended reading.