I recently got asked in a DM: “Why this book?” Fair question. The word power often carries a negative connotation these days. We hear it and immediately think of someone abusing authority, controlling others, or taking advantage.
But let’s pause here. Words like power or manipulate aren’t inherently bad.
Jocko Willink once talked about the word manipulate (Jocko Podcast, Ep. 5, 4:00). We usually attach it to something harmful—making someone do something against their will. But the word itself is neutral. By definition, manipulate means: “to handle or control (a tool, mechanism, or situation), typically in a skillful manner.” If you’re a craftsman, you manipulate your tools. If you’re a coach, you manipulate a lineup. It’s not about good or bad—it’s about intent.
The same goes for power.
Robert Greene’s The 48 Laws of Power is not a handbook on being a tyrant. It’s a collection of principles—observed throughout history—that describe how humans interact in the “game” of life: friendships, business, sports, leadership.
Now, here’s the key: Greene never suggests you blindly follow all 48 laws. In fact, leadership requires a dichotomy of discernment.
Take Law 7: “Get Others to Do the Work for You, but Always Take the Credit.”
Am I going to run my team that way? No. My leadership style is to delegate, yes—but I give credit to others. Dale Carnegie taught the same idea in How to Win Friends and Influence People: let others speak well of you instead of tooting your own horn. That’s a principle rooted in humility.
This is where your values, morals, and ethics come in. The Laws are tools. But you decide how to use them—or when to recognize someone else using them in a way that might harm your team, your company, or your relationships.
Simon Sinek, in The Infinite Game, talks about leadership not as a short-term win, but as a long-term commitment to a just cause. Greene’s Laws, if viewed through that same lens, become less about control and more about awareness. Power isn’t inherently corrupt—it’s a current we all swim in. Understanding it helps you navigate wisely.
So, before dismissing the book because of its title, sit with it.
Ask yourself: What do I believe? What values guide me?
Consider which Laws align with your leadership philosophy, and which you’ll reject.
Most importantly, learn to recognize the Laws at play—because others will use them, whether or not you do.
In the end, power—like manipulation—isn’t good or bad. It just is. What matters is how you use it.