Machiavellian

High context communication

(Excerpt from Han Feizi translated by Burton Watson) If the person you are trying to persuade is out to establish a reputation for virtue, and you talk to him about making a fat profit, then he will regard you...

August 30, 2020| Machiavellian, Strategy Read More

Humans cannot be trusted – Legalism

(Excerpt from Han Feizi translated by Burton Watson) Legalist thought in general, and that of Han Feizi in particular, is marked by a drastically low opinion of human nature. Some scholars detect in the latter case the...

August 30, 2020| China, Machiavellian Read More

Why are there more Indians than other Asian races as American companies’ CEOs?

(Extracted from The Economist 29 Feb 2020 edition) Some 11% of associates at American law firms are Asian, but only 3% of partners are. In technology Asians makeup over 30% of the workers but less than 15% of bosses. In...

March 7, 2020| Machiavellian, World Read More

Crush your enemy completely if you have to

(Extracted from The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli) People should either be caressed or crushed. If you do them minor damage they will get their revenge; but if you cripple them there is nothing they can do. If you...

September 30, 2019| Machiavellian Read More

Drown your competitor

(Extracted from The Founder) I want to take the future, I want to win, and you don’t get there by being aw-shucks nice guys sap. There’s no place in business for people like that. Business is war. It’s dog eat...

September 30, 2019| Machiavellian Read More

Be loved and feared. Otherwise better feared than loved.

(Extracted from The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli) whether it be better to be loved than feared or feared than loved? It may be answered that one should wish to be both, but, because it is difficult to unite them...

September 8, 2019| Machiavellian Read More

Strength to do bold things, not the strength to suffer

(Extracted from The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli) All courses of action are risky, so prudence is not in avoiding danger (it’s impossible), but calculating risk and acting decisively. Make mistakes of ambition...

September 8, 2019| Machiavellian Read More

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