Power: Why Some People Have It And Others Don't

I was originally gonna dish on the book "Worldviews: An Introduction to the History and Philosophy of Science" today. But with the bombshell news rocking high-tech circles being OpenAI's CEO getting canned by the board of directors, I think it makes sense to pivot our focus.

Now the dynamics behind that startup's ownership structure and corporate governance don't directly impact most of our day-to-day lives. But it spotlights the outsized influence power plays inside organizations. Check it - a tiny handful of directors invoked legal provisions to successfully sack someone leading the hottest AI outfit right now. So before getting into humanity's quest to decode reality itself, let me first share insights from a bestselling book called "Power: Why Some People Have It And Others Don't" to break down power moves.

Introduction

The author of this book is a professor of organizational behavior at Stanford University. His perspective on leadership is completely different from conventional approaches. Traditional textbooks teach us how to do our jobs better to achieve results and status within a team. This book tells us that results and status are not necessarily connected.

To obtain power, you must follow the rules of the power game. By understanding how organizations function and making better use of the rules of power, you can gain true power. As the author points out, "The world has never been fair. You have to fight for everything you want." Power is something you gain through careful strategizing and cultivation on your part.

You will gain:

• A proper understanding of how power structures form

• Essential qualities possessed by those with power

• The path towards power and career success

About the Author

[USA] Jeffrey Pfeffer

A professor at Stanford University. A renowned professor of organizational behavior at Stanford University.

Has been a visiting professor at Harvard Business School, London Business School, and Spain’s IESE Business School. Previously taught at Illinois State University and UC Berkeley. Has conducted advanced management training courses in 28 countries globally, and provided educational and consulting services to companies, associations, and universities across the USA.