8 Business Lessons from Machiavelli
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While Machiavellis reputation is that of a ruthless political advisor and theorist, UT Professor Maurizio Viroli recognized as the worlds leading authority on his life and writings insists his legacy is misconstrued. Viroli, who taught at Princeton before joining the Liberal Arts faculty at UT, cautions that before dissecting Machiavellis writings, one thing above all must be remembered: He aimed to inspire and instruct great political leaders, not the ordinary or mediocre. If we want to apply his counsel to business, it must be to inspire great leaders a prince of business. Can it be done?
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WE WILL SOMETIMES
HAVE TO RELY ON
INTUITION
(Because we can never have all possible
data before making a decision)
There is no other way to guard yourself
against flattery than by making men
understand that telling you the truth
will not offend you.
We must consider
that each of these
princes of ours has
an aim, and because
it is impossible for us
to know their inner
thoughts, we have
to judge it from their
words, from their
actions
and some part of [what we judge],
we imagine.
LOYALTY OF CITIZENS OR
STAKEHOLDERS IS ESSENTIAL
TO OVERCOME ADVERSITY.
Friendships gained with money, not with
greatness and nobility of spirit, are pur-
chased but not possessed, and at the right
times cannot be turned to account.
EXCELLENT LEADERS ARE
GOOD COMMUNICATORS.
Therefore, an excellent general is
usually an orator because unless he
knows how to speak to the whole
army, he will have difficulty in doing
anything good.
ONLY THOSE WHO
CAN ADAPT WILL
SUCCEED.
If times and affairs change,
[a leader will fail] because he
does not change his way of
proceeding. If [a person can]
change his nature with times
and affairs, [his] fortune
would not change.
The first error [a prince]
makes, he makes in choosing
his advisors who are good
or bad according to the
prince's intelligence.
CHOOSE YOUR PARTNERS
AND ASSOCIATES WISELY.
AVOID FLATTERERS.
IT IS A RECIPE FOR RUIN.
BUSINESS LESSONS FROM
MACHIAVELLI
KNOW EVERY
PERSON FOR
HOW THEY
ARE, NOT HOW
THEY OUGHT
TO BE.
1
4
2 3
6 7
5
THOUGH TACTICS
AND STRATEGIES
MAY CHANGE, A
LEADERS SPIRIT
MUST NOT.
8](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/infograhic-machiavelli-170316205630/85/8-Business-Lessons-from-Machiavelli-1-320.jpg)
8 Business Lessons from Machiavelli
- 1. 8 WE WILL SOMETIMES HAVE TO RELY ON INTUITION (Because we can never have all possible data before making a decision) There is no other way to guard yourself against flattery than by making men understand that telling you the truth will not offend you. We must consider that each of these princes of ours has an aim, and because it is impossible for us to know their inner thoughts, we have to judge it from their words, from their actions and some part of [what we judge], we imagine. LOYALTY OF CITIZENS OR STAKEHOLDERS IS ESSENTIAL TO OVERCOME ADVERSITY. Friendships gained with money, not with greatness and nobility of spirit, are pur- chased but not possessed, and at the right times cannot be turned to account. EXCELLENT LEADERS ARE GOOD COMMUNICATORS. Therefore, an excellent general is usually an orator because unless he knows how to speak to the whole army, he will have difficulty in doing anything good. ONLY THOSE WHO CAN ADAPT WILL SUCCEED. If times and affairs change, [a leader will fail] because he does not change his way of proceeding. If [a person can] change his nature with times and affairs, [his] fortune would not change. The first error [a prince] makes, he makes in choosing his advisors who are good or bad according to the prince's intelligence. CHOOSE YOUR PARTNERS AND ASSOCIATES WISELY. AVOID FLATTERERS. IT IS A RECIPE FOR RUIN. BUSINESS LESSONS FROM MACHIAVELLI KNOW EVERY PERSON FOR HOW THEY ARE, NOT HOW THEY OUGHT TO BE. 1 4 2 3 6 7 5 THOUGH TACTICS AND STRATEGIES MAY CHANGE, A LEADERS SPIRIT MUST NOT. 8