The 48 Laws of Power

By Engr. Carlos V. Cornejo

Obviously, I can’t enumerate all 48 laws here from this best-selling book by Robert Greene, “The 48 Laws of Power”.  But luckily, Nathan Lozeron author of the Productivity Game can summarize them for us into three, “Say as Little as Possible”, “Be Audacious”, and “Be Formless.”

If you leverage the Laws of Power, people will believe you’re worthy of a powerful position and listen to what you have to say. If you obey the Laws of Power, you’ll prolong your time in powerful positions because opponents will refuse to challenge you.  If you use these three Primary Power Laws, you’ll significantly elevate your power in meetings, negotiations, and the organization you work in.

Primary Power Law Number One: “Say as Little as Possible”

Saying as little as possible means you let your actions speak for you.  Of course, this goes without saying you should have tangible achievements to your credit in the workplace or that you have a reputation of getting things done or getting them done creatively.  When you limit your words, your words become like a scarce resource that people value immensely. Be comfortable with conversational pauses and let people nervously fill the silence and reveal later your valuable information. Perfect your timing (Power Law #35) to amplify the impact of your words. Be like a hawk silently circling above a conversation, watching and listening, as you

wait for the right moment to dive in and deliver a few well‐thought‐out words to receptive ears.

Saying little and hiding your intentions (Power Law #3) will consistently wow your audience and prevent your competition from getting the upper hand. Apple, arguably the most powerful company on the planet, goes to great lengths to conceal their intentions by saying very little about their next product. They make their competition guess what they’re up to and garner massive attention when they announce a new product.

If you say little about your work process, you give people the impression your achievements are effortless (Power Law #30). The Great Escape Artist and Magician Houdini captivated audiences because he never revealed his tricks and never let people know how hard he practiced each escape. Saying little about his process led people to believe that he had superior psychic abilities.

Primary Power Law Number 2: “Be Audacious”

Muhammad Ali called himself the greatest. Babe Ruth (Baseball Legend) pointed at the outfield wall before going to bat. Richard Branson (Founder of Virgin Group of Companies) drove a tank down Times Square and flew a hot air balloon around the world.

These bold individuals created compelling spectacles (Power Law #37) that garnered attention (Power Law #6) and elevated their status in their sport or business market.  Why were there so many people running for President in the U.S. in 2020 as well as here in the Philippines in 2022, even though they know that they have little chance of winning?  It is just to attract nation-wide attention that they exist and to elevate their status.

Shaun White (snowboarder) and Simone Biles (gymnast) were powerhouses in their respective sports because they routinely showed up to events with audacious new moves, which captivated the audience and made their opponents feel like they couldn’t compete.

Be audacious by concentrating all your forces (Power Law #23) on one bold objective that will get people talking. Before pursuing such a goal, mentally prepare for all possible obstacles and twists of fortune you may encounter (Power Law #29), so you can enter an audacious

endeavor with boldness (Power Law #28). As Greene says, “Everyone admires the bold; no one honors the timid.”

Primary Power Law #3: “Be Formless”

Be formless by constantly recreating yourself (Power Law #25). Greene says, “Do not accept the roles that society foists on you…Be the master of your own image rather than letting others define it for you.” If you don’t solidify yourself to one position, group, or identity, and constantly evolve your thinking, you create a powerful air of unpredictability (Power Law #17). A United States senator who goes between party lines, voting for conservative and liberal

bills, has immense negotiating power. People from both sides of the aisle make generous offers to secure their vote.

Bruce Lee said, “You must be shapeless, formless, like water.” Your formlessness will be fueled by one truth: everything changes; everything ends. Since you know everything changes, you remain calm and emotionally stable when everyone else is flustered by change. People will see your emotional stability as a superpower.