The paths to power: How to grow your influence and advance your career | Jeffrey Pfeffer (author of 7 Rules of Power, professor at Stanford GSB)
Jeffrey Pfeffer, Professor of Organizational Behavior at Stanford GSB, discusses his "Seven Rules of Power" to help listeners grow their influence in life and business. He explains why building these skills is crucial for career advancement and getting things done, despite initial discomfort.
Deep Dive Analysis
19 Topic Outline
Introduction to Jeffrey Pfeffer and Power
Why People Feel Uncomfortable with Power
Power Skills for Underrepresented Groups
Stanford's 'Paths to Power' Class Philosophy
Overview of the Seven Rules of Power
Real-World Impact of Power Principles
Rule 4: Building a Powerful Personal Brand
Rule 1: Overcoming Self-Imposed Barriers
Rule 2: Strategic Rule-Breaking for Power
Rule 5: Relentless Networking and Generosity
The Strength of Weak Ties in Networking
Rule 6: Actively Using Your Power
Rule 3: Appearing Powerful Through Presence
Mastering Powerful Presentation Skills
Practical Homework for Power Development
Rule 7: Success Excuses Almost Everything
The Ethical Imperative of Good People Having Power
The Trade-offs: Power vs. Autonomy
Starting Your Power Journey: Get Coaching
6 Key Concepts
Political Skill
A set of abilities associated with navigating social dynamics in organizations. Empirical research demonstrates that political skill correlates with positive career outcomes such as higher salary, promotions, job satisfaction, and reduced stress.
Imposter Syndrome
A psychological pattern where individuals doubt their accomplishments and fear being exposed as a 'fraud.' This can lead to self-disempowering behaviors like preemptory apologies, hindering career success.
Knowing-Doing Gap
The discrepancy between what individuals or organizations know they should do and what they actually do. To bridge this gap, active practice and implementation of learned principles are essential for retention and effectiveness.
Networking as Brokerage
A strategy in networking where one connects disparate individuals or groups who would benefit from knowing each other. This position allows the 'broker' to gain knowledge, influence, and create value for others and themselves.
Strength of Weak Ties
A sociological theory suggesting that less close connections (weak ties) are often more valuable than strong ties for gaining non-redundant information and opportunities. Weak ties provide access to diverse networks and different perspectives.
Self-Fulfilling Prophecy of Power
The idea that power is not homeostatic but rather self-perpetuating. If others believe you are powerful, you are more likely to become and remain powerful, and vice-versa, as people are drawn to success.
10 Questions Answered
People feel uncomfortable because the realities of acquiring power often conflict with how they believe the world 'ought to be' or what they are taught morally, and they may associate power with negative uses.
Learning power skills leads to positive career outcomes like higher salary, promotions, job satisfaction, and less stress, and is particularly crucial for those who may face systemic disadvantages.
Building a personal brand ensures that key decision-makers know who you are and the value you bring, which is essential for differentiation, promotion, and creating opportunities.
Overcoming self-imposed barriers involves recognizing and challenging beliefs that power is 'dirty' or suffering from imposter syndrome, and instead focusing on one's deservedness and purpose.
Breaking rules helps you stand out, become memorable, and disrupt existing systems that often favor incumbents, leading to new opportunities and greater success.
Effective networking is rooted in generosity, focusing on what you can do for others, connecting people, and expanding your social circle to gain non-redundant information and opportunities.
When you effectively use your power to get things done, you gain more resources, attract more collaborators, and receive more opportunities, creating a self-perpetuating cycle of influence.
People subconsciously respond to how others look and sound, making body language, presentation, and a commanding presence crucial for conveying authority and influence, often more so than the content of what is said.
Once power is acquired, past actions—even controversial ones—are often forgiven, forgotten, or overlooked because people are drawn to success, relevance, and the benefits of association with powerful individuals.
While power brings influence and the ability to get things done, it often comes at the cost of personal autonomy, privacy, and control over one's time and life, as others dictate schedules and scrutinize actions.
22 Actionable Insights
1. Reframe Power as a Tool
Understand that power is a neutral tool, not inherently good or evil, and that good people need to acquire it to create positive change. This foundational shift helps overcome discomfort and enables you to pursue power for beneficial outcomes.
2. Prioritize Competence Over Likability
Focus on performing your role effectively and achieving results, rather than constantly worrying about being liked by everyone. While not actively seeking dislike, prioritize competence and respect to get things done and advance.
3. Suspend Judgment of Colleagues
If someone is on your critical path for a task, suspend personal judgment about them and focus solely on the need for their collaboration and cooperation. This enables you to build productive relationships even with people you may not personally like.
4. Seek Coaching and Accountability
To master new skills and overcome discomfort with power-building, actively seek coaching and build a personal ‘board of directors.’ These individuals can provide advice, social support, and accountability to help you push past your comfort zone.
5. Actively Practice New Skills
Don’t just read or learn about power; actively implement and practice the principles you learn. Consistent practice, even in small steps, is crucial for internalizing new behaviors and making them stick.
6. Set Clear Career Goals
Begin by defining what success looks like for you and what you want to accomplish in a given period. This goal-setting provides direction and increases the likelihood of achieving your desired outcomes.
7. Develop a Personal Plan
Assess your strengths and weaknesses related to power attributes (e.g., energy, focus, conflict tolerance) and create a plan to develop specific areas. This targeted approach helps you build the qualities necessary for influence.
8. Build a Powerful Brand
Differentiate yourself and ensure key decision-makers know who you are and the value you bring. Combine substance with visibility, creating value for your organization and yourself to advance your career.
9. Reframe Self-Promotion Mindset
View self-promotion not as ego-driven, but as amplifying your team’s impact or scaling your knowledge and contributions. This mindset shift can make you more comfortable with increasing your visibility.
10. Network with Generosity
Approach networking by focusing on what you can do for others, offering help, and making introductions. A broad, generous network provides access to diverse knowledge and opportunities.
11. Strategically Identify Key Contacts
Make a list of 10 people whose acquaintance would be important for your career goals, then devise specific plans to meet them. This targeted approach ensures your networking efforts are focused and effective.
12. Pursue Weak Ties
Actively build connections with people who are different from you and outside your immediate circle. Weak ties often provide non-redundant information and access to new opportunities that your close network might not offer.
13. Overcome Ego and Ask
Don’t hesitate to ask for help, opportunities, or anything else you need, even if it feels uncomfortable. The worst outcome is a ’no,’ leaving you no worse off than if you hadn’t asked.
14. Break Conventional Rules
Challenge existing norms and rules to stand out and become memorable, especially if those rules favor existing incumbents. Disrupting the status quo can create new pathways to success.
15. Mobilize Resources & Act
When in a position of authority, actively use your resources and influence to achieve objectives. Successfully completing tasks will lead to more resources, opportunities, and further power.
16. Demonstrate Your Power
Project confidence and leadership to naturally attract followership and influence others. People are often drawn to and respond to visible displays of power.
17. Master Powerful Presentation
Focus on how you look and sound, as these aspects often influence perception more than the content of your words. Practice body language, voice modulation, and eye contact to appear more commanding.
18. Avoid Preemptory Apologies
Refrain from starting comments or actions with disclaimers like ‘I don’t know if this will be useful’ or ‘Pardon me for interrupting.’ Such apologies disempower you and signal a lack of confidence.
19. Use Expansive Body Language
Employ more gestures, maintain an open body posture, and use a louder, more confident voice. These non-verbal cues project power and presence.
20. Command Your Material
Thoroughly understand and master the subject matter you are presenting or discussing. Deep knowledge allows you to speak without notes and project expertise, enhancing your perceived power.
21. Recognize Success Forgives Past
Understand that once significant power and success are achieved, past missteps or unconventional methods are often forgiven, forgotten, or overlooked. This perspective can alleviate fears about the journey to power.
22. Push Beyond Comfort Zone
Incrementally challenge yourself to do things slightly outside your comfort zone, applying the ‘15% rule.’ This gradual expansion is key to personal growth and skill acquisition.
5 Key Quotes
If you want power to be used for good, more good people need to have power.
Jeffrey Pfeffer
If you want to be liked, get a dog.
Gary Lubman (quoted by Jeffrey Pfeffer)
If you can get people to laugh, you can tell them anything.
Salman Rushdie (quoted by Jeffrey Pfeffer)
If you always stay in your comfort zone, you will never do anything different or better than what you're currently doing.
Jeffrey Pfeffer
You can have power or you can have autonomy, but you cannot have both.
James G. March (quoted by Jeffrey Pfeffer)
1 Protocols
Developing Power Skills (Jeffrey Pfeffer)
Jeffrey Pfeffer- Set clear goals for what success looks like by the end of a specific period (e.g., a class or quarter).
- Assess your strengths and weaknesses on key attributes of power (e.g., energy, focus, willingness to tolerate conflict) and create a personal development plan.
- Engage in 'doing power' assignments, which involve actively implementing power principles, such as creating resources or awards that provide leverage.
- Practice networking by identifying key individuals who could be important for your career and strategizing how to meet them, focusing on generosity and connecting others.
- Practice 'acting with power' by recording and sharing videos of yourself presenting, then getting feedback from colleagues to improve body language and presence.
- Write and refine a personal brand statement to define how you want to be known and perceived by others.
- Seek coaching or form a personal board of directors to receive advice, social support, and accountability for your power development journey.