8 business lessons from machiavelli
TRANSCRIPT
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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.”
8“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.
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2 3
6 7
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THOUGH TACTICS AND STRATEGIES MAY CHANGE, A LEADER’S SPIRIT MUST NOT.
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