The Power Playbook for Professionals
Giles Morgan
Empowering Professionals to Master Communication & Negotiation | Unlocking Confidence & Better Outcomes Through Live & Digital Experiences
Episode 1 - What The 48 Laws of Power Can Teach Us About Negotiation in Professional Services
The Weekly Walkaway highlights negotiation in its ‘good’, ‘bad’ and sometimes ‘downright ugly’ forms. Issue No. 104 (7th February 2025)
It’s Friday Walkawayers and it’s time for your long awaited Weekly Walkaway and this week we are starting a trilogy.. Yes, that's right, three episodes all about power.
In our world; professional services, recruitment and human capital, our power isn’t about being the loudest in the room, it can help but many of us are just not ‘loud’, so it’s about how do we control, influence, and drive better negotiated outcomes?
So I thought it a great opportunity to dive back into a book that had a massive impact on me as a younger recruiter; Robert Greene’s?The 48 Laws of Power.
Not only is the book a multi-million-copy Times bestseller it is also a Machiavellian bible; a book on strategy, influence, and, well, power, of course and it's pretty brutal.
WARNING: Read the book with your tongue in your cheek and a hefty pinch of salt, next to ya tequila! - If you’d like to buy then this is an unsponsored option:?https://amzn.eu/d/i72LBtx
Love it or hate it, this book had lessons for me and as long as you look for the deeper meanings.. I mean come on; ‘Crush Your Enemy Totally’?can be read and interpreted a little harshly. So don’t be that scuba diver, qualified to dive to 30m, who when told; ‘meet ya at the bottom’.. did and never met anyone ever again….
So, to make it easier, I’ve broken?The 48 Laws?down into 16 per episode and have summarised each Law, made it IMO-relevant to us and taken the ‘brutal’ out. I have then left you with a hint, a Walkaway, for you to consider.
Enjoy.
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Law 1: Never Outshine the Master – Let Your Client Shine
You might be the best recruiter, consultant or negotiator in the room, but if your client, hiring manager or stakeholder thinks you’re?too?smart, then there will be a problem. People like to believe they are in control. So let them.
???Walkaway Tip:?Negotiation is not a competition. Fact. If you want to win you will dissatisfy them and create an enemy. Give them options, let them choose.. let them think they have control.
Law 2: Never Put Too Much Trust in Friends - Keep a Healthy Distance
Blind loyalty to clients, stakeholders and colleagues often backfires. A little scepticism in negotiation will keep you sharp. Trust should be measured and control over your information is always key. When people know too much about your position then they will use it against you. It is just human nature. Don't hate the person, hate the game.
???Walkaway Tip:?Be friendly, polite, warm, but maintain your distance. Difficult for you pleasers I know but a level of mystery keeps you in a position of power. Control the flow of information, reveal only what is necessary and try to always ensure you have more information on them than they do on you.
Law 3: Conceal Your Intentions – Mystery = Asset
The moment you reveal all your cards, you lose power. Skilled negotiators keep their ultimate goals close to their chests and reveal only what is necessary.
????Walkaway Tip:?Don’t overshare. Keep the conversation focused on the other party’s needs and as above, control the flow of information.
Law 4: Always Say Less Than Necessary – Negotiation is Silence
I’ve said it time and time again; selling, arguing, explaining and justifying kills your power. The less you say, the more authority and confidence you project.
???Walkaway Tip:?Let pauses do the work. Speak less and watch them fill the silence.
Law 5: So Much Depends on Reputation – Guard It With Your Life – Your Brand = Power
It ain't rocket science Walkawayers. Your reputation precedes you. It influences your negotiations and interactions well before you enter the room. Your track record and testimonials define your ability to close deals. Clients and candidates make decisions based on perceived credibility long before your first conversation. Our game is a long game.
?? Walkaway Tip: Invest in your credibility. Your track record should negotiate for you. Showcase success stories, thought leadership, embrace speaking engagements, white papers, and yes, foster a strong social media presence. All of which cements your credibility. A solid reputation means negotiations start on your terms.
Law 6: Court Attention at All Costs – Visibility = Influence
You can’t negotiate from the shadows. Power in professional services comes from visibility and brand positioning. Court attention a lot at the beginning, when you are starting out, but learn to control ‘it’ when your brand is high.
???Walkaway Tip:?If you are already the go to person then you need to control how visible you are and how often you court attention. This plays to The Law of Scarcity see Law 16: Use Absence to Increase Respect and Honour – Less Availability = More Demand
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Law 7: Get Others to Do the Work for You, but Always Take the Credit – Leverage = The Key
Ever wondered how ‘that’ person got promoted or why those at the top seem, well, not ‘capable’? The most powerful people don’t do everything, they delegate and leverage. They ‘steal’ and ‘piggyback’ off the credit of other people's work.
???Walkaway Tip:?Never let anyone steal your credit. I used to believe that it was gentlemanly to share my credit until one day ‘they’ rose up on my shoulders and I was left drowning! Outsource when needed, but always control the flow of credit.
Law 8: Make Other People Come to You – Never Chase
When you chase, you lose. You seem desperate and needy and no one likes that. When they come to you, you have power. The most influential professionals and businesses position themselves as valuable, exclusive and in demand. Scarcity creates desire.
?? Walkaway Tip: Instead of constantly selling, selling, selling, become the sought after authority in your space. Build a brand that naturally attracts interest whether through thought leadership, exclusive offerings or a strong referral network. In recruitment, top talent should feel privileged to work with you. In professional services, clients should see you as the?must have?consultant rather than just another option. Be selective with your availability and set boundaries that reinforce your value. If people believe they need to earn access to your time, they will respect and value it more.
Law 9: Win Through Your Actions, Never Through Argument – Don’t Sell
Yup, that's right.. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again.. Don’t sell, explain, argue or justify. It is not in their interest to agree with you. Got it? Even if they do agree with your argument they wont, because that would be illogical, dummy; it would weaken their position. So why would they want to do that?
???Walkaway Tip:?Let results, data and proof do the heavy lifting. Think; show not tell. Instead of trying to convince someone with words, demonstrate success and prove your worth.
Law 10: Infection – Avoid the Unhappy and Unlucky – Stay Away from Negative Energy
Energy is contagious. Surround yourself with winners.
??Walkaway Tip:?Avoid toxic people at all costs. That means everyone from your manager through to your clients. Your network defines your net worth and your mental health. Power comes from your confidence and there will be those who will want that power and will try to steal it from you, whether they know they are doing it or not.
Law 11: Learn to Keep People Dependent on You – Be Indispensable
Destroy their alternatives (BATNA’s) and foster as many alternatives for yourself. I know its an extreme word; ‘destroy’, but it's there to reinforce the reality that if you are dependent on them then they have power. If you can make them dependent on you then you have power. We live in an increasingly commoditised market. They will always use competition against you and its your job to ensure you always remain ahead of your competition or create a value proposition where you’re playing in your own sandpit.
???Walkaway Tip:?Always keep an eye on what the competition is doing and ensure you keep ahead of their innovations and services. Stop playing in ‘their’ sandpit. Create your own, from the size, shape and even colour of the sand and get to position yourself as essential by offering unique value that makes you irreplaceable.
Law 12: Use Selective Honesty and Generosity to Disarm Your Victim – Never Lie and Never give for Free
A well-placed truth makes the rest of your negotiation more credible. If you want to build trust you are gonna have to give a little trust first. Think of trust as a bank, you will need to make a small deposit first.. Now think of The Law of reciprocity, I’ve given so you feel the need to give in return. Always beware of Trojans bearing gifts…
???Walkaway Tip:?Use honesty strategically. Reveal just enough to gain trust. Think of what information you can use as an offering and always offer conditionally, to ensure that they are required to give back. If you, then I. If they don’t, STOP.
Law 13: When Asking for Help, Appeal to Self-Interest, Never to Mercy – There is No Fairness
People act in their own interest, not out of kindness. The idea of fairness is a comforting illusion in negotiation but people help when they see a benefit to themselves, not because they feel a sense of fairness. Remember, they have their own shareholders and stakeholders to protect and create value for, so it’s not in their interest to look after you.. unless it profits them. Whether dealing with clients, candidates or business partners, your requests should highlight what’s in it for them.
???Walkaway Tip:?Frame requests as mutual benefits, not favors. In recruitment, instead of saying,?"Can you speed up feedback on this candidate?", try,?"Providing quicker feedback will help you secure top talent before they accept competing offers and it will improve your company's brand."?Negotiation is not about appealing to generosity or fairness, it’s about structuring your ‘need’ in a way that aligns with their goals. For example; instead of asking for quicker payment, tell them “if you pay within two weeks then we can give you a discount”.
Law 14: Pose as a Friend, Work as a Spy – Information = Power
The best negotiators gather information while building relationships. Fact. Your job is not to find your next best drinking buddy. Although that is sometimes a great consequence of doing good business. Your job is to build enough of a relationship to secure the deal. You need to find out who the; Queens, Kings, Bishops and Pawns are. You need to know more about them than they know about you and your Chess Pieces; You need to know what they really desire..
???Walkaway Tip:?Ask more questions and listen.. well, more. In their answer you will find more questions, ask more. Simples.. And.. If ever you have become friends.. Stop doing business, swap out, enjoy your friendship without the burden of business. Trust me.
Law 15: Crush Your Enemy Totally – Step Into Conflict
Don’t hate the person, hate the game.. The 48 Laws use a language that is purposefully antagonistic. Look past the word. My interpretation, and I repeat, this is my interpretation is that ‘The enemy’ is not a person. I have written about this before. Wishywashy negotiations are for amateurs. You know, the ones where you’re all chit chat, small talk, natter over tea and cucumber sandwiches with no discomfort. If you’re going for a deal then you’ve got to be all in. Step into the conflict. Step into the discomfort. It is meant to be uncomfortable. It means you’re gonna have to work hard for it and so must they. If not you will leave value on the table and gaps in your agreements. You, your emotions and the detail is the enemy.
???Walkaway Tip:?You have a chimp in your brain, we call her Lucy. She is all emotion, she hates conflict. You need to learn to control her. Then and only then can you start to define deliverables, expectations and terms. The devil is in the detail and the devil loves conflict because it is in the detail you either ‘do’ or don’t. Half baked deals mean lost value.
Law 16: Use Absence to Increase Respect and Honour – The Law of Scarcity
And here we are.. our first 16 of the 48 Laws and one that means the so much to us all in our market. The Law of Scarcity. Being too available or having something that is too available devalues you and it. Scarcity increases perceived value. Fact. If you’re always accessible, you’re not exclusive. Again, you ‘pleasers’ will hate this but if you’re always on-call, clients and colleagues take your time for granted. If there are lots of people in the market then your service is devalued. If there is a lot of competition then you are devalued. If you move too easily, you devalue your move and on and on and on…
?? Walkaway Tip: Open extreme, plan in moves, delay your moves with enough to build in anticipation. For your time consider creating some sort of queue, humans love a queue. Absence creates demand, use it to your advantage.
OK Walkawayers, that’s the first 16 Laws of Power. Tag back in next week for another 16. Have a great weekend and remember, you are a negotiator.