Power - by Jeffrey Pfeffer (Hardcover)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

"Pfeffer [blends] academic rigor and practical genius into wonderfully readable text. The leading thinker on the topic of power, Pfeffer here distills his wisdom into an indispensable guide." --Jim Collins, author of New York Times bestselling author Good to Great and How the Mighty Fall

Some people have it, and others don't. Jeffrey Pfeffer explores why, in Power.

One of the greatest minds in management theory and author or co-author of thirteen books, including the seminal business-school text Managing With Power, Jeffrey Pfeffer shows readers how to navigate the realities of organizational politics to succeed and wield power in the real world.

This unflinching business leadership guide reveals the counterintuitive rules for getting ahead:

• More Than Performance: Learn why job accomplishments are often not enough to secure your position and what you must do to manage those in power.
• The Qualities of Power: Discover the seven personal attributes you can develop--from ambition and energy to the capacity to tolerate conflict--to build influence.
• Building a Reputation: Master the art of perception management, because in the real world of organizations, perception is reality.
• Overcoming Setbacks: Understand how to handle the opposition and reversals of fortune that are an inevitable part of any ambitious career path.

From the Back Cover

In this crowning achievement, one of the greatest minds in management theory reveals how to succeed and wield power in the real world.

Over decades of consulting with corporations and teaching MBA students the nuances of organizational power, Jeffrey Pfeffer has watched numerous people suffer career reversals even as others prevail despite the odds.

Our most common mistake is not having a realistic understanding of what makes some people more successful than others. By believing that life is fair, we tend to subscribe to the "just-world phenomenon," which leaves us unprepared for the challenges and competition of the real world.

Now Pfeffer brings decades of his incredible insights to a wider audience. Brimming with counterintuitive advice, numerous examples from various countries, and surprising findings based on his research, this groundbreaking guide reveals the strategies and tactics that separate the winners from the losers. Power, he argues, is a force that can be used and harnessed not only for individual gain but also for the benefit of organizations and society. Power, however, is not something that can be learned from those in charge--their advice often puts a rosy spin on their ascent and focuses on what should have worked, rather than what actually did. Instead, Pfeffer reveals the true paths to power and career success. Iconoclastic and grounded in the realpolitik of human interaction, Power is an essential organizational survival manual and a new standard in the field of leadership and management.

Review Quotes

"Talk about speaking truth to power! In refreshingly candid prose, Jeff Pfeffer offers brilliant insights into how power is successfully built, maintained, and employed in organizations. It's well known that when Pfeffer speaks about power, smart people listen. This book shows why." - Robert Cialdini, author of Influence

"[Power] ought to be required reading for would-be leaders...[E]xcellent." - Financial Times

"Professor Pfeffer's class at Stanford made me uncomfortable as a student, and yet I've heard his voice and the important lessons he taught in many real world situations over the past 18 years. His book on Power will likely make you equally uncomfortable. Read it and reflect on its wisdom. It will make you more self-aware and give you an understanding of the political dynamics of organizations large and small - all critical to making you a more effective leader for change." - Jacqueline Novogratz, founder, Acumen Fund and author of The Blue Sweater

"Jeff Pfeffer is of immense service to the world with his work, blending academic rigor and practical genius into wonderfully readable text. The leading thinker on the topic of power, Pfeffer here distills his wisdom into an indispensable guide." - Jim Collins, author of Good to Great and How the Mighty Fall

"Jeff Pfeffer nails it! Political skill, not just talent, is central to success in every field. In Power, this leading scholar comes down to earth with practical, even contrarian, tactics for mastering the power game." - Rosabeth Moss Kanter, Chaired Professor, Harvard Business School, and bestselling author of Confidence: How Winning Streaks and Losing Streaks Begin and End and SuperCorp

"Its candor, crisp prose, and forthrightness are fresh and appealing... Brimming with frank, realistic insights on paths to the top, this book offers unexpected--and aggressive--directions on how to advance and flourish in an ever-more competitive workplace." - Publishers Weekly

"[Power] will help you get comfortable with challenging assumptions and lingering on the pause....[Pfeffer] draws on a wealth of social-science and psychology research." - Inc.

"[Academics and consultants] have an interest in presenting business as a rational enterprise.... This leaves the analysis of power to retired businesspeople...(who strive to present themselves as business geniuses rather than Machiavellis) and practicing snake-oil salesmen...Jeffrey Pfeffer of Stanford Business School is an exception to this rule." - The Economist