The Germans were setting their targets with the help of spies planted in Britain - but the British replaced them with their own agents, who fed the Germans bad information. This gives you an opportunity to plant false information and control the game.įor instance, in 1944 as the Germans attacked London with rocket-bombs, the bombs began missing their targets by wide margins. While you’re spying on others, they’re going to be spying on you. Not exactly, but there is another opportunity here. Mellon loved the collection, admired Duveen’s taste, and soon became his most lucrative client.Īre there exceptions to Law 14 of the 48 Laws of Power? Is it every inappropriate to Pose as a Friend, Work as a Spy. He even rearranged his personal gallery to reflect Mellon’s tastes and then invited him over to see it. Duveen showcased his charm and knowledge of art, and pretended to share Mellon’s tastes. Once he knew what made Mellon tick, he set up accidental meetings, showing up where he knew Mellon would be. He secretly began paying several of Mellon’s staff for information on Mellon’s tastes, ambitions, and habits, as well as his travel plans. He had a monopoly on selling art to millionaire collectors, but he didn’t have Andrew Mellon as a client and set out to remedy that. Joseph Duveen, the most successful art dealer of the early 1900s, was a master at using knowledge gained through spying to enrich himself.
#LAW 15 48 LAWS OF POWER HOW TO#
Here’s an example of how to apply Law 14 of the 48 Laws of Power. The knowledge you get from spying makes you seem all-powerful, and others can’t resist you. This is why you should pose as a friend, work as a spy. The information you gather from spying is power because it enables you to predict how others will act in the future, and you can plan accordingly. Another conversational trick is to strongly disagree with or contradict someone - they’ll get agitated and say more than they intended to. When you offer a fake confidence, pretending to bare your soul, others will respond with real confidences. Someone once commented that Talleyrand would in effect fire a pistol into the air to see who would leap out the window. Based on the diplomats’ reactions, he learned who had the greatest interest in the potential weakening of the Russian army. For instance, he might comment that the czar of Russia was about to arrest a top general. At diplomatic events, Talleyrand used the technique of appearing to blurt out a secret to see who would react.You can say untrue things and then watch for people’s reactions, which can tell you what you want to know. While he concealed his true thoughts, he cajoled others to share theirs at social gatherings and in parlor games he would organized. He was gracious and witty, but enigmatic. France’s foreign minister, Talleyrand, was said to be an excellent conversationalist.This is the perfect place to follow Law 14: Pose as a Friend, Work as a Spy.ĭon’t be too obvious in probing for information, however, or you’ll arouse suspicions. People will interpret your interest as friendship, and you’ll build allies as well as learning secrets. Say little while showing great interest in others, and they’ll talk freely. People’s guards are down, they’re drinking, and they’re trying to be friendly. Say little while getting others to do the talking - and listen.Įspecially pay attention at social gatherings. It’s easy and effective to pose as a friend while collecting information. They may inadvertently give you away, get things wrong, or start working against you.Ģ) Be a spy yourself: Be friendly and listen.
You’ll get information, but you can’t control your spies.
However, most people won’t intentionally tell you these things you need a way to ferret out the information without their knowing it.Īccording to Law 14 of the 48 Laws of Power, there are two ways to do this:ġ) Use spies: Using others (for instance, people who work for your target) as spies is useful but risky. This knowledge enables you to predict what they’ll do in the future. To wield power you need to understand others: their intentions, goals, and ambitions, as well as secrets, weaknesses, and ulterior motives.
Adopt a friendly manner and you’ll get people to spill their plans and weaknesses. You can enlist spies to gather intelligence for you, but it’s better to be a spy yourself. When you know your opponent’s secrets, you can predict his behavior and control him. Overview of Law #14: Pose as a Friend, Work as a SpyĬollecting information through spying is essential to wielding power.
#LAW 15 48 LAWS OF POWER TRIAL#
Like this article? Sign up for a free trial here. Shortform has the world's best summaries of books you should be reading. This article is an excerpt from the Shortform summary of "The 48 Laws of Power" by Robert Greene.
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