Who was Otto von Bismarck? How did he keep his power in a rapidly-changing Europe? What can he teach us about maintaining power?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Otto von Bismarck was a Prussian diplomat and politician who controlled German foreign affairs for 30 years in the mid- to late-1800s. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
We’ll cover what made Otto von Bismarck so powerful and how you can apply those lessons to your relationships and careers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Otto von Bismarck, as a deputy in the Prussian parliament, succeeded in his aim of going to war by using a decoy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the mid-1800s, the country debated unifying many states into one, and\/or going to war against Austria, which was trying to keep Germany divided and weak. King Frederick William IV and his ministers opposed war, preferring to appease Austria. But Prince William and most Prussians favored it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bismarck also favored war, as everyone knew. But he thought it was the wrong time to fight \u2014 Germany needed time to strengthen its army. So to distract Austria and others from his true true goal he gave a speech against war and even praised Austria.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Everyone was confused, but war was averted for the moment, and the king made him a cabinet minister, which positioned him to start strengthening the army and developing political allies. Eventually, Bismarck became Prussian premier and led the country to defeat Austria and unify Germany.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Like Otto von Bismarck, always hide your true intentions. If you keep people off-balance and in the dark, they can\u2019t counter your efforts. Send them down the wrong path with a decoy and by the time they realize what you\u2019re up to, it will be too late for them to interfere.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To deceive people about your real intentions, take preemptive action to mislead by using decoys and red herrings. Use tools such as fake sincerity, ambiguity, and lures \u2014 and people won\u2019t be able to differentiate the genuine from the false to see your goal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Many people wear their feelings on their sleeves. And when it comes to plans and intentions, they\u2019re quick to tell all at the slightest provocation. People tend to be \u201copen books\u201d because talking about feelings and intentions comes naturally. Watching your mouth \u2014 monitoring and controlling what you say \u2014 takes effort. In addition, they believe honesty and openness will win people over.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, honesty has distinct downsides:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In contrast, you can gain and maintain the upper hand by hiding your intentions. Fortunately, hiding your intentions is easy because it\u2019s human nature to trust appearances; the alternative of doubting the reality of what you see and hear \u2014 imagining there\u2019s always something else behind it \u2014 is too exhausting. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
So present a decoy or red herring<\/strong> like Otto von Bismarck \u2014 something phony that\u2019s intended to attract attention<\/a> and thus mislead \u2014 and people will take the appearance for reality, and won\u2019t notice what you\u2019re really doing<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Conversely, you can pretend to want something you\u2019re not actually interested in, like Otto von Bismarck, and your opponents will be confused and miscalculate. Otto von Bismarck served two weak Prussian kings, Frederick and his brother William, who both needed him desperately; they ceded authority to him and did whatever he told them to do because he\u2019d made it clear that if they didn\u2019t he\u2019d leave them in the lurch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Otto von Bismarck made sure he could not be replaced. When he joined the Prussian parliament in the 1800s, he immediately aligned himself with the weak king, Frederick. Most people align themselves with powerful people, but it\u2019s difficult to create a mutual dependence<\/a> with a strong person. Otto von Bismarck first built up trust by supporting and defending the king against critics and opponents. Frederick rewarded him with a promotion to minister, which Bismarck used to get the king to build up the military and stand up to opponents. He did the same with Frederick\u2019s successor, William, pushing him to be stronger and more decisive. William didn\u2019t like Otto von Bismarck but grew dependent on him, even making him prime minister. Bismarck got whatever he wanted by threatening to resign. Eventually, he manipulated the king into making him emperor. Like Otto von Bismarck, make sure you\u2019re the only one who can do what you do, and intertwine yourself in your superior\u2019s business to the point that he can\u2019t possibly get rid of you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The more that a superior needs you, the more security and freedom you have to pursue your goals<\/a>, so make him dependent on you. Like Otto von Bismarck, never let superiors think they can get along without you. A big part of exercising power is getting people to do what you want them to do. You can force them in some way, but the best outcome is when they do your bidding willingly. To accomplish this, you make them dependent on you, as Otto von Bismarck did with Frederick and William. This works with people at all levels but is especially beneficial when the person doing your bidding is a superior and you function as the so-called power behind the throne.<\/strong> Make yourself indispensable to him, become so involved in every aspect of his work that getting rid of you would leave him with huge problems. Then you have the upper hand and can get your way. People often think that being powerful means being independent, but power requires relationships \u2014 with allies, dupes, enemies, and superiors. A completely independent person has freedom but not power. When others are dependent on you, however, you have the independence to pursue your goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Make yourself so indispensable that your superior is afraid to tempt fate and find out what her life would be like without you. One way to achieve this kind of position is to have an irreplaceable skill or talent.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Ensure that you\u2019re truly indispensable \u2014 don\u2019t take it for granted. Like Otto von Bismarck, be constantly vigilant \u2014 at any time someone could appear who could replace you. They may be more appealing to your boss if they\u2019re less costly or less threatening. Otto von Bismarck used this tactic to get Count Blome of Austria to sign a treaty beneficial to Prussia but against the interests of Austria. The night before the negotiations started, Bismarck challenged Blome to a round of his favorite card game, quinze. He played recklessly and made rash comments and blunders, which lulled Blome into thinking he didn\u2019t need to worry about anything devious being in the treaty. He signed it the next day without reading the fine print, at which point Otto von Bismarck exulted that he\u2019d never expected an Austrian to sign such a treaty. Like Otto von Bismarck, make your intended victims feel as though they\u2019re smarter than you are, and they won\u2019t suspect you of having ulterior motives. Because nobody likes feeling stupid, be careful to avoid insulting another person\u2019s intelligence inadvertently. Going a step further, you can exploit this human vanity to succeed in your schemes. If you make other people feel smarter than you, by making yourself out to be naive or slow-witted by comparison, they\u2019ll let down their guard and fail to be suspicious of your motives. <\/strong> Making others feel smarter than you by appearing to be subservient and naive can also help you advance in the ranks, if you\u2019re starting in a low position. You won\u2019t seem threatening to anyone, and you\u2019ll be promoted. At the least, you\u2019ll be left alone to pursue your own interests unnoticed. Besides downplaying your intelligence, you can do the same with other qualities to lull people into complacency. For instance, make people feel they are more sophisticated or have better taste. They\u2019ll like having you around to make them feel better about themselves, and you\u2019ll have the space to develop your schemes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the mid-1800s Prussian leader Otto von Bismarck had a goal of creating a united Germany ruled by Prussia. With this ending always in mind, he planned specific steps for getting there and wasn\u2019t sidetracked by temptations to grab more territory or glory. Otto von Bismarck’s steps were:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once this was achieved Otto von Bismarck stopped, although his generals wanted to take more land. Although other European leaders expected him to continue his aggression, he worked thereafter to avoid war. Otto von Bismarck wanted unity and security, not more land, and achieving that goal was his last move. Like Otto von Bismarck, make detailed plans with a clear ending. Think far ahead, take into account all possible developments, and don\u2019t be swayed by wishful thinking. Then pursue your plans and don\u2019t be tempted from your path<\/a>. Most people believe that they\u2019re thinking of the future and planning ahead. Instead, they\u2019re actually practicing wishful thinking of what they want the future to be, rather than a future based on reality.
<\/p>\n\n\n\nLesson #2: Be Needed<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhat We Can Learn from Otto von Bismarck<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\nApply the Lesson<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\nLesson #3: Make Others Feel Smarter<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhat We Can Learn from Otto von Bismarck<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\nApply the Lesson<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\nLesson #4: Plan the Ending<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhat We Can Learn from Otto von Bismarck<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\nApply the Lesson<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n