PDF Summary:7 Rules of Power, by Jeffrey Pfeffer

Many people believe that power corrupts, that networking is insincere, and that authenticity is essential for leadership. In 7 Rules of Power, Jeffrey Pfeffer challenges these assumptions and argues that power is necessary to achieve meaningful goals and create lasting change. He contends that acquiring and maintaining power requires strategies that may contradict conventional wisdom—such as prioritizing appearances over authenticity and using anger strategically to gain respect.

Pfeffer offers seven principles for building influence, including developing a strong personal brand, expanding your network, and displaying confidence through nonverbal cues. He explains how to overcome barriers like social expectations and how to sustain power through consistent practice. This guide explores the mechanisms of power dynamics and provides strategies for positioning yourself at the center of influential networks.

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(Shortform note: Pfeffer’s advice to create a strong brand by combining your private and work life and associating with prestigious people and groups can backfire. Alice E. Marwick and danah boyd explain that when you merge your private and work life, you risk “context collapse,” where something you intended for one audience is seen by another. This can damage your reputation and opportunities. For example, a joke you make to friends could be misinterpreted by colleagues or superiors, leading to professional consequences.)

Second, Pfeffer encourages you to pursue networking tirelessly. Your connections and their number influence your power and career. Connections with others are key to accomplishing tasks within both organizations and society, and they'll empower you and boost your professional growth. However, individuals don't spend enough effort cultivating social connections because they don't enjoy the process. They might view career-oriented socializing as ethically dubious since it involves forming relationships to advance personal interests. They're also hesitant to use professional relationships to tackle job-related issues, as they worry about damaging their interpersonal relationships or being embarrassed by looking bad. Although people participate in networking, they usually perceive it as something to complete rather than a skill to hone. To connect effectively, dedicate sufficient time to interacting with useful people, especially those who are distant from you and on the fringes.

Counterpoint: Focus on Skills, Not Networking

Some experts disagree with Pfeffer’s advice to pursue networking tirelessly. In So Good They Can’t Ignore You, Cal Newport argues that the most important factor in your working life is the skills you develop, not whether you pursue networking tirelessly. He explains that the more rare and valuable skills you have, the more control you’ll have over your working life. This is because you’ll be able to leverage your skills to get what you want. For example, if you’re a highly skilled software engineer, you’ll be able to negotiate for a higher salary or more flexible work hours. On the other hand, if you don’t have any rare and valuable skills, you’ll have less control over your working life.

Next, let's explore the fundamental mechanisms of power.

The Underlying Mechanisms of Power

Pfeffer asserts that authority can reinforce itself. People are generally drawn to it, so they’ll support you after you gain it. You can wield your influence to achieve goals and create systems that sustain it.

(Shortform note: Authority tends to reinforce itself because it’s easier for people to coordinate when they all agree on who’s in charge. Once most people accept someone as an authority, everyone else has an incentive to go along with it, even if they don’t like it.)

Next, we'll cover power dynamics by exploring how to display power and leverage your network to maximize its potential.

Power Struggles: Behavioral Displays

Pfeffer suggests that displaying anger can lead to people perceiving you as powerful and competent. He explains that anger is linked to intimidation and coercion, and it’s not viewed as nice or socially acceptable. Those with power can disregard the rules, so breaking them can make you seem powerful. If people in power are allowed to show anger more easily than less powerful people, then displaying anger can give the impression of having greater status. In fact, those who show anger more often tend to receive more promotions, have higher earnings, and get better evaluations from their managers on future promotability. Furthermore, showing anger enables people to demand more value and achieve better results in negotiations because it conveys toughness.

The Risks of Displaying Anger

While displaying anger can make you seem powerful, it can also backfire in certain situations. For example, in workplaces where employees are expected to remain calm and composed, showing anger can make you seem less competent and lower your status. This is especially true for women, who are often expected to be warm and accommodating. Brescoll and Uhlmann found that when women express anger, they’re seen as less competent and are less likely to be promoted. This is because people tend to view women who show anger as being out of control or overly emotional, which can damage their professional reputation.

Similarly, Pfeffer contends that breaking social norms can make you appear more powerful. He explains that people with power have a higher tendency to flout societal expectations without facing consequences. Therefore, people who break social norms are seen as having more power.

(Shortform note: While breaking social norms can make you appear more powerful, it can also make you appear less powerful in certain situations. In The Power Paradox, Dacher Keltner explains that power is granted to us by other people because we are seen as fair, kind, and committed to the greater good. When we act in selfish, aggressive, or dishonest ways, people withdraw their respect and cooperation, and in withdrawing their support they strip us of the very power they had given us.)

Power Dynamics: Network Leverage

Next, Pfeffer asserts that network centrality boosts exposure and information accessibility. Network centrality refers to the degree to which a person serves as the focal point of information and opportunities. Those at the center of networks have increased interaction with others, so more people know about them. This visibility benefits them. They also gain additional information since more communication goes through them. Therefore, when considering career options, factor in how that opportunity will boost your centrality. Opt for positions with more centrality.

(Shortform note: In 1979, the sociologist Linton C. Freeman published a paper that defined the concept of centrality in social networks. He argued that centrality is a key structural property of social networks that reflects the prominence or importance of individual actors within the network. Freeman’s work provided a formal framework for understanding how individuals are positioned within social structures, which later authors like Pfeffer could draw on when applying network centrality to career choices.)

Additionally, Pfeffer notes that connecting disconnected groups in networks enhances career success. Structural holes are gaps between groups unfamiliar with each other but could gain from a connection. People who bridge these holes have access to more diverse information and opportunities, which can lead to better job performance and career advancement.

(Shortform note: In Brokerage and Closure, Ronald S. Burt argues that while connecting disconnected groups in networks can be beneficial, it’s not always the best strategy for career success. In some cases, having a tightly knit network of trusted colleagues can be more valuable than having a wide network of weak ties.)

Finally, Pfeffer emphasizes that casual acquaintances can provide valuable opportunities and information. Weak connections are casual acquaintances who can offer new insights and connections since they can access varied networks and resources. Research indicates that weaker connections foster increased creativity, as they link to a wider range of viewpoints, concepts, and informational sources. Engaging with people at the edges of our social circle can enhance our emotional and social well-being. To maintain weak ties, it's not necessary to have intense or deep connections. Regular updates, sending an intriguing article on a shared topic of interest, or simply letting them know you're keeping them in mind can often be enough.

The Power of Weak Ties

Pfeffer’s ideas about weak connections and casual acquaintances are part of a long tradition of social network theory and social psychology. Mark Granovetter’s 1973 paper “The Strength of Weak Ties” was a landmark in understanding how information and opportunities flow through social networks. Granovetter argued that weak ties—acquaintances rather than close friends—are crucial for spreading information and connecting different social groups. This idea has influenced fields from sociology to business, highlighting the importance of diverse networks for innovation and career advancement. More recently, social psychologists have explored how brief interactions with strangers and casual acquaintances affect our well-being. Studies show that even short conversations with people we don’t know well can boost our mood and sense of connection. This research challenges the assumption that only deep relationships matter for our happiness.

Applying and Sustaining Power

Now, we’ll discuss how to apply and sustain power by exploring how to overcome barriers to application and build durable power through consistent practice.

Overcoming Barriers to Application

To apply power, Pfeffer argues that you must overcome societal norms and preconceived ideas. These assumptions, often based on gender, ethnicity, or class, can limit your conduct and ambitions. For example, there is often an expectation for women to be less ambitious and more collaborative, while individuals from less privileged backgrounds may feel uncomfortable employing politics to advance their careers. These expectations can hinder you from pursuing influence and achievement. To succeed, you must stand out, advocate for yourself, and use strategies that may go against what others expect of you.

The Critique of Individualized Power Strategies

Some critics argue that the advice to stand out, advocate for yourself, and use strategies that go against gender, ethnicity, or class expectations places the burden of overcoming systemic barriers on individuals rather than addressing the root causes of inequality. In her article “The Rise of Neoliberal Feminism,” Catherine Rottenberg argues that this approach individualizes responsibility and overlooks the structural factors that perpetuate power imbalances. She contends that by focusing on individual strategies for success, we risk perpetuating the very systems of power that create these barriers in the first place.

Pfeffer also emphasizes that being persistent and resilient is crucial for gaining power. These traits enable you to persist when encountering resistance, critique, hurdles, reversals, and defeats. Everyone eventually encounters difficulties in life and work, and the ability to persist, remain sensible, and adjust strategies or approaches as needed often dictates if people will successfully attain power.

(Shortform note: Pfeffer’s emphasis on persistence and resilience aligns with the positive-psychology movement, which focuses on understanding and fostering the strengths and virtues that enable individuals and communities to thrive. Positive psychology has explored the concept of “grit,” which refers to the passion and perseverance for long-term goals.)

Using Consistent Practice to Create Durable Power

Pfeffer asserts that consistent practice is essential for building and sustaining power. The more you practice, the more you learn from your experiences, which helps you internalize what you know and make it a regular part of your behavior. To practice, write down what actions you want to take, the knowledge you wish to gain, and the people you need to meet. Set specific goals and steps to reach them. If you find it difficult to practice power, keep reminding yourself of the concepts by rereading the material, listening to it, and having conversations about it with others.

(Shortform note: Pfeffer’s advice to write down your plans, set goals, and repeatedly revisit the concepts of power can help you build and sustain power by creating habits. Habits are behaviors that become automatic through repetition and are triggered by specific contexts. By repeatedly writing down your intentions and revisiting power concepts, you create cues that prompt you to act in ways that build influence. Over time, these actions become more automatic, making it easier to consistently practice power-building behaviors.)