How to Become Valuable to Powerful People: 9 Laws From Machiavelli

How to become valuable to powerful people when flattery, agreeing in meetings and networking messages get you nowhere. Five hundred years ago Niccolò Machiavelli, a man with no title, no fortune and no famous family, figured out how powerful people actually judge the people around them, and kings, warlords and popes listened to him. In this video we break down how Machiavelli went from a broke old Florentine family to Secretary of the Second Chancery of the Republic of Florence, why Piero Soderini trusted him so completely, and the test from chapter 22 of The Prince that decides who gets kept close: the good minister thinks about the prince's affairs, not his own. It works both ways, too: a ruler who wants good people must honour them, reward them and share both the honours and the burdens. Then come 9 laws for becoming indispensable to your boss, your biggest client, a mentor or anyone with real influence: 1. Think about his interest, not your own 2. Do not flatter 3. Speak when you're asked, and speak clearly 4. Bring what is valuable to them 5. Be reliable, not just intelligent 6. Do not try to outshine 7. Keep your distance, and keep your dignity 8. Build friendships on the mind, not on advantage 9. When no one calls you, become indispensable in your own field You'll hear how Machiavelli negotiated with Louis XII of France, faced Cesare Borgia, was sent to Emperor Maximilian and dealt with Pope Julius II; why his dispatches followed the formula fact, conclusion, forecast; how he built the Florentine militia in 1506; why his gift to Lorenzo de' Medici was ignored; and how, after losing everything in 1512, he wrote his way back until the Medici called him again. We also cover the mistakes that wreck years of trust, the line between an ally and a courtier, how to tell when you're being used, and a simple plan for your very next meeting with someone who matters. Sources: Niccolò Machiavelli, The Prince: the dedication to Lorenzo de' Medici and chapters 3, 22 and 23. Machiavelli's diplomatic dispatches from the courts of France and Cesare Borgia. Machiavelli's letters with Francesco Vettori and Francesco Guicciardini. Niccolò Machiavelli, Discourses on Livy. Niccolò Machiavelli, Florentine Histories. Roberto Ridolfi, The Life of Niccolò Machiavelli. Maurizio Viroli, Niccolò's Smile: A Biography of Machiavelli. Quentin Skinner, Machiavelli: A Very Short Introduction. This is a channel about Machiavelli's philosophy of power, influence and stoic self-mastery, illustrated in the style of Japanese ukiyo-e woodblock prints. Subscribe if you want to stop trying to be liked and start becoming the one they cannot afford to lose. #machiavelli #theprince #howtobecomevaluable #indispensable #influence #power #careeradvice #networking #stoicism #selfimprovement #leadership #philosophy #mindset