Greene's rules for rising in any court without being brought down by the ruler or by peers.
Robert Greene's framework, from 48 Laws of Power, pp. 264 to 281.
Avoid Ostentation
Talk less about yourself than about others and be modest about your achievements.
Practice Nonchalance
Make your talent look natural and effortless, never as hard work.
Be Frugal with Flattery
Flatter indirectly, for example by downplaying your own contribution to make your master look better.
Arrange to Be Noticed
Create a subtly distinctive style and image so the ruler picks you out.
Alter Your Style and Language According to the Person You Are Dealing With
Adapt how you speak and act to each person's rank and culture.
Never Be the Bearer of Bad News
Make sure the bad news falls to someone else and bring only good news.
Never Affect Friendliness and Intimacy with Your Master
Keep the distance a subordinate should keep.
Never Criticize Those Above You Directly
Couch advice as indirectly and politely as possible.
Be Frugal in Asking Those Above You for Favors
Earn favours rather than asking, and never ask on a friend's behalf.
Never Joke About Appearances or Taste
Avoid jokes about looks or taste, especially with superiors.
Do Not Be the Court Cynic
Admire the good work of others sincerely and avoid constant criticism.
Be Self-observant
Be your own mirror and watch whether you seem obsequious or desperate.
Master Your Emotions
Disguise anger and frustration and fake contentment when needed.
Fit the Spirit of the Times
Keep up with the times without standing out too much.
Be a Source of Pleasure
Control your unpleasant qualities and make yourself the flame people are drawn to.
From chapter: LAW 24, pp. 264–281
The perfect courtier thrives where everything revolves around power, using indirection, flattery and grace without ever seeming to fawn. Greene gives a list of rules for court politics, from avoiding ostentation and practising nonchalance to never bringing bad news, never joking about appearances or taste, and being a source of pleasure. He illustrates them with eleven scenes: Callisthenes executed for honesty, Chinese chroniclers warning emperors with strange omens, Mansart letting Louis XIV spot a planted flaw, Isabey pleasing both Talleyrand and Wellington in one painting, Beau Brummell mocking the Prince of Wales, Turner dimming a painting for Lawrence, and Churchill adding the sheep Luce suggested. The closing warning is Talleyrand's boar hunt, where a caught trick turned a master into an enemy.
