Jeffrey Pfeffer - Only Power Begets Change

We met with Stanford Graduate School of Business Professor and expert on Power, Jeffrey Pfeffer, to discuss his latest influential work, 7 Rules of Power. While many might malign an ambition to acquire and wield power, Pfeffer lays bare the pragmatic truth that change happens only with the adept identification of the levers of power, and the artful accumulation and use of power to affect the change we seek. He disabused any notion that power in and of itself is negative. Only how it is used can be criticized. As he quickly points out, "If you want power to be used for good, then more good people need to have power." Our discussion is a brief primer of his life's research into his treatise on the mechanics of power, and an invaluable guide for anyone hoping to affect change. Pfeffer's pragmatic straight talk might be thought by some as astringent, but his sober understanding of how the world turns is a wakeup call for anyone who thinks it is sufficient to simply engage in "moral talk." Because so many who are willing to use the strategies and tactics of power are not using it for good, join us to learn how to counteract the negative by becoming equally effective in your own ability to get things done and realize the desirable change we hope to see in the world.