#335 Power: Why Some People Have It and Others Don’t - with Jeffrey Pfeffer

▶️ Connect with Richard on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardatherton-firsthuman/

 

This week’s episode is perhaps one of the most uncomfortable I’ve yet recorded. A conversation with Jeffrey Pfeffer, the renowned author of "Power: Why Some People Have It and Others Don't" and “Leadership BS: Fixing Workplaces and Careers One Truth at a Time”,  and professor at Stanford Graduate School of Business, we dive deep into the principles of power, influence, and career acceleration. 

Jeffrey offers his view on the raw truth about what it takes to stand out, thrive, and succeed in a world shaped by competition and perception. From strategies to gain influence to the controversial role of self-promotion, this conversation is packed with insights that challenge conventional wisdom about leadership and integrity.

Learn why keeping your head down might be holding you back, how deliberate practice can transform your career, and why following Jeffrey’s proven methods have made many of his students wildly successful. 

As Jeffrey takes a torch to leadership development orthodoxy, we cover:

• How many leadership authors espoused values don’t match the reality of their behaviour
• To change the world, we must first have power
• Leadership training fails—because it ignores power and influence dynamics.
• Authenticity at work? Not so much if you want to be a leader, says Pfeffer.
• Pfeffer’s 7 rules of power—practical, provocative, uncomfortably effective.

Links:

Jeffrey’s Website
Jeffrey’s Books

 

Whether you're a budding leader or seasoned professional, this episode will inspire and empower you to take charge of your path. Don't miss out on this transformative discussion—subscribe for more thought-provoking conversations about what it means to be human.