Leadership: You don’t have to be a jerk

Let’s get one thing on the table from the start: Being a jerk can make you successful––very successful.

It’s naive to say that only the virtuous become truly great leaders. I agree with critics of the leadership industry when they say it’s childish and often foolish to think that good character is the only path to wealth and power––or more to the point, the most efficient path.

I don’t preach rainbows and puppy dogs. Let’s be blunt––

Leadership is about power. You can amass a lot of power by being a complete jerk––by stomping on people, by being ruthless and heartless, selfish and greedy. You can rise to the highest ranks by lying and cheating. You can be be a complete fraud and yet become a competent and effective leader.

And you can make yourself rich doing it.

The ugly truth is that you don’t have to be a good…

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