1
8 WE WILL SOMETIMES HAVE TO RELY ON INTUITION (Because we can never have all possible data before making a decision) “There is no other way to guard yourself against flattery than by making men understand that telling you the truth will not offend you.” “We must consider that each of these princes of ours has an aim, and because it is impossible for us to know their inner thoughts, we have to judge it from their words, from their actions…” “…and some part of [what we judge], we imagine.” LOYALTY — OF CITIZENS OR STAKEHOLDERS — IS ESSENTIAL TO OVERCOME ADVERSITY. “Friendships gained with money, not with greatness and nobility of spirit, are pur- chased but not possessed, and at the right times cannot be turned to account.” EXCELLENT LEADERS ARE GOOD COMMUNICATORS. “Therefore, an excellent general is usually an orator because unless he knows how to speak to the whole army, he will have difficulty in doing anything good.” ONLY THOSE WHO CAN ADAPT WILL SUCCEED. “…If times and affairs change, [a leader will fail] because he does not change his way of proceeding. If [a person can] change his nature with times and affairs, [his] fortune would not change.” “The first error [a prince] makes, he makes in choosing his advisors … who are good or bad according to the prince's intelligence.” CHOOSE YOUR PARTNERS AND ASSOCIATES WISELY. AVOID FLATTERERS. IT IS A RECIPE FOR RUIN. BUSINESS LESSONS FROM MACHIAVELLI KNOW EVERY PERSON FOR HOW THEY ARE, NOT HOW THEY OUGHT TO BE. 1 4 2 3 6 7 5 THOUGH TACTICS AND STRATEGIES MAY CHANGE, A LEADER’S SPIRIT MUST NOT. 8
