How Machiavellian Should a Manager Be?

Centuries ago, Machiavelli dictated theories for what he felt a good leader consisted of and the traits he thought were crucial for being a strong leader. One of his most famous works is The Prince, an essay in which he details the various challenges facing a prince looking at being a King in the future and the steps such a prince ought to take to ensure he is followed and can be a good leader. Machiavelli’s words echo today in many areas of leadership for their insightfulness and truthfulness. Although the words they are written in are archaic and the examples used are outdated, not all of Machiavelli’s teachings are outmoded. Modern day CEO’s, Presidents, businessmen as well as politicians find Machiavellian teachings useful and relevant in their fields, offering wisdom in the makings of a good leader. In business managing, these principles can be useful when applied with tactfulness and can offer good insight in many areas.

Love v. Fear
One of the most prominent theme of Machiavelli was his treatise on whether a leader should rule through love or fear. Machiavelli suggested that a leader could be loved by his followers or feared but not both. In commanding, he further speculated that fear was a better tool for motivating people although love provides for a more peaceful and controlled populous. Machiavelli suggested that if a leader was to rule in such a way that all his disciples loved him, he would be able to control them and that his followers would do as they were told in a peaceful and humble manner. However if the population feared the leader, then he would also be able to rule them because they would submit to his requests out of fear. Although this was the manner that Machiavelli postulated would be the more efficient way to rule over a people, he also suggested that it would be more difficult to control. People that feared their ruler would also be prone to revolution, disobedience, malice and lack of respect when the severity of the fear became too much. Because leader would not be able to utilize both love and fear together, they would need to be balanced or the leader would have to chose which method would be more efficient for the manner of his people and the actions he wished them to obey.
In modern day managing, this same concept can be utilized in the practice of being a manager to a group of employees. A manager can either be close buddies to his employees, cultivating friendships and a work environment wherein the employees “love” the manager and feel comfortable around him. Although this sounds ideal, it also makes the job of managing difficult in that it would be harder for the manager to ask his employees to perform tasks without the employees feeling as though they are being treated in an inferior manner. On the other hand, the manager could also manage his employees in a relationship of fear.

essay order