Power by Jeffrey Pfeffer
Summary
An unfiltered look at how influence actually works inside organizations: visibility, alliances, reputation, and narrative.
How it personally impacted my leadership
It forced realism. Ignoring power dynamics doesn’t make leadership ethical, it makes leadership ineffective. It reshaped how I think about stakeholder management and what it takes to move complex systems responsibly.
Leadership maturity fit
Executive
How to best absorb and apply it
- Map your stakeholder landscape: who decides, who influences, who blocks, who enables.
- Use influence to create outcomes and protect teams, not to win status.
- Pair intent with a plan for visibility, alliances, and timing.