The New Machiavelli: The Art of Politics in Business

Rating:
Summary: Another piece of the puzzle
Review: For most of us, navigating the corporate and business world can be difficult, fustrating and even dangerous. Many people negotiate poor agreements with their bosses, clients and partners and in the end are hung out to dry. The perennial complaint of the casualties is that they just 'do not get it'.

If you were not lucky enough to be born into a business family or sent to Harvard B-school, then you probably will need to make a personal study of the topic. This is a book that I would include on your mandatory reading list.

With humor, European sensibilities and hardened, real-life experience, Mr McAlpine develops many parallels between Machiavelli's "New Prince" and today's business life. From the obliging employee to the use of contractors there are many examples that illuminate the undercurrents of the business world.

At my company, I have a reading list of 10 books that I found to be profound and a powerfull aid to life's business lessons. Every new employee gets these texts and this book is included in that list.

Rating:
Summary: Not worth reading
Review: I found this book to be wholly absent of any kind of meaningful discussion of political behavior in the commercial environment. It provides a very cursory, feeble projection and application of Machiavelli's principles in a business context. A disappointing job at what could have been a powerful, interesting and timely discussion.

Rating:
Summary: Things that weren't taught in business school
Review: I just finished this book. As a student of politics and a person who enjoys the art of politics there was little new to me in this book. What the book does do is summarize the basic Machiavellian points and directly apply them to various business scenarios. Had I know these things 20 years ago (before I learned them the hard way) sucess in my career would have been sooner and smoother. There are things in this book you will hate and things you will like. But they are all true. Whether you like politics or not, it is played every day in the office. For the informed, the game will be smoother and more sucessful. One thing however, don't share this book with your boss or co-workers. That would be very un-Machiavellian.