Chapter 19: Delivering Good & Bad News

In chapter XIX in ‘The Prince’: ‘A prince must avoid being contemned and hated’ Machiavelli a.o. states that a prince should avoid everything that would tend to make him odious and contemned. Not to be hated nor contemned by the mass of the people is one of the best safeguards for a prince against conspiracies; for conspirators always believe that the death of the prince will be satisfactory to the people; but when they know that it will rather offend than conciliate the people, they will not venture upon such a course, for the difficulties that surround conspirators are infinite. Machiavelli draws the conclusion that princes should devolve all matters of responsibility upon others, and take upon themselves only those of grace.

To what extent do Machiavelli’s thoughts apply to the roles and responsibilities of modern leaders from different countries, cultures and trades? Is it possible to avoid hatred by delivering only good news?

Discover The Mind of a Leader…

Participants:
  Dame Anita Roddick
  Franz Beckenbauer
  Hans Engell
  John Dunn
  Edward Ashbee
  Lynda Curtis
  Jim Buckmaster
  Bruce Cohen