Machiavelli's Leadership Philosophy

Improved Essays
1. Why should a Prince understand how to “use well both the man and the beast”? A Prince should understand how to use both the man and beast ways of interaction well in order to know which approach will be most effectual to obtain the desired outcome. Knowing how to keep the faith and live uprightly will win popularity votes while living craftily can get the job done. Knowing when to go from abiding by the law to applying force is the important balancing act that Machiavelli states that a Prince ought to know well.

2. What is Machiavelli’s advice in regard to a Prince keeping his word, using deception and having “all the good qualities” (such as mercy, good faith, integrity, humanity, and religion)? Machiavelli’s advice in regards
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Machiavelli’s leadership philosophy is often accurately described as promoting an “end justifies the means” strategy. Focus on the last 4 paragraphs on p.68 and explain why this strategy does accurately characterize Machiavelli’s philosophy. The strategy of an end justifies the means accurately characterizes Machiavelli’s philosophy because he justifies following an evil course or direction if it is the only way to acquire the desired result. He goes on to say that a Prince will always be judged honorably, despite the means he took to get results. In fact, if a Prince would follow what he preaches (peace and good faith) he would have lost his kingdom and his authority many times over. Machiavelli describes the ability to shift from righteous to not, when the need is present, in order to maintain the kingdom but to do so with a balanced mind. These all describe an end to justify the …show more content…
I have come across many who possess traits or bouts of Machiavellian-like behavior, but none who are as cunning and manipulative as he describes. When I picture a strictly Machiavellian leader, I see a leader such as Joseph Stalin in my mind. However, I will give two concrete examples of leadership who display Machiavellian characteristics. The first would be of a CEO who displayed the doting father figure to his staff by bringing in his children to help out at the small organization. His children, who were in their teens, would be given menial tasks such as shoveling snow or filing to be of service and stay busy. Meanwhile, the CEO was having an affair while the kiddos were busy learning responsibility and duty. The next example is a manager who manipulated the truth whenever it would be better suited to her needs. The current PRN person wanted more hours, so when a part-time position suddenly became open she expressed her interest to the manager. The manager’s reply was that if she took the position she could no longer work around the single-mom’s schedule, therefore eliminating her ability to take the position. The manager then hired a friend to whom she gave first dibs on days off and preferential scheduling, even creating new hours worked. When questioned about the injustice, the manager said it was because the new hire was the most flexible, not that the manager was being flexible with the new

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