The Paths to Power: How to Grow Your Influence and Advance Your Career

Stanford's Jeffrey Pfeffer teaches the most popular—and controversial—MBA class on power, revealing uncomfortable truths about how successful people really advance their careers and get things done.

Timeline Overview

• (00:00) Jeffrey's Background - Introduction to Stanford's most popular and controversial MBA professor who teaches organizational behavior and power dynamics
• (02:54) Understanding Discomfort with Power - Why power-building makes people uncomfortable and how this discomfort becomes a career limitation
• (04:56) Power Skills for Underrepresented Groups - How marginalized individuals especially need power skills to overcome structural disadvantages
• (07:51) Popularity and Challenges of Jeffrey's Class - The mythical status of "Paths to Power" and why some students struggle with the material
• (12:21) The Seven Rules of Power - Overview of the complete framework for building influence and advancing careers
• (13:03) Success Stories from His Course - Real examples of students who transformed their careers using power principles
• (15:43) Building a Personal Brand - How to create visibility and differentiation without being cringey or self-promotional
• (21:11) Getting Out of Your Own Way - Overcoming impostor syndrome and self-sabotaging behaviors that limit advancement
• (26:04) Breaking Rules to Gain Power - Strategic rule-breaking that makes you memorable and creates competitive advantages
• (30:34) Networking Relentlessly - Effective relationship building through generosity and becoming a valuable connector
• (40:10) Pursuing Weak Ties - Why distant connections often provide more valuable opportunities than close relationships
• (42:00) Using Power to Build More Power - How successfully wielding influence creates self-reinforcing cycles of advancement
• (44:34) Importance of Appearance and Body Language - Mastering the visual and physical aspects of powerful presence
• (47:15) Mastering Presentation Arts - Developing commanding communication skills that influence and persuade others
• (55:12) Homework Assignment Examples - Practical exercises that force students to implement power-building strategies
• (59:11) People Forget How You Acquired Power - Why past controversies disappear once you achieve success and prominence
• (01:03:58) More Good People Need Power - The moral imperative for ethical individuals to acquire influence for positive change
• (01:10:49) The Price of Power and Autonomy - Understanding the inevitable tradeoffs between influence and personal freedom
• (01:17:13) A Homework Assignment for You - Practical next steps for beginning your own power development journey

Key Takeaways

• Political skill is scientifically linked to higher salaries, faster promotions, greater job satisfaction, and reduced stress levels
• The biggest barrier to acquiring power is often yourself - your discomfort with power-building activities and impostor syndrome
• Building a personal brand isn't optional - no one promotes people they don't know, and visibility must accompany substance
• Breaking conventional rules helps you stand out and become memorable, which is essential for career advancement
• Networking should focus on generosity and becoming a broker who connects others, not transactional relationship building
• Appearing powerful through body language, presentation skills, and confident communication creates a self-reinforcing cycle of influence
• Using power effectively builds more power - success attracts resources and opportunities that compound over time
• People forget how you acquired power once you have it - ethical concerns often disappear when you're successful
• Good people need power to create positive change - avoiding power means leaving it to those who may use it poorly
• There's an inevitable tradeoff between power and autonomy - the higher you climb, the less control you have over your time and privacy

The Uncomfortable Truth About Power in Organizations

Jeffrey Pfeffer's "Paths to Power" class at Stanford Business School is simultaneously the most popular and most controversial course in the MBA program. Students describe it as "cod liver oil" - they know it's good for them, but they feel nervous about taking it. This discomfort reveals something fundamental about how most people think about power and career advancement.

The reason Pfeffer's class makes people uncomfortable is that the realities of acquiring power "bear almost no resemblance to what you're taught in Sunday school or Damascus or wherever, how your parents raised you." They contradict our idealistic notions about how the world should work. We see people who have acquired enormous power and used it badly, and we confuse the tool with how it's been used.

But here's the critical insight: research by Gerald Ferris and his colleagues demonstrates that political skill is associated with measurably positive outcomes. People with higher political skills earn more money, get promoted faster, report greater job satisfaction, and experience less stress at work. These aren't abstract benefits - they're concrete improvements to your career and life quality.

The discomfort many people feel about power-building activities actually becomes their biggest barrier to success. If you think power is dirty or evil, you won't do what's necessary to advance your career. This is particularly damaging for people from underrepresented backgrounds who face additional structural barriers and need every advantage they can get.

• Research conclusively links political skill to career success and personal satisfaction
• Moral discomfort with power-building activities becomes a self-imposed limitation
• People from disadvantaged backgrounds especially need power skills to overcome systemic barriers
• Avoiding power means leaving it to those who may use it less ethically

The key reframe is understanding that power is a tool, not an inherently good or evil force. Laura Esserman, a breast cancer surgeon, has a knife - she uses it to cure cancer. Muggers have knives too, but they use them to harm people. The tool itself isn't the problem; the application determines the moral outcome.

Rule One: Get Out of Your Own Way

The first and perhaps most important rule of power is to stop sabotaging yourself. People get in their own way in multiple predictable patterns that undermine their effectiveness and advancement potential.

The most common form of self-sabotage is impostor syndrome - the belief that you were the "admissions mistake" at your school or the "hiring mistake" at your company. People suffering from impostor syndrome believe they don't deserve their position because they're surrounded by people who are smarter and better qualified.

This manifests in destructive behaviors like preemptive apologies. Pfeffer describes students who raise their hands in class and begin with phrases like "I don't know if this comment is going to be useful" or "Pardon me for interrupting." If you're not sure your comment will be useful, don't make it. If you do make it, don't apologize in advance for taking up time and space.

The underlying issue is prioritizing being liked over being effective. While you don't want to be gratuitously unpleasant, you weren't hired because people thought you had a cute personality. You were hired to perform in a specific role and get results. If you don't use your skills because you're worried about what everyone thinks, you're not only harming yourself but failing the people who depend on your performance.

• Impostor syndrome leads to self-limiting behaviors that signal incompetence to others
• Preemptive apologies and constant hedging undermine your credibility
• Prioritizing likability over effectiveness prevents you from doing your job well
• If you believe you don't deserve your position, others will start believing it too

The solution isn't to actively try to be disliked, but to prioritize competence and respect over universal approval. As Pfeffer's friend Gary Loveman, former CEO of Caesars Entertainment, puts it: "If you want to be liked, get a dog."

Rule Two: Break the Rules (Strategically)

Breaking conventional rules serves multiple strategic purposes in building power. First, it makes you stand out and become memorable - essential qualities when competing for limited opportunities and attention. Second, many existing rules were created by people who benefit from maintaining the status quo, so following them religiously may not serve your interests.

Think about successful business disruptors. Southwest Airlines didn't use the hub-and-spoke model that dominated the industry. Amazon prioritized customer service over short-term profitability. Whole Foods optimized for local taste preferences rather than lowest-cost products. In each case, breaking industry conventions created competitive advantages.

The same principle applies to individual career development. One of the most harmful conventional wisdoms is "don't ask" - the belief that you need to demonstrate self-sufficiency and avoid seeking help. Research by Francis Flynn shows that people dramatically overestimate how many people they'll need to ask before getting help, and that asking for help actually strengthens relationships rather than weakening them.

Pfeffer's personal example is instructive: when asked how he convinced his supermodel-beautiful wife to go out with him despite his ordinary appearance, his answer was simple - "I asked. I asked. I asked. I asked." Most people won't get what they want if they never ask for it. When someone says no, you're no worse off than if you hadn't asked. The only difference is that asking gives you a chance of getting a yes.

• Rule-breaking makes you memorable and differentiates you from conventional competitors
• Many rules serve the interests of those already in power rather than aspiring leaders
• Asking for help is more effective and less burdensome than most people assume
• The worst outcome from asking is the same as not asking - except asking gives you a chance to succeed

The key is strategic rule-breaking rather than random rebellion. Identify conventions that don't serve your goals, then find thoughtful ways to deviate that play to your strengths and create distinctive value.

Rule Three: Build a Personal Brand (Without Being Cringey)

Personal branding often feels uncomfortable because people associate it with superficial self-promotion on social media. But the underlying principle is non-negotiable: you cannot be promoted by people who don't know who you are. In hierarchical organizations with more people at the bottom than the top, differentiation becomes essential for advancement.

The challenge is creating visibility while providing genuine value. Keith Ferrazzi's approach at Deloitte illustrates this perfectly. Rather than focusing on spreadsheet work he wasn't good at and didn't enjoy, he created the Lincoln Quality Award and worked to increase Deloitte's brand recognition from 1-2% to 30%. This visible, value-creating work led to his appointment as the firm's first Chief Marketing Officer.

Similarly, Tristan Walker wanted to work at Foursquare but couldn't get the founder's attention through normal channels. So he began signing up partnerships for the company. When he landed Starbucks as a partner, the founder suddenly took notice and hired him.

The key insight is that effective personal branding creates value for your organization while showcasing your capabilities. It's not about shameless self-promotion - it's about amplifying your impact and making it visible to decision-makers who control advancement opportunities.

Laura Chao's approach at the venture capital firm Canaan Partners demonstrates sophisticated brand building. Working at a smaller firm without the name recognition of Andreessen Horowitz or Sequoia, she needed to establish her personal reputation to attract quality deals. She started a podcast, contributed to books, organized networking dinners, and strategically used her physical presence (being unusually tall for an Asian woman) to become memorable in investor meetings.

• Visibility without substance is useless, but substance without visibility is invisible to decision-makers
• Effective branding creates value for your organization while showcasing your capabilities
• Strategic differentiation helps you stand out in competitive environments
• Personal branding can be reframed as amplifying your team's impact rather than pure self-promotion

The goal isn't to become famous for its own sake, but to ensure that when opportunities arise, relevant decision-makers know who you are and what you're capable of achieving.

Rule Four: Network Relentlessly (But Do It Right)

Many people find networking distasteful because they approach it as a transactional exchange rather than a relationship-building activity. The most effective networking starts with generosity - asking "What can I do for you?" rather than "What can you do for me?"

To be helpful to others, you need to know people yourself. The broader your network, the more likely you'll be able to make valuable introductions when someone needs help. This creates a positive cycle where your usefulness to others increases their willingness to help you when needed.

Knowledge is power, and networking is one of the best ways to acquire knowledge about people, opportunities, and industry trends. But perhaps more importantly, networking helps you become a broker - someone who connects previously unconnected groups and individuals who benefit from knowing each other.

Omid Cordestani's story illustrates the compound power of strategic networking. As a Persian-American engineer at Netscape in the mid-90s, he faced the classic nerd stereotype and wasn't making career progress through traditional performance channels. So he stopped doing his regular job and spent his time networking instead - first within Netscape, then throughout Silicon Valley.

By building relationships with senior leaders inside Netscape, he discovered that being well-connected mattered more than job performance to those leaders. More importantly, by driving around Silicon Valley and having conversations with people at different companies during the early internet era, he became one of the most knowledgeable people about the emerging landscape.

When Google needed to hire their first business person in 1998, they systematically asked everyone they could think of for recommendations. Cordestani's name appeared on every list because his networking had made him the obvious choice for technically-oriented business roles. He became employee #11 at Google and made $2.5 billion.

• Effective networking starts with generosity and helping others rather than asking for favors
• Brokers who connect disconnected groups create value and build influence
• Weak ties often provide more valuable information and opportunities than strong ties
• Strategic networking can create exponential career opportunities over time

The key is approaching networking as relationship building rather than transaction processing. Focus on how you can help others, and the reciprocal benefits will follow naturally.

Rule Five: Use Your Power to Build More Power

One of the most counterintuitive aspects of power is that using it effectively creates more power. This happens through several reinforcing mechanisms that compound over time.

First, success attracts resources and opportunities. When you successfully complete challenging projects and achieve visible results, people want to associate with that success. You get invited to work on higher-profile initiatives with better resources and more talented team members.

Second, demonstrating competence with power builds others' confidence in giving you more power. If you handle a $1 million budget well, people become comfortable giving you a $10 million budget. If you manage a small team effectively, you become a candidate for larger leadership roles.

Third, power creates a self-fulfilling prophecy effect. When people perceive you as powerful, they treat you as powerful, which actually makes you more powerful. This explains why confidence and executive presence matter so much in organizational advancement.

The mistake many people make is being ambivalent about or uncomfortable with the power they already have. Deborah Gruenfeld's research on "acting with power" shows that people often undermine themselves by apologizing for their authority or questioning whether they deserve their position.

• Using power effectively demonstrates your capacity to handle greater responsibility
• Success with smaller opportunities creates access to larger opportunities
• Perceived power becomes actual power through others' responses to your authority
• Ambivalence about power you already have undermines your effectiveness

The practical implication is that you should fully embrace and skillfully use whatever power you currently have, rather than waiting until you feel completely ready or deserving of more.

Rule Six: Appear Powerful (Body Language and Presence Matter)

Research consistently shows that people respond primarily to how others look, secondarily to how they sound, and least to the content of what they say. This makes mastering powerful body language and presentation skills essential for career advancement.

Jeffrey Pfeffer demonstrates this principle by showing his students video clips of Tony Hayward (BP CEO during the oil spill) and Lloyd Blankfein (Goldman Sachs CEO during the financial crisis) with the sound turned off. Even without knowing who these people are or what they're discussing, viewers can accurately predict which leader will keep their job and which will be forced to resign based purely on their physical presence and body language.

Specific techniques for appearing powerful include maintaining strong eye contact, using open body postures, speaking with a louder and more confident voice, making deliberate gestures, and taking up appropriate space. Conversely, reading from notes, apologizing frequently, and displaying closed or defensive body language all signal weakness or uncertainty.

Jack Valenti, who led the Motion Picture Association of America for 38 years and was considered one of the most effective lobbyists in Washington, never appeared before Congress with notes. He wanted legislators to believe he had complete mastery of his material and didn't need assistants or scripts to make his case effectively.

Despite being only 5'2" tall, Valenti commanded rooms through his presence, Texas drawl, and confident movement. Students who saw him speak consistently described him as "feeling taller than he is" - a perfect example of how powerful presence can transcend physical limitations.

• Visual appearance and body language have more impact than verbal content in most interactions
• Specific techniques like eye contact, open postures, and confident gestures signal power
• Reading from notes or excessive apologizing undermines credibility and authority
• Powerful presence can overcome physical or other apparent disadvantages

These are learnable skills, not fixed personality traits. Just as Robert De Niro developed his acting abilities through training and practice, anyone can master the fundamentals of powerful presentation and body language.

Rule Seven: Success Excuses Almost Everything

Perhaps the most controversial rule is that once you have power and success, people tend to forget or forgive how you acquired it. This happens because human psychology is attracted to power and success, and because successful people can provide access to resources and opportunities that others want.

The examples are numerous and sometimes troubling. Bill Gates built Microsoft on code that wasn't originally his. Jeffrey Epstein continued hosting dinners with media elites and royalty even after his conviction. Martha Stewart's brand became more valuable after she served time in prison. Lindsay Graham went from harsh Trump critic to devoted supporter because, as Graham explained, "I want to be relevant. He's the president."

This isn't a moral endorsement of questionable behavior - it's a descriptive observation about how power dynamics actually work in the real world. People want to be close to money, power, and success, and they'll often overlook flaws to maintain those relationships.

The practical implication for career development is that many people unnecessarily limit themselves by worrying about judgment that may never materialize. The myth of Icarus - flying too close to the sun and being brought down - doesn't reflect how power actually operates. Life is self-reinforcing rather than homeostatic: success breeds more success, while powerlessness perpetuates itself.

• People are psychologically drawn to associate with power and success
• Past questionable behavior is often forgotten once someone achieves prominence
• Fear of future judgment often prevents people from taking necessary career risks
• Success creates a self-reinforcing cycle rather than inevitable downfall

This rule shouldn't encourage unethical behavior, but it should reduce excessive worry about taking appropriate risks or making difficult decisions that advance your career and ability to create positive impact.

The Power Paradox: Trading Autonomy for Influence

One of the most thoughtful aspects of Pfeffer's analysis is his recognition that power comes with significant costs. The higher you climb in organizational hierarchies, the less control you have over your own time and schedule. Your life becomes increasingly constrained by the expectations and demands of your position.

Pfeffer himself illustrates this principle. Despite teaching others how to acquire power, he has chosen to prioritize autonomy over advancement in academic administration. He turned down opportunities to become a dean or take other leadership roles because he values controlling his own schedule and research agenda more than having institutional power.

The costs of power include constant visibility and scrutiny, loss of privacy, the trust dilemma (never knowing if people like you for yourself or your position), and enormous demands on your time and attention. Powerful people often find their every decision, relationship, and expenditure subject to public examination and criticism.

This creates an important decision point for anyone pursuing career advancement: how much autonomy are you willing to sacrifice for influence and impact? There's no universal right answer, but understanding the tradeoffs helps you make more intentional choices about your career trajectory.

• Higher positions typically come with less schedule autonomy and personal freedom
• Power increases visibility and scrutiny of your decisions and behavior
• The trust dilemma makes it difficult to know people's authentic motivations
• Understanding these costs helps you make more intentional career choices

The key insight is that power and autonomy exist in tension with each other. You can optimize for one or try to balance both, but you typically can't maximize both simultaneously.

Good People Need Power: The Moral Imperative

Perhaps the most compelling argument for developing power skills comes from Pfeffer's fundamental premise: "If you want power to be used for good, more good people need to have power." This reframes power acquisition from selfish careerism to moral responsibility.

Laura Esserman's transformation illustrates this principle perfectly. As a brilliant breast cancer surgeon at Stanford, she had boundless energy and intelligence but resisted many power-building activities because she found them distasteful. She wouldn't network because she "didn't have time for schmoozing" and avoided other influence-building behaviors.

After Pfeffer challenged her to reduce the "friction" she was creating through her approach, Esserman gradually embraced power-building strategies while maintaining her ethical center. The results were extraordinary: she became one of Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People in 2016 and won virtually every major cancer research award available.

More importantly, she used her increased influence to transform cancer screening practices, moving from one-size-fits-all mammography schedules to precision screening based on individual genetic profiles. She built the Athena Project, which collects treatment and outcome data on 150,000 patients across the University of California healthcare system. None of these improvements would have been possible without the power and influence to challenge entrenched interests.

• Avoiding power often means leaving it to people who may use it less ethically
• Good intentions without influence rarely create meaningful change
• Power enables good people to challenge entrenched interests and improve systems
• The moral person's duty may be to acquire power rather than avoid it

As Pfeffer told Esserman: "You want to change medicine. Medicine is not going to change without the application of power and influence. If change was going to happen, it would have happened already."

Practical Implementation: Moving from Theory to Action

Knowledge without action doesn't create change - what Pfeffer calls "the knowing-doing gap." His class includes extensive practical assignments designed to help students actually implement power-building strategies rather than just understanding them intellectually.

Students must set specific goals for what they want to accomplish during the quarter, assess their current strengths and weaknesses across the seven power dimensions, and create development plans for improvement. They practice networking by identifying 10 people who could help their careers and developing strategies to meet each one.

The "doing power" assignment requires students to implement a significant power-building project during the quarter. Examples have included starting podcasts, creating industry awards, launching networking events, and even (in one extreme case) getting offered a senior position on a presidential campaign.

Students also practice presentation skills by recreating and improving upon failed executive communications. They receive coaching on body language, voice projection, and commanding presence. Every theoretical concept gets paired with practical exercises that force real-world application.

• Theoretical understanding alone doesn't change behavior or outcomes
• Practical assignments with coaching support accelerate skill development
• Regular practice with feedback helps overcome initial discomfort with power-building activities
• Social support and accountability increase the likelihood of sustained behavior change

The key insight is that power skills, like any other skills, improve through deliberate practice with expert guidance. Reading about networking isn't the same as actually meeting new people and building relationships.

Getting Started: Your Power Development Homework

For readers wanting to begin developing their own power skills, Pfeffer recommends starting with social support and accountability. Get coaching, form a personal board of directors, or find other people who will provide advice and hold you accountable for taking action.

The second step is pushing yourself slightly beyond your comfort zone without attempting dramatic transformations overnight. Like any skill development, power building requires gradual progression from easier to more challenging activities.

Start by identifying which of the seven rules feels most approachable for your current situation and personality. If you're naturally analytical, begin with the research-oriented aspects of networking and personal branding. If you're more extroverted, focus on presentation skills and appearing powerful. The key is beginning somewhere and building momentum through small successes.

Remember that discomfort is normal and temporary. Pfeffer's students typically progress through denial, anger, sadness, and eventually acceptance as they develop comfort with power-building activities. The goal isn't to become someone completely different, but to become more skillful at advancing your career and increasing your ability to create positive impact.

• Start with coaching and social support rather than trying to change alone
• Push yourself 15% beyond your comfort zone without attempting dramatic overnight changes
• Focus on whichever rules feel most accessible given your personality and strengths
• Expect initial discomfort but recognize it as temporary and normal

The ultimate goal isn't power for its own sake, but developing the influence necessary to accomplish meaningful work and create positive change in your organization and industry.

Conclusion: Power as a Tool for Good

Jeffrey Pfeffer's approach to power is ultimately pragmatic rather than idealistic. He describes how the world actually works rather than how we might wish it worked. For people who want to advance their careers, get important things done, and create positive change, understanding and developing power skills isn't optional - it's essential.

The discomfort many people feel about power-building activities often stems from confusing the tool with how it's been misused. Power itself is morally neutral. The ethical question isn't whether to acquire power, but how to use it once you have it.

For people from underrepresented backgrounds, women, minorities, and others who face structural disadvantages, developing power skills becomes even more critical. The world won't automatically create opportunities or remove barriers - you need influence and leverage to open doors and change systems.

The seven rules provide a systematic framework for developing influence: get out of your own way, break rules strategically, appear powerful, build a personal brand, network relentlessly, use power effectively, and understand that success excuses almost everything. These aren't just career tips - they're tools for creating the influence necessary to accomplish meaningful work.

What's Next: The Evolution of Power in Organizations

• Remote work dynamics - How virtual environments change power signaling and relationship building, requiring new strategies for presence and influence
• Generational differences - Younger workers may be more comfortable with personal branding and social media but less skilled at traditional networking and hierarchy navigation
• Transparency pressures - Increased scrutiny and documentation of workplace behavior may require more sophisticated approaches to power building
• Diversity initiatives - Organizations actively promoting underrepresented groups creates new opportunities and challenges for power acquisition strategies
• Technology mediation - AI and automation changing which skills and relationships matter most for advancement and influence
• Global competition - Increased international business requiring cultural adaptation of power-building strategies across different contexts
• Purpose-driven careers - Younger professionals prioritizing mission alignment may need different approaches to reconciling power building with values
• Gig economy growth - Freelance and contract work requiring more sophisticated personal branding and network maintenance strategies
• Speed of change - Rapid industry evolution requiring more dynamic and adaptable approaches to building and maintaining influence
• Stakeholder capitalism - Broader definition of success requiring influence with multiple constituencies beyond traditional hierarchies

The fundamental principles of power remain constant across time and cultures, but their application continues evolving with changing organizational structures, technologies, and social expectations. The key is mastering the underlying dynamics while adapting tactics to contemporary contexts.