Law 1: Never Out Shine Your Master

The author does make some really good points in this chapter. But once again, the author continues to have this "take over the world" mentality. He's wont out shine his Master until the point when he will over throw him and rise above him at his master's expense. Or maybe that's the way that I read it.


There are some very valid points and here are some of the conclusions that I've drawn from them:

People/bosses/ masters never like to be out done by their subordinates, but many of us try and do this. This can be very dangerous in front of your boss's/ leader's manager.

I was talking to a guy I work with and he mentioned that his purpose at work was "to make my boss look good." He said it in a way that didn't give me the impression that was strategically making his boss look good for an immanent take over of the office. He sincerely wanted to do a good job for his boss.

Now, maybe the actions of my co-worker does exhibit the principles of power, but it does have the same end result. If you make your boss look good, you look good. By giving the credit to your boss, your not challenging him/ her and putting them on the defensive. Like the author mentioned, by trying to gain your master's favor by out shinning him/ her on a public stage, you'll most likely receive the opposite.