A number of books in recent years have been dedicated to the wisdom offered to corporate leadership by the 15th century Italian political philosopher Niccolò Machiavelli. Machiavelli’s The Prince, in particular, is considered by some as required reading for achieving success in modern companies. So what advice does he offer? And what are the implications for the roles and responsibilities of communication directors? Careful consideration of the behaviour advocated by Machiavelli – and the assumptions behind his philosophy – suggest that his approach is obsolete. We can surely still learn from The Prince; however, its lessons warn us of how placing self interest and lust for power above all else leads to dangerous consequences.
