As an entrepreneur, you primarily hold three things as a priority in your business:
- Skyrocketing your sales and profits
- Leading your team effectively and making an impact
- Being the industry leader in your community
If that is exactly what you want, you might very well enjoy Robert Greene. He is one of the most influential authors of the 21st century with works on persuasion, motivation, and influence. Have you heard of the 48 Laws of Power? Greene is the genius behind that book and others that have shaped our generation.
Persuasion, motivation, and influence are three things you need to secure if you want to achieve your business goals. They go hand in hand because if you cannot persuade people, you will not convince them to choose your solutions. In the same way, if your team lacks motivational leadership, say hello to mediocrity.
Mastering the 48 Laws of Power and Greene’s other work will enable you to accomplish this. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at Robert Greene and his works on persuasion, motivation, and influence. Keep reading.
Who Is Robert Greene?
Who Is Robert Greene?Before exploring the depths of his genius, it is important to know who Robert Greene is. This will allow us to observe his psyche and understand his thought process better.
Robert Greene is a UC Berkeley and University of Wisconsin-Madison-educated author. He finished with a degree in Classical Studies. Before becoming a world-renowned author, Robert Greene estimates to have worked 60-65 jobs. From being a construction worker to a Hollywood movie writer, Greene jumped from one gig to another.
In 1995, his life changed. Working as a writer at an art and media school in Italy, Greene met Joost Elffers, a book packager. That’s when he pitched a book about power which eventually turned out to be The 48 Laws of Power in 1998. Today, his works have expanded to six best-selling publications.
The Machiavellian Influence
Once you read Robert Greene’s books, you’ll notice one principal element that pervades his works is Niccolò Machiavelli.
Niccolò Machiavelli was an Italian diplomat, politician, historian, philosopher, humanist, and writer based in Florence during the Renaissance.
He is best known for his political treatise, The Prince, written in 1513. In it, Machiavelli explains how to acquire and maintain political power. According to him, a leader’s willingness to do whatever is necessary is the main ingredient to effectively exercising power.
While many criticized Machiavelli’s principles, Greene saw wonderful and actionable lessons to learn from the Florentine diplomat. In Greene’s view, the ability to persuade, motivate, and influence others are essential to success.
From a business standpoint, these skills can make the difference between closing a deal and losing out to a competitor. Worse, the difference between standing 600 ft. above your competition or getting lost on the Sea of Sameness. The choice is yours.
Now, you can read and master all books that Robert Greene published, and apply them to your business. Or, you could hire an expert in company culture or sales to transmit Greene’s principles to you and your team. Wizard of Sales® happens to be a scholar in both. Book a call.
Greene’s Bestsellers
Did you know that Robert Greene’s works are a product of insecurity?
Surprised? After all, how can the mind behind, The 48 Laws of Power, The Art of Seduction, and Mastery be anything but confident?
Greene understands human nature better than most. He knows that everyone is insecure underneath the confident exterior we portray. Insecurity is destructive, but it’s also a fuel that can motivate people to power through the self-doubt that plagues them. It is ultimately a personal decision what you do with insecurity.
This insecurity of his is the motivating ingredient behind his success. Entrepreneurs face the same insecurity, but changing the course of your business and attaining success is in your hands.
Let’s look at Greene’s Top 6 Bestsellers.
The 48 Laws of Power
This is his most popular publication which is a classic book on Machiavellianism. In this book, Robert Greene distills a millenniums worth of history and condenses great stories of power into 48 laws. The book aims to help readers masterfully attain power and prevent being manipulated by others. While not business-oriented per se, it remains essential reading for entrepreneurs who want to dominate their category.
If you’re wondering which Robert Greene book to read first, begin with this masterpiece.
The Art of Seduction
A lot has been said about “The 48 Laws of Power,” but not as much about, “The Art of Seduction”. This book is a great companion to the former because it helps you understand how to skillfully persuade and influence others. After all, what good is power and authority if you can’t influence your team to do your bidding?
The 33 Strategies of War
The “33 Strategies of War” is a great book for entrepreneurs because it helps them understand and anticipate their competition’s moves. This book contains defensive and offensive strategies that are applicable in social conflicts and business negotiations.
By understanding your enemy’s strategies, you not only defeat them but also build a stronger business. This book is also a great read for anyone who wants to understand the psychology of war.
The 50th Law (with rapper 50 Cent)
“The 50th Law” is a book about success, fear, and power. In this book, Robert Greene and rapper 50 Cent explore how to overcome fear and use it to your advantage. They also discuss the importance of power and how to obtain and maintain it. This book is a great read for anyone who wants to attain and secure success- one thing all entrepreneurs want.
Mastery
MasteryIn “Mastery“, Robert Greene explores the lives of great historical figures and reveals the secrets to their success. He argues that the path to mastery is not a straight line, but rather a winding journey. This book is full of stories and lessons that will inspire you to achieve greatness. For entrepreneurs, they’ll appreciate Greene’s insights on becoming the best at their craft and in their respective fields.
The Laws of Human Nature
In his latest book, Robert Greene applies his Machiavellian understanding of human behavior to modern life. “The Laws of Human Nature” is a comprehensive guide to understanding how people think, behave and interact. Greene draws on years of research and observations to explain how we can use this knowledge to our advantage. Whether you’re looking to improve your relationships or better understand others, this book is an essential read.
Robert Greene’s works are not in any way morally evil. While some may view it as such, the principles and nuggets within his works should be what readers focus on. If anything, his books provide a brutally honest look at human behavior and how we can use it to our advantage. Entrepreneurs who desire to become household brands and serve their customers at the highest level should heed Greene’s works.
Persuasion, Motivation, & Influence
The most recurring elements in the success stories of history are persuasion, motivation, and influence. Without these skills, it would be impossible to achieve greatness. Robert Greene is one of the world’s foremost experts on these topics, and that’s why his books have become bestsellers.
As business leaders, having persuasion, motivation and influence among your arsenal of skillset is more than a good idea, it is a necessity. These skills are directly linked to your business operations that rake in the sales, revenue and branding that you want.
Below we’ll look at the relevance of persuasion, motivation and influence in the business setting. Continue reading.
The Art of Persuasion
It’s no secret that being persuasive is an important life skill. Whether that’s getting a superior to give one a raise or convincing a partner to agree on a vacation, persuasion always comes in handy. In the business world, persuasion is one of the most coveted skills that everyone wants, but not everyone has.
Here’s the rub: persuasion is not an inborn talent, like what most people presume. Persuasion is a skill one can acquire through practice and understanding the psychology behind it. While many believe persuasion and charisma are two peas in a pod, Robert Greene believes otherwise. Anyone can learn persuasion and be persuasive.
What areas of your business is persuasion relevant? Many aspects come to mind, and I’ll share them below:
- Making a sale. The sale process is arguably the most terrifying part of being in the biz. Many times you’ll meet a client who’s ready to buy, but somehow backs out when you botch the sales call. Securing sales is more than a question of meeting your client’s needs through your solutions.
It’s about convincing them that your goods and services are the best options out there. An alignment of principles needs to take place, and only persuasion can give that.
- Negotiating. We all know how important it is to be a good negotiator in business. Whether you’re trying to hire top talents or getting a more favorable contract from your suppliers, the ability to negotiate is essential.
- Advertising. Every marketing material that goes out should be persuasive enough to capture the short attention span of audiences. Only persuasive writing and creatives cut through the clutter and pique your target’s interests.
Motivation and Self-Improvement
Snags and mishaps happen in the course of business. That’s a reality that every entrepreneur accepts and willingly embraces. Keeping yourself motivated despite hardships and continuously improving amidst struggles are what shape successful companies. However, what most business owners fail to realize is that their success is anchored to their team’s success.
Motivation and self-improvement do not only apply to entrepreneurs themselves. Motivation and improvement are key skills necessary in pushing your crew to power through their limits.
And when motivation is absent, it’s up to the leader to ensure discipline is there to see things through. After all, nobody can be motivated all the time.
The ability to motivate people is a trait of great leaders. If you think that being the big boss exempts you from motivating your team, then you are sorely mistaken. One way you can encourage your team to serve your customers at the highest level is by motivating them.
As you consistently work on improving your leadership and team-building skills, so must you focus on improving your team’s lives. When your team grows as you do, you foster loyalty and cull employee turnover. It’s when employees experience growth, do they feel more motivated to go above and beyond the call of duty.
Power and Influence
Every business owner desires at least some power and influence. I don’t mean the ability to get people to do evil things with evil methods. That’s manipulation, and it is unsustainable. I’m talking about the kind of power and influence from being a respected leader, appreciated and trusted by employees.
When you have power and influence, people want to work with you. Your employees are more likely to be motivated and invested in your company. Their overall engagement skyrockets and productivity spikes.
However, power and influence cannot be boxed only within a company. Being the perceived authority in a competitive landscape is also the manifestation of power and influence. It is what allows you to collaborate with businesses to your advantage. More importantly, power and influence enable you to edge out your competition and be the industry leader.
In order to have power and influence, you need to first understand how persuasion works. These concepts work hand in hand in making authority an absolute reality.
Robert Greene and his works on persuasion, motivation, and influence are instrumental in understanding how persuasion works. By understanding his concepts, you will have a better shot at closing more sales, motivating employees, and becoming a category leader.
Wizard of Sales® can help shape your team using Robert Greene’s teachings. If you want to be an industry leader too, book a call. Let us transform your company into a household name.