Why Should A Prince Understand How To Use Well Both The Man And The Beast
Analysis of Machiavelli’s The Prince
1. Why should a Prince understand how to “use well both the man and the beast”? There are times when leaders must be both a beast and a man. When leaders are the man, they display respect and truthfulness. They understand how to talk with people to get things done. When leaders are the beast, leaders are focused on their own agenda and will manipulate and deceive others to achieve their goal. Leaders will mask their true intentions to those who have been faithful to them. When leaders are the beast, the leaders will look to others as being reprehensible but to the leaders their actions are necessary to preserve the organization.
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)? …show more content…
Machiavelli’s advice is the Prince should seem to have all the good qualities but it is not essential to have them.
I think Machiavelli means leaders need to show their followers their human qualities. When using these qualities, leaders get people to believe what they are doing is in the best interest of everyone. Leaders get people on their side and the people do not see they are being manipulated to believe in what leaders want them to believe. But in reality, leaders are manipulating people to do what they want to achieve their objective. Machiavelli believes it is better to be feared than to be loved. If people fear their leader, they are less likely to rise up against the
them.
3. 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.
In today’s world, leaders appear to use Machiavelli ‘s philosophy to get people to believe what they are doing is in the best interest of everyone. However, they are focused more on their own interests and will do whatever is necessary to reach their agenda. They display kindness and goodness to gain the trust of people. Machiavelli states it does not matter how leaders reach their objective. Leaders need to anticipate the worse and be ready to take action when needed. Leaders will manipulate, lie and deceive people. It does not matter what tactics leaders use to eliminate the risk because they are doing it for the best interest of everyone.
4. Have you, in your experience, ever had a leader like Machiavelli describes? If so, describe two concrete examples for why the leader was like Machiavellian. If not, give two concrete examples of a leader whose actions were definitely not what Machiavelli advises.
Yes, I have worked with a leader who Machiavelli describes. She leads with an iron fist. She uses intimidation to keep staff under control. One of her staff members asked me to accompany them to a meeting with her . I heard this leader was very intimidating but I never had any dealings with her personally. I went to the meeting with her employee and was never so embarrassed to hear the way the leader spoke to her employee. I never heard any leader talk to another person in this manner. The leader was very rude, demeaning and intimidating to the employee. She brought the employee to tears and in the end, the employee resigned and went to work for another hospital. She will never know if the employee would have been good for the organization or not. Today people are still afraid to talk against this leader, in fear of losing their job.
In meetings, this leader will mimic emotions to gain sympathy. I feel she wants people to believe she really cares about their situation. She took credit for giving money to a person who needed a cab. Later in the day, we found out it was her staff member who gave the money, not her. It is hard to work with this type of individual due to their twisting of facts.
1. Why should a Prince understand how to “use well both the man and the beast”? There are times when leaders must be both a beast and a man. When leaders are the man, they display respect and truthfulness. They understand how to talk with people to get things done. When leaders are the beast, leaders are focused on their own agenda and will manipulate and deceive others to achieve their goal. Leaders will mask their true intentions to those who have been faithful to them. When leaders are the beast, the leaders will look to others as being reprehensible but to the leaders their actions are necessary to preserve the organization.
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)? …show more content…
Machiavelli’s advice is the Prince should seem to have all the good qualities but it is not essential to have them.
I think Machiavelli means leaders need to show their followers their human qualities. When using these qualities, leaders get people to believe what they are doing is in the best interest of everyone. Leaders get people on their side and the people do not see they are being manipulated to believe in what leaders want them to believe. But in reality, leaders are manipulating people to do what they want to achieve their objective. Machiavelli believes it is better to be feared than to be loved. If people fear their leader, they are less likely to rise up against the
them.
3. 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.
In today’s world, leaders appear to use Machiavelli ‘s philosophy to get people to believe what they are doing is in the best interest of everyone. However, they are focused more on their own interests and will do whatever is necessary to reach their agenda. They display kindness and goodness to gain the trust of people. Machiavelli states it does not matter how leaders reach their objective. Leaders need to anticipate the worse and be ready to take action when needed. Leaders will manipulate, lie and deceive people. It does not matter what tactics leaders use to eliminate the risk because they are doing it for the best interest of everyone.
4. Have you, in your experience, ever had a leader like Machiavelli describes? If so, describe two concrete examples for why the leader was like Machiavellian. If not, give two concrete examples of a leader whose actions were definitely not what Machiavelli advises.
Yes, I have worked with a leader who Machiavelli describes. She leads with an iron fist. She uses intimidation to keep staff under control. One of her staff members asked me to accompany them to a meeting with her . I heard this leader was very intimidating but I never had any dealings with her personally. I went to the meeting with her employee and was never so embarrassed to hear the way the leader spoke to her employee. I never heard any leader talk to another person in this manner. The leader was very rude, demeaning and intimidating to the employee. She brought the employee to tears and in the end, the employee resigned and went to work for another hospital. She will never know if the employee would have been good for the organization or not. Today people are still afraid to talk against this leader, in fear of losing their job.
In meetings, this leader will mimic emotions to gain sympathy. I feel she wants people to believe she really cares about their situation. She took credit for giving money to a person who needed a cab. Later in the day, we found out it was her staff member who gave the money, not her. It is hard to work with this type of individual due to their twisting of facts.