The Machiavellian Approach to Management Whether you love him/her or hate him/her everybody has onea boss. Most people have their own opinions as to what kind of boss it is that they would like to work for. Most would probably agree that the worst kind of boss is a new boss. This is more than likely due to peoples extraordinary fear of change and the unknown. Whatever the reason, the employee always has the option to leave their position and seek work elsewhere. The same can not be said for subjects of states, who by no action of their own, were to be ruled by a new prince. Just as varied as the ways in which one inherits a new boss, likewise new principalities have an abundance of ways of being acquired. Niccolo Machiavelli, in his work The Prince, describes several of these options. And interestingly enough, the views Machiavelli expresses, can be integrated into todays business community particularly to issues pertaining to how management obtains and keeps their positions. Machiavelli cites several ways that one can obtain a principality, which bear striking similarities to how one can come into a position of management. The first path to a principality is that of a hereditary nature. Machiavelli claims that this is the easiest of states to maintain, as long as such a prince is of ordinary ability and he does not break [the] ancient customs of those he governs (Machiavelli 7). So to, in a management position where the offspring of a boss takes over, he/she should not run into many difficulties in maintaining the company. Yet, the new boss must be competent to handle all responsibilities assumed in his/her position or the company will surely suffer. Furthermore, he/she must be careful not change how things have been done since mom or dad first began the business. The very nature of any change in management, especially a new boss, can cause fear amongst the employees. Adding fuel to an already explosive situation, by makin...
