Power gets a bad rap, but only because people pursue it for the wrong reasons. When power is pursued for the right reasons, it can be a tremendous force for good.

　　权力生祸害，但往往是因为追求之人别有用心。如果取之有道，就能受益无穷。

　　Niccolo Machiavelli spread the belief that people can only become powerful by exploiting the worst aspects of human nature. One of this teachings was, “A wise ruler ought never to keep faith when by doing so it would be against his interests.” Machiavelli was essentially saying that you’re an idiot if you keep your promises or stick to your values when you’d benefit more by breaking them.

　　马基雅弗利曾经宣称：人类欲当权，必取于性之本恶。一句教条便是“统治者无法信教，因为这和对权力的追逐互为矛盾”本意为，若有所信仰却总为利益将其打破，那么与傻子无异。

　　Not only did we hear it from Machiavelli, but also from plenty of voices in our own time, such as RobertGreene, who said, “The key to power is the ability to judge who is best able to further your interests in all situations.” It’s no wonder so many people think that the only way to get power is to be a jerk.

　　不仅他如是说，当代之同道者亦比比皆是。如罗伯特·格林所言“权力来源于无论何处境都可将利益最大化的能力”如此，人们多认为只有无良可夺权也在情理之中。

　　Fortunately, Machiavelli and Greene had something in common: They were both wrong. Recent research from UC Berkeley shows that when it comes to power, nice guys finish first. The researchers found that the most powerful people (according to ratings from their peers) were those who were the most considerate and outgoing. They also found that those who were the most Machiavellian — using things like gossip and manipulation to gain power — were quickly identified and isolated and ended up with no power at all.

　　然而上述二人的言论都过去片面。伯克利大学的最新研究称，人品佳是得权之首因。如同事评价，位高权重中者往往是最贴心外向之人;而玩弄是非者如马基雅弗利，不久便被识破、孤立以致一无所获。

　　Studies like these are rehabilitating power’s bad rap. Power isn’t inherently evil, and it isn’t inherently bad to seek power. Without power, you can’t accomplish anything, good or evil. Even those who want nothing more than to make the world a better place, can’t do so without exerting the influence of personal power. It’s the abuse of power and the underhanded things people do to achieve it that cause problems.

　　如是之学术发现权力生祸昭雪。权力本无错，全当看用者。但若无权，则必无所作为，无论好坏。即使本意全然是好而无权，其言亦无关痛痒。滥用职权、暗流涌动，终将导致祸患产生。

　　People who earn and use power wisely have a profound impact on everyone they encounter. Yet, they achieve this power only because they exert so much influence inside, on themselves. We see only their outside; we see them innovate, speak their mind, and propel themselves forward toward bigger and better things. Yet, we’re missing the best part. The confidence and wherewithal that make their influence possible are earned.

　　当权者，明智于可深入影响任一相识者;可为之，则在于其自身。外表、行为，外物也;创新之意、陈述己见、逆流直前，都不成其本，自信及必要手段才是先决条件。

　　And while what people are influenced by changes with the season, the unique habits of powerful people remain constant. Their focused pursuit of excellence is driven by eleven habits, which you can emulate and absorb until your power and influence expand:

　　不易动摇之毅力是其特质，着注于追求卓越有下因素，汝等可引以鉴之：

　　1.They don’t wait for a title to lead. It’s important not to confuse power with authority. The right title can give you authority, but it can’t give you power. On the other hand, you don’t need a title to be powerful. You can lead without being a boss and you can have a powerful influence upon your workplace and community without a title.

　　1.处江湖之远亦可领衔。权威与权力，不可对等。头衔名号予之权威，却未及权力。不成头领，亦可发挥领导才干，铸就影响力。

　　2. They’re graciously disruptive. Powerful people are never satisfied with the status quo. They’re the ones who constantly ask, “What if?” and “Why not?” They’re not afraid to challenge conventional wisdom, and they don’t disrupt things for the sake of being disruptive; they do so to make things better.

　　2.乐于打破常规先例。陈词滥调不足以称其为道也，时常发问为此人之本性;保守论调不成其阻碍也，打破常规为成善，而非为搞事。

　　3.They think for themselves. Powerful people aren’t buffeted by the latest trend or by public opinion. They form their opinions carefully, based on the facts. They’re more than willing to change their mind when the facts support it, but they aren’t influenced by what other people think, only by what they know.

　　3.独立思考成事。此类人轻从他人之见解，而必自省以成己见。成见必审慎，以事实为支撑，能否取他人之见解则因时为异.

　　4.They focus only on what really matters. Powerful people aren’t distracted by trivialities. They’re able to cut through the static and clutter, focus on what matters, and point it out to everyone else. They speak only when they have something important to say, and they never bore people with idle banter.

　　4.要事为先。琐事不足挂记，须得当分配之以为己分清主从，因此其言语多无赘言，取事件之精要呈现也。

　　5. They master conflict. People tend to err on one of two extremes when it comes to conflict: some are passive and avoid conflict altogether, while others seek out conflict aggressively, thinking that this will make them powerful. People who master conflict know how to approach it directly and assertively, yet constructively. In essence, they practice emotional intelligence. Truly powerful people do not react emotionally and defensively to dissenting opinions — they welcome them. They’re humble enough to know that they don’t know everything and that someone else might see something they missed. And if that person is right, they embrace the idea wholeheartedly, because they care more about the end result than being right.

　　5.矛盾控制者也。每遇矛盾发生，世人易分两极端：远避之或强纠之。而智者可究其根本，直击要害，有所获得——情绪之智慧为处事根本。真正强者不武断于远离或拒绝反对意见，而认真听取，因其明知他人或可补己短。若他人所言为是，其必纠改错误，为成果打算。

　　6. They inspire conversation. When powerful people speak, their words spread like ripples in a pond. Influencers inspire everyone around them to explore new ideas and to think differently about their work.

　　6.鼓励思考交流。每强者发言时，吐字连珠，听者皆有所思考，并作用于其各自工作，得以提升。

　　7. They know their strengths and weaknesses. People who get seduced by power and, therefore, start abusing it are often blind to their own weaknesses. To become truly powerful, you have to see yourself as you really are and to position yourself to use your strengths for the greater good. That means taking a clear-eyed look at your strengths and your weaknesses and owning them both completely.

　　7.明了一己之长短。玩弄权力者往往受其短处蒙蔽，真正成事者则挖掘短板，善用长板，了解利用全部。

　　8. They grow and leverage their networks. Those who grow power the Machiavellian way don’t bother with people who aren’t useful to them. People see this coming a mile away, and it doesn’t win any friends. Truly powerful people know how to make lasting connections. Not only do they know a lot of people, they get to know their connections’ connections. More importantly, they add value to everyone in their network. They share advice and know how, and they make connections between people who should get to know each other.

　　8.发展社交网络。滥用权力者难发展有效社交，至多为交集，长线关系为关键也。知其人，亦识其友。价值链个环之分配，使得交集之产生变为价值之传递。

　　9. They ask for help when they need it. It’s easy to mistakenly assume that powerful people never ask for help from anybody. Asking for help when you don’t know the answer or can’t do it all by yourself is not a sign of weakness; it’s a sign of strength. It sends the message that you’re not so insecure as to put your ego above the mission. It takes a tremendous amount of confidence and humility to admit that you need assistance, and asking for assistance is critical, because there’s nothing worse than trucking down the wrong path when you’re too embarrassed or proud to admit that you don’t know what you’re doing.

　　9.有求于人必求之。强者多难以自强，承认不足实为能力也。以完成任务为目的而求人，不因自尊心放任不确定事项之处置——其本身亦为自信与自强之体现。求人虽尴尬，选错道路更可怕。

　　10. They believe. Powerful people always expect the best. They believe in their own power to achieve their dreams, and they believe that others share that same power. They believe that nothing is out of reach and that belief inspires those around them to stretch for their own goals. They firmly believe that one person can change the world.

　　10.有所执念。能力者希求最好，并认定可通过团结一致达到目标。一切皆有可能，只要肯为之努力。只一人也足以改变世界。

　　11. They do it now. Powerful people know that developing power is a lot like lifting weights or running a 5K. The only way to strengthen those muscles is by using them, so stop making excuses and just start.Yes, it will be uncomfortable at times, and yes, some people will tell you you’re doing it wrong, but the only way to achieve power and use it for good is to get out there and do it.

　　11.从此刻做起。能力者做大事，如举重之叠加重量或疾走五里路，只得常用以强健肌肉，而非借口拖延之。总会不爽，会得到质疑，但欲成功必尝试坚持。

　　Bringing It All Together

　　结论

　　Boris Yeltsin once said, “You can make a throne of bayonets, but you can’t sit on it for very long.” Forget everything you’ve heard about power, because, in the end, the nice guys really do win. Whether you call it power or influence, it’s okay to want it and it’s okay to have it. You just have to pursue it and use it with integrity.

　　叶利钦曾言“以刺刀夺权，难长也”。权力生祸之言不可全信之，因如今事实反之。言其权力或影响力，都可欲求之，但确保择正道以求。

（编辑：何莹莹）