The lust for power. It’s universal. It is as old as mankind itself. It’s been present in any society, ranging from a prehistoric cannibal tribe to a humongous modern state. No matter what it looked like, its essence has always stayed the same. And this essence doesn’t depend neither on times nor geography. Power is the common denominator that has been at the foundation of any society, since the first humans walked the earth.
It will be you—those who’ve been obsessively seeking power—who sooner or later will manage and control thousands and thousands of people. This is what makes you truly different, this is what doesn’t let you stop, this is what has been driving, pushing, dragging you forward. You may like or dislike the business you’re in, you may be an expert or mediocre specialist, you may or may not realize why you’ve been striving to get ahead. But whether you realize it or not, you were gifted with something that one day will elevate you very high, to those levels of the social pyramid that only few, very, very few ever reach…
Every age had people like you. Had you lived two hundred years ago, you would’ve become factory and estate managers. Half a millennia ago, you would’ve tried to join the court of a nearby lord. And five thousand years ago somewhere in ancient Egypt you would’ve strived to become priests, as it was the most realistic way to acquire some power. A manager is simply the most suitable place for fulfilling your needs in the fabric of the modern society. The most suitable starting place, since appetite comes with eating…
Awakening - More About the Novel
Alan is young, talented and ambitious. At twenty-seven, he leads a large team at a multinational corporation and is certain that sooner or later his determination and skills will take him to the very top of the company. When he is hand-picked by his CEO to participate in an elite leadership training program, Alan has no doubt that his dreams of power are coming true. But as he joins ten other star managers in a secluded luxury lodge, he doesn’t know that in few days he will be facing the harshest challenge of his life.
The unconventional workshop is about to take a very dangerous turn, testing values and characters of its participants in the most brutal ways and presenting them with the ultimate question: how high a price are they willing to pay for power?
Do you want to win here?” asked Stella.
Robert shrugged.
“I like competing.”
“So you agree with Clark that all we want is power?”
“Never cared for it. You’ve got to be really insecure to want power.”
“Insecure?” she asked, surprised. “I don’t think powerful people look insecure. When you have power, people depend on you. You’re in control.”
“No,” said Robert. “You aren’t. Look, you’re smart, but you got it all wrong. This power thing, it’s nothing. It’s just people agreeing to do what you want. But the moment they decide to disagree, your power is gone. When you have power, you may be in control of some, but only because you depend on others. The more power you have the less free you are. And I happen to value my freedom.
Robert shrugged.
“I like competing.”
“So you agree with Clark that all we want is power?”
“Never cared for it. You’ve got to be really insecure to want power.”
“Insecure?” she asked, surprised. “I don’t think powerful people look insecure. When you have power, people depend on you. You’re in control.”
“No,” said Robert. “You aren’t. Look, you’re smart, but you got it all wrong. This power thing, it’s nothing. It’s just people agreeing to do what you want. But the moment they decide to disagree, your power is gone. When you have power, you may be in control of some, but only because you depend on others. The more power you have the less free you are. And I happen to value my freedom.
Forget success. Success is just bait for those who never look beyond the surface. The real name of the game is power. Everything else is secondary and comes with it.
‘Had this Nick,’ Michael lifted the book, “somehow gotten into your company he would’ve became your CEO in a blink of an eye. Or even better, a trusted advisor to your CEO. Same for my company.”
He opened the book on a random page and read in a sing-song voice:
“ … And the first opinion which one forms of a prince, and of his understanding, is by observing the men he has around him; and when they are capable and faithful he may always be considered wise, because he has known how to recognize the capable and to keep them faithful …”
He put the book down and smiled at Joan.
“Now try and recall what you thought of your management last time they promoted yet another moron. Or when they didn’t promote you.
He opened the book on a random page and read in a sing-song voice:
“ … And the first opinion which one forms of a prince, and of his understanding, is by observing the men he has around him; and when they are capable and faithful he may always be considered wise, because he has known how to recognize the capable and to keep them faithful …”
He put the book down and smiled at Joan.
“Now try and recall what you thought of your management last time they promoted yet another moron. Or when they didn’t promote you.
The process of building an empire doesn’t end with outlining the conquered land on the map. This is where it starts. True empires are built in the minds of subjects and only then—on maps.
Do you know what it really means, the place at the very top of a pyramid? Do you have any idea? The pyramid’s vertex is not just another step up. It’s the step up. It’s the ultimate prize that only some dare to dream about and even fewer get their hands on. It’s worth all other steps combined. It’s the single thing that makes existence of the pyramid possible. Foundational bricks can be replaced. Middle layers—ah, the middle layers—they are even more replaceable than the countless bricks, although of course we don’t want them to know this. But the vertex is a different story. It gives everyone sense of purpose. It makes them believe that someone truly cares. It doesn’t just crown the pyramid—it is the thing that holds it together.
