Video Summary - Jeffrey Pfeffer: Coaching the Seven Rules of Power

Summary of main arguments and takeaways

The webinar is a “fireside chat” introducing Stanford professor Jeffrey Pfeffer’s new book, Seven Rules of Power. Pfeffer frames power not as an inherited trait or something you can’t change, but as a set of skills people can learn to advance their careers and influence outcomes.

Why Pfeffer wrote the book (and what he argues against)

Pfeffer says he wrote another “power” book to challenge claims that the rules of power have fundamentally changed due to social media, generational shifts, or “new power” theories—he notes there’s little empirical evidence for those assertions.
He also addresses criticism that his view of power applies only to dominant groups (e.g., white men). He argues the principles are broadly applicable across genders and diverse populations, and he uses examples of women and people of color throughout the book.

Coaching and “getting out of your own way”

Pfeffer emphasizes that coaching is appropriate for power development because his course uses executive coaches to help participants execute “doing power” projects and overcome self-doubt.
A key theme is personal responsibility: individuals can’t control others’ behavior, but they can control their own. The responsibility is to become as effective as possible in difficult political situations.

The “Seven Rules of Power” (core list)

Pfeffer lists seven practical rules:

Get out of your own way Avoid preemptive self-disabling apologies; don’t describe yourself in limiting terms.
Break the rules when rules disadvantage you For example, don’t “David vs. Goliath” yourself into failure by fighting from disadvantage using someone else’s playbook.
Act and speak with power Body language and delivery matter more than the content people assume; content is said to be least important.
Build a powerful brand Leaders continually “sell” themselves/ideas; branding supports career mobility.
Network relentlessly Insufficient relationship-building hurts leadership; weak ties and diverse networks often provide non-redundant opportunities.
Use your power Power isn’t a scarce resource—successful use can create a reinforcing “flywheel” of more support, talent, and backers.
Understand what happens after success Achievements and the behaviors used to get there are often forgotten, forgiven, or excused because people psychologically reconstruct leaders as deserving once they win. Pfeffer argues this is how the world works, and leaders need to understand it.

Authenticity and vulnerability: where leadership advice goes wrong

Pfeffer challenges “authentic leadership” as usually practiced. He argues leaders don’t need to be “authentic” to their private selves; they need to be authentic to what others at work require from them—confidence, attentive leadership, and performance.
On vulnerability, he distinguishes between:
- Interpersonal contexts, where vulnerability can build closeness, and
- Workplace/power contexts, where signaling vulnerability may backfire because followers often interpret it as weakness or distraction from competence.
He cites research and examples suggesting followers associate confidence with competence and want leaders to demonstrate effectiveness—especially when the leader holds or seeks power.

Rule 7 and ethics (why he says it’s not inherently unethical)

A recurring question is whether “forgiven/forgotten behavior” implies moral wrongdoing.

Pfeffer responds that he is not offering a moral justification; he’s offering a social-scientific explanation of how people and institutions respond to success.
He argues coaches and leaders must understand the mechanisms of how power and legitimacy are granted so they can navigate reality effectively and reduce career derailments.
He uses examples (e.g., high-status leaders whose misconduct is overlooked or rationalized) to illustrate that organizations and audiences often reward outcomes and align themselves with winners.

Career derailments and interventions coaches can use

Pfeffer suggests coach interventions focus on skill acquisition and targeted practice, including exercises around:
- Brand building
- Networking
- Acting/speaking with power
- Identifying behaviors that inhibit oneself
He stresses feedback on exercises and practical application through structured activities.
He also encourages clearer requests and direct career conversations—people often fail by being “mind readers” and waiting for organizations to assign them roles that match their strengths.

Diversity and cultural universality of power

On whether power differs by country/culture and gender, Pfeffer argues the underlying social science principles are broadly consistent across cultures, though the surface expression (language, norms, customs) differs.
He notes research on how people evaluate others using dimensions like warmth and confidence, and argues these patterns appear across contexts.
He also warns against “conventional wisdom” without checking who actually advances in real organizations.

Meta message: evidence over rose-colored glasses

Both Pfeffer and the Institute of Coaching host emphasize that good coaching and leadership development should be evidence-based and challenging. The webinar frames Pfeffer’s work as provocative but grounded in social science, intended to help clients use power for good by understanding how workplaces actually work.

Presenters / contributors

Suzanne (Sue) Cook Greater – host/moderator; questioner (Institute of Coaching)
Jeffrey Pfeffer (Stanford University) – guest speaker; author of Seven Rules of Power
Jeffrey Hall – executive director, The Institute of Coaching; host (fireside chat format)

Jeffrey Pfeffer: Coaching the Seven Rules of Power

Key takeaways