Law #1: Never Outshine The Master Always make those above you feel comfortably superior. In your desire to please or impress them, do not go too far in displaying your talents or you might accomplish the opposite – inspire fear and insecurity. Make your masters appear more brilliant than they are and you will attain the heights of power.

1. THE 48 LAWS OF POWER
BY ROBERT GREENE

2. Law #1: Never Outshine The Master
Always make those above you feel
comfortably superior. In your desire to
please or impress them, do not go too
far in displaying your talents or you
might accomplish the opposite – inspire
fear and insecurity. Make your masters
appear more brilliant than they are and
you will attain the heights of power.
Tariq Al-Basha @ albashatariq@outlook.com 2

3. KING LOUIS XIV
AND HIS
FINANCE
MINISTER
FOUQUET
▪ In 17th century France, Finance Minister Nicholas
Fouquet had spent enormous sums in building a
magnificent château on his estate of Vaux-le-Vicomte.
▪ He then threw a lavish party to show off his connections,
cultivated manner and charm. Thinking this move would
make him an indispensable asset to the king, Fouquet had
actually offended his master who did not like the fact
people were more charmed by his finance minister than
by him.
▪ He unintentionally outshone his master, King Louis XIV,
making the King feel insecure.
▪ In 1661, at age 23, Louis XIV visited Vaux-le-Vicomte, the
country estate of his finance minister, Nicolas Fouquet,
and was outraged by its magnificence. The King found a
convenient excuse to get rid of Fouquet who then spent
the next 20 years of his life in prison.
▪ King Louis XIV went ahead to build Palace of Versailles
which was much more grander and lavish than the
Chateau built by Fouquet to display his charms and
connections.
Tariq Al-Basha @ albashatariq@outlook.com 3

4. HOW GALILEO
USED THE LAW
IN HIS FAVOR?
▪ Galileo was clever in observing this law by
giving glory to his patrons.
▪ In order to solve his perennial problem of
funding, he dedicated his discovery of the
moons of Jupiter to the Medici, since the royal
symbol of the Medici family was the planet
Jupiter.
▪ He then commissioned an emblem for them, with
each moon representing one of the sons who
revolved around the patriarch.
▪ The Medici family became his major patron,
appointing him their official court mathematician
and philosopher, thereby giving him a more
comfortable life and a steady salary.
Tariq Al-Basha @ albashatariq@outlook.com 4

5. LESSONS
▪ Present your ideas in a way that they
echo your boss’s thought
▪ Act less smarter than your boss
▪ Do not take your position at work or in
life for granted
▪ Always make sure to make it seem like
you want to seek the superior's
expertise and advice. Discreet flattery
is very powerful.
Tariq Al-Basha @ albashatariq@outlook.com 5