The 48 Laws of Positive Power can enable you to achieve your highest potential and impact others for good. This new book by Key Success Edge President Buck Lawrimore contains:
48 Laws of Positive Power, which you can use for greater personal and business success- Inspiring stories of 48 exceptional individuals whose lives illustrate each power
- The concrete steps you can follow to develop and enjoy each power in your own life.
What Is Positive Power?
“Positive power” can be defined as “the capacity to effect meaningful change and inspire growth, development, and well-being in oneself and others.”
- Positive power involves actions and influences based on sound psychology, ethical principles, compassion, and constructive purpose.
- It is characterized by a forward-looking approach that seeks to uplift, heal, and improve, rather than to dominate or suppress.
- Positive power is manifested through self-mastery, including the cultivation of personal virtues such as resilience, empathy, and integrity.
- It extends outward through actions that promote community, enhance relationships, and encourage societal progress.
- Those who wield positive power do so with a sense of responsibility and a vision for a better future, making decisions that prioritize the common good while also respecting individual rights and dignity.
In historical and contemporary contexts, positive power is exemplified by individuals who act with personal power and moral courage, lead by example, and utilize their talents and resources for beneficial purposes. The 48 Laws of Positive Power includes inspiring biographical profiles of some of the most outstanding people who have lived in recent and past times, including: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Winston Churchill, Oprah Winfrey, Kobe Bryant, Thomas Edison, Dr. Joe Dispenza, Nelson Mandela, Deepak Chopra, Elie Wiesel, Benjamin Franklin, Albert Schweitzer, the Dalai Lama, Richard Branson, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jim Carrey, Eckhart Tolle, Brené Brown, Ronald Reagan, Satya Nadella, Mahatma Gandhi, Anita Roddick, Marie Curie, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Larry Page, Indra Nooyi, Yvon Choinard, Martin Luther King Jr., Sam Walton, Walt Disney, Jacinda Ahern, Steve Jobs, Elon Musk, Angela Merkel, Michael Jordan, Martha Stewart, John D. Rockefeller, Bill Gates, Malala Yousafzai, Al Gore, Leonardo da Vinci, Barack Obama, Stephen Covey, Marcus Aurelius, Serena Williams, Madonna, LeBron James, and Fred Rogers.
Positive power is a unifying force, bridging differences and engendering cooperation for shared goals, while also empowering individuals to reach their fullest potential.
The “Laws” of positive power can be defined as fundamental principles or guidelines that, when consistently applied, enable the development and exercise of positive power. These laws serve as a framework for individuals to increase personal strengths, cultivate virtues, navigate relationships, achieve professional success, and contribute to the well-being of their communities and the environment. The 48 Laws are actionable insights derived from the collective wisdom of history, psychology, philosophy, practical experience, and the vast resources of relevant books, articles, and Internet content.
The Laws of Positive Power are characterized by their intention to produce beneficial outcomes. They encourage behaviors that enhance self-awareness, promote self-discipline, and emphasize the importance of acting with empathy and integrity. By adhering to these laws, individuals can harness their inner strengths and influence the world around them positively, creating impacts that extend beyond immediate circumstances to contribute to a more harmonious and prosperous society.
These “Laws” cannot guarantee your success, but they can greatly increase the probability that you will achieve the desired outcomes if you follow them. There are many benefits for understanding and applying these laws:
Benefits of Applying these Laws of Power
Understanding and applying The 48 Laws of Positive Power can benefit you in numerous ways, both personally and professionally:
- Enhanced Self-Awareness and Personal Growth: By practicing these laws, you can gain a deeper understanding of your strengths, weaknesses, and core values. This self-awareness is crucial for personal development and self-improvement, which is also covered in this book.
- Improved Relationships: Laws focusing on empathy, active listening, and mutual respect can significantly improve both personal and professional relationships. Strong relationships are foundational for happiness and success.
- Effective Leadership: These laws provide a framework for ethical and compassionate leadership. Leaders who inspire, empower, and respect others tend to foster higher loyalty, morale, and productivity in their teams.
- Increased Resilience: Laws that emphasize a growth mindset, adaptability, and resilience can help you navigate challenges and setbacks more effectively, turning potential obstacles into opportunities for learning and growth.
- Better Decision-Making: With a focus on integrity, fairness, and ethical practices, these laws can guide you towards making decisions that are not only beneficial for yourself but also considerate of the wider impact on others and their environment.
- Enhanced Communication Skills: The emphasis on clear, honest, and empathetic communication can lead to more effective and meaningful interactions, reducing misunderstandings and conflicts.
- Greater Sense of Well-Being: By developing a balance between personal and professional life, prioritizing wellness, and cultivating a positive attitude, you can achieve a higher overall sense of well-being and life satisfaction.
- Positive Social Influence: These laws encourage building inclusive, supportive communities and networks, which not only benefit individuals but also contribute positively to society as a whole.
- Empowerment of Others: Focusing on the development and empowerment of others not only helps in building a supportive network but also enhances your own sense of fulfillment and purpose.
- Cultivation of a Positive Legacy: By living and leading according to these principles, you are more likely to leave a lasting, positive impact on your surroundings and be remembered favorably.
In summary, The 48 Laws of Positive Power can serve as a comprehensive guide for anyone seeking to lead a more fulfilled, balanced, and impactful life, marked by personal achievements, strong relationships, effective leadership, and a positive legacy.
Countering Negative Laws of Power
Robert Greene’s best-selling book The 48 Laws of Power is undeniably a work of considerable depth and scholarly research, offering a meticulous exploration of power dynamics through historical anecdotes and philosophical insights. While Greene’s mastery of the subject matter is evident, the book’s approach to power is often seen as Machiavellian, negative, and manipulative. Critics argue that its emphasis on manipulation and self-interest, though historically grounded, does not align with contemporary values that prioritize empathy, ethical leadership, and positive interpersonal relationships.
“I have great respect for Robert Greene as a person and a diligent author,” said Buck Lawrimore. “I understand his intent was to provide a guide so that people could protect themselves in situations like corporate America and improve their lives, but really, the book reads more like a guide for how to manipulate other people, especially in the workplace.
“Having been interested in positive power my whole life, including reading thousands of books and articles on the subject, majoring in psychology and philosophy in college, and counseling hundreds of people and organizations over 40 years, I wanted to write a counter to Greene’s book because I think the world needs positive power now more than ever.”
As the book was being written, Israel and Gaza were locked in a conflict that has killed thousands of people, and Russia and Ukraine were in another war that has killed nearly a half million. The U.S. is undertaking another round of bitter partisan elections. Although the pandemic is over, COVID and other infectious diseases continue to kill people relentlessly while hospitalizing many others.
In the world’s richest country, more than a half million people are homeless. About 49 million people, one eighth of the U.S. population, experience food insecurity.
While technology in some ways makes life better in areas such as medicine and industry, it also has negative impacts on mental health and social experiences, especially among youth.
“Therefore, I don’t think the world needs any more laws of negative power right now,” Lawrimore said. “I think laws or guides for positive power have the potential to be much more valuable for your life and the world.
“So many insights and guides for human action have been generated throughout history[i], one could write a book on 200 laws of power. But 48 is a good number, the same number Greene chose, four dozen, enough to cover the most important laws of positive power but not so many that readers will feel overwhelmed,” he noted.
The Content and Structure of the Book
The content in The 48 Laws 0f Positive Power came from:
- Thousands of books and articles, both in print and online
- The author’s 40 years’ experience as a success consultant, lifelong learner, and author of nine other books, including the award-winning How to Be Successful in Life: Discover and Use Your Unique Success Power for Maximum Results
- Multiple search engines and the latest artificial intelligence programs available at this time: OpenAI’s ChatGPT-4, Google’s Gemini, Anthropic’s Claude.ai, and Microsoft’s Copilot.
The structure of this book is organized in part based on the Stoic philosophy that we can only control ourselves – what we think, feel, and do. It is illusory to think we can control other people, although we can influence them in some ways through relationships and work. Thus the book devotes substantial focus to personal mastery. Here are the five logical parts of the book:
- Personal Development and Mastery (what we can control)
- Building Relationships and Social Skills (primarily not work-related but some skills apply to both settings)
- Professional Success and Wealth Building (work and money)
- Community, Leisure, and Environment (activities not work-related)
- Laws of Power in Daily Life
Learn how you can achieve your highest potential and impact others for good by getting your copy of The 48 Laws of Positive Power, available in all formats on Amazon.com.