Snipets from 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene.    <I don’t ‘like’ all of these.   And I don’t have to like them to be a good thought exercise>

Fair is for suckers & wimps!

Seduction works better than coercion.

People are controlled by emotions.   If they expect pain, deliver otherwise.

Flaunting your brilliance shifts attention away from your boss.   Or outshine them.   He will resent it.   So make them look smarter or better.  Fluff their ego.   So they don’t see you coming for them.

Take an element of credit for other people’s work, and protect your own.   Why waste time doing thing when you can have them do it.    <I’m choosing to take this as outside collaborators or finding outsourced help>.

Make SURE to take full credit for your work – or others will.

Gather info on who you want to control by befriending them.  And their friends.   To gain knowledge.

Act unpredictable to keep competition off balance.   Will intimidate and unnerve them.

Surrendering to a stronger opponent gains your strength in the long-term.   When you are overpowered, surrender.   Or give the impression of such so that the attacks will stop.   That way you can enstrengthen.   There is nothing to be gained from fighting to the death when death is ensured.

If you want to be treated as superior – act like you are Superior.   Act how a Superior person should act.   This is decidedly different than “thinking you are superior”.   Act how someone superior would act and they will start seeing you as such.