Law 1 of 48
Never Outshine the Master.
When interacting with your superiors or mentors, avoid appearing more capable or accomplished than them. This behavior might breed resentment or envy among those in positions of authority. Instead, demonstrate respect and deference towards those with greater experience or authority, while simultaneously striving for excellence in your own endeavors. Your focus should be on fostering positive relationships and maintaining harmony within hierarchical structures.
Independent commentary on a principle popularised in The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene and Joost Elffers. Not affiliated with or endorsed by the authors or their publishers.
What it actually means
Competence is rarely the problem; displaying it in front of someone whose position rests on being the capable one is. The correction most people miss is that this is not about hiding your ability, but about not letting your ability arrive as a verdict on somebody else's.
Where you would have seen it
You fix an error in a spreadsheet your team lead built and post the corrected version in the group chat. The fix was right. For the next three months you are somehow never free when the interesting projects are handed out.
Try it today
Today, send one correction privately to the person who made the mistake, before anyone else has seen it.
Where this shows up
Law 1 tends to come up in these parts of life. Follow a path to read the other laws that belong with it:
Laws that go with it
If law 1 landed, these are the entries people usually read next — they cover overlapping ground: law 7, law 11, law 17.
Get Others to Do the Work, but Always Take the Credit.
Read plainly this is theft, and it is worth understanding mainly because it will be done to you.
At WorkLeading PeopleLaw 11Learn to Keep People Dependent on You.
Being needed is not the same as being valued, and a deliberate bottleneck is the weakest security there is: the moment you are indispensable in one narrow place, you are also unpromotable.
At WorkLeading PeopleLaw 17Keep Others in Suspended Terror.
Unpredictability is a control device.
Leading PeopleAt WorkFriends & Family