Why Christian Leaders Should Read THE 48 LAWS OF POWER

Article Summary

While many leadership books describe ideal leadership qualities, The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene shows how some people actually lead through manipulation. By understanding these tactics, Christian leaders can grow in discernment and better protect themselves and others.

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There are a lot of books that discuss how people should lead.

In How To Win Friends And Influence People, Dale Carnegie writes that leaders should give praise and show appreciation to those they work with. 

In The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, John Maxwell explains that leaders should build others up. 

In Extreme Ownership, Jocko Willink and Leif Babin argue that leaders should acknowledge mistakes, admit failures, and accept blame.

Each of these books describes ideal leadership qualities. However, you have likely worked with a leader who was the opposite of those ideals.

Instead of showing you appreciation, perhaps he only gave himself praise.

Instead of building you up, perhaps she tore you down.

Instead of admitting their mistakes, perhaps they blamed you. 

How To Win Friends And Influence People, The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, and Extreme Ownership are some books that explain how people should lead.¹ 

The 48 Laws of Power shows how some people actually lead. 

Robert Greene’s debut book is a controversial one. If you were to scroll the table of contents without any context, the chapter titles alone would likely concern you:

“Get Others To Do The Work For You, But Always Take The Credit” (Law 7).

“Crush Your Enemy Totally” (Law 15).

“Keep Your Hands Clean” (Law 26).

…and 45 other Machiavellian tactics.

You might be wondering why I would recommend that Christians read a book that could be interpreted as antithetical to Christian principles.

In my book, A Leader Worth Imitating, I explain that Christian leaders need discernment (Principle 10). I define discernment as the ability to see people for who they really are. When you have discernment, you can identify who is a sheep, who is a wolf, and even who is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. 

One of the verses I share in this principle is Matthew 10:16. It reads, “Be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves” (NLT). Essentially, Christian leaders need to be able to think like the enemy but not act like the enemy. When you know how your enemy works, you can act accordingly. 

By reading The 48 Laws of Power you will be able to identify leaders who are cunning, scheming, and unscrupulous. You will also be able to protect yourself and others from them. 

While The 48 Laws of Power might initially appear to be antithetical to Christian principles, it can offer guidance on how to navigate the often unspoken rules of influence. 

As you continue to grow in discernment you will be able to recognize and respond to the tactics of cunning, scheming, and unscrupulous leaders. By being shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves, you can lead with both strength and kindness. 

1. How To Win Friends… The 21 Irrefutable Laws…, Extreme Ownership, and 48 Laws… are all on my RECOMMENDED BOOKS list. ↩︎

_{Originally posted on June 3, 2024. Last updated on September 5, 2025.}