You’re working hard, hitting your goals, and staying late. But when you look at the corner office, it feels like there’s a glass wall between you and that director title. You might think that if you just do a great job, someone will eventually notice and hand you a promotion. The truth? That almost never happens on its own.

I just finished a course by Professor Jeffrey Pfeffer, who has taught top leaders at places like OpenAI and Meta. He’s got a “Power Playbook” that shows why “being nice” isn’t a strategy for the C-suite. If you’re an ambitious manager, this is your guide to stop waiting for permission and start climbing. You’ll learn how to pick the right jobs, win over your boss, and act like the leader you want to be. 

1. Map Your Power

You can’t win a race if you’re running on the wrong track. A lot of people pick a job because of the pay, but they don’t think about “person-job fit”. You need to be where things are growing.

“In hockey, they say, You wanna be where the puck is going? Not where it’s been. And similarly, I think in your career, you want to be ahead of the game. You want to be in the jobs that are becoming important, not in the jobs that once were important.” 

Let’s look at a fictional example. Imagine a manager named Leo. He joins a department that used to be the “star” of the company ten years ago, but now it’s just maintaining old software. Even if Leo is the best manager ever, he’s not going to get a C-suite spot there because that department isn’t where the company’s future is. He should’ve looked for the “new” department everyone is talking about.

Your Power Plan:

• Check your company’s org chart to see who you can actually talk to.
• Search for your job title and company online to see if the people who had your job before you actually moved up.
• List 5 to 7 people who have the real power in your office. 
• Don’t ignore “low-level” people like the CEO’s assistant; they often control the calendar and have huge influence. 
• Ask yourself: “Do the powerful people here actually know who I am?”.

2. Managing Up

We like to think the best ideas win, but really, the ideas that the boss likes are the ones that win. Your boss decides your future, so you need them on your side.

“The best way to point out something that’s wrong to your bosses, without causing a defensive reaction… is you make it seem as if they did it for reasons other than their own personal judgment, that they were forced to do it, or it was sensible at the moment that they made the decision.” 

Imagine a fictional manager named Sarah. Her boss made a mistake on a budget. Instead of saying, “You messed up,” she says, “Given how the market changed so fast last month, it made sense to spend that way, but now we can pivot to this new plan.” She makes her boss look smart while fixing the problem.

Your Power Plan:

• Use flattery—it’s almost impossible to overdo it.
• When you have a great idea, frame it so it feels like it was your boss’s idea all along.
• Never directly criticize people who have more power than you.
• Ask someone in a higher position for guidance; people love to help.
• Compliment a leader today and see how it changes the vibe.

3. The Art of Executive Presence

First impressions happen in seconds, and they stick. People care more about how you look and sound than what you’re actually saying. 

“Your personal appearance matters because people respond first to how you look. Secondly, to how you sound, and by far, least important to the content of what you say.” 

Think about a fictional guy named Marcus. He’s brilliant, but he mumbles and slouches. When he’s in a meeting, people talk over him. Then there’s Elena. She stands tall, makes eye contact, and moves toward people to shake their hands first. Even if Marcus has better data, Elena is the one the board will trust to lead.

Your Power Plan:

• Stand up tall and maintain eye contact when you’re talking to someone. 
• Move toward people and shake their hand before they reach for yours.
• Volunteer to speak at a meeting where you’ve never spoken before to practice your “boss voice”.
• Use pauses and silence to think or calm your emotions; it makes you look more in control.
• If you feel like a “fake,” look in the mirror and tell yourself, “I know what I’m doing” to beat Imposter Syndrome.

4. Build Your Own Brand

If you don’t define who you are, other people will do it for you. Your “brand” is the image you project to the world, and it needs to be consistent. 

“We are judged by the image that we create, and the image that we project, your image defines and determines how people are going to interact with you.” 

Let’s use a fictional example. Imagine David. He wants to be known as the “innovative disruptor.” He dresses a little differently than the “suits,” posts about new tech on LinkedIn, and always has a 3-sentence “elevator pitch” ready about his vision for the company. Because he stays consistent, people think of him the moment a “disruptive” project comes up. 

Your Power Plan:

• Write a short 3 to 5-sentence “elevator pitch” about who you are and what you do.
• Pick one specific style (like a certain type of watch or blazer) and stick with it to build a visual brand.
• Use social media to share your professional brand with the world.
• Don’t overshare personal stuff; work friends are often your competitors for the next big promotion. 
• Try something like a podcast or even stand-up comedy to get used to strangers seeing your brand.

5. Building Networks

Networking isn’t just for finding a new job; it’s for getting things done in your current one. You need to spend less time on your “to-do” list and more time on your “who-to-know” list. 

“A personal power map looks at not who is supposed to interact with whom, but who actually does interact with whom.” 

Imagine a fictional manager named Lisa. She spends an hour every day chatting with people outside her team. She finds out that the marketing team is planning a launch that her team could help with. Because she has those “weak ties” (people she doesn’t know super well), she gets her team involved in a high-profile project before anyone else even hears about it. 

Your Power Plan:

• Spend at least one hour every single day connecting with people.
• Focus on “weak ties”—people outside your immediate circle who can give you new info.
• Be generous; use your network to connect other people who need help.
• List 10 important “weak ties” and try to grab coffee with two of them this month.
• Get out of your comfort zone; it’s the only way to grow your influence.

6. Break the Rules

People at the top didn’t get there by following every single tiny rule. Power favors the people who move first and take action without waiting for a “yes”

“Breaking the rules causes you to stand out, because powerful people get to break the rules.” 

Here’s a final fictional scenario. Alex sees a way to save the company money by switching vendors. Instead of waiting six months for a committee to approve a pilot program, he just starts a small test run on his own. It works, he saves the money, and he presents the results. He took a risk, but it advanced his position without ruining his career. 

Your Power Plan:

• Do one small thing that helps the company without asking for permission first.
• Move first on new projects rather than waiting for a protocol to be written.
• Take responsibility when things go wrong, but don’t waste time apologizing.
• Only break rules if you’re pretty sure you can get away with it and it won’t get you fired. 
• Remember that “being nice” isn’t as effective as being powerful when you want to lead.

Power isn’t a gift; it’s something you build. Now that you’ve got the playbook, pick three lessons that really hit home for you and start using them today. You’ll be surprised how fast people start treating you like the director you’re meant to be.