Be wary of friends – they will betray you more quickly, for they are easily aroused to envy. They also become spoiled and tyrannical. But hire a former enemy and he will be more loyal than a friend, because he has more to prove. If you have no enemies, find a way to make them.
Example of the mistake in action
Michael III, the ruler of the Byzantine Empire, chose his close friend Basilius over his uncle Bardas, who was more qualified for the job.
- When Michael needed to elect a chief councillor, he needed someone loyal, and who would be more loyal than someone who owed everything to him?
- He ignored the advice of all those who recommenced a much more qualified Bardas and picked his friend instead.
Example of the law applied successfully
Early Chinese history followed a pattern of violent coups – the military generals would plot and kill a weak emperor, and replace him with a strong general
- To secure his position, the new emperor would kill off his fellow generals, and every few years, this bloody process would repeat
- In 959 AD, General Chao K’uang-yin became Emperor Sung, and it was probable that he would be murdered in a year or two
- Desperate to break the cycle, he invited his fellow powerful generals to a banquet and dismissed the guards
- The generals in the room were now very afraid that the king was planning on killing them all, here and now, in one fell swoop
- Instead, the king made them an offer: give up your commands and I will give you fine estates and beautiful dwellings where you can enjoy singers and girls as companions
Keep friends for friendship, but work with the skilled and competent
The better choice is to work with those who are most competent rather than just hiring friends – this is ideal both for your enterprise and your personal development.
- Ingratitude will kill you
- When you help someone in a major way, they feel that their status has lowered in comparison to yours, that they now owe you something.
