"Ambition," said Oscar Wilde, "is the germ from which all growth of nobleness proceeds." If that's so, then the men and women for others produced by Boston College must be the noblest human beings on Earth. Among these admirable creatures there are (obviously) some who are smarter and more promising than others, and these elite few have the power and determination to take over the world. So if Machiavelli is your hero, make BC proud and start your conquest.
1.Choose your leadership style John Beck and Neil Yeager wrote a book a few years ago titled The Leaders' Window, which can help you point your character traits to a specific style of leadership. Do you like watching others follow your directions, making decisions alone, listening to few of others' suggestions, and overseeing the takeover process from a corner office? Then you are a director, the strongest style for domination. One level down is the problem solver, someone who offers limited support to his or her minions as they carry out plans. The problem solver considers their input, but ultimately doesn't care and does what he or she wants anyway. Further down is the developer, someone with authority who sits in the corner and tosses in suggestions now and then but exhibits little or no influential behavior. Preceding the developer is the delegate, a polite pseudonym for wimp.
2.Learn from your predecessors Study the empires, from the Persians, through the Etruscans and Romans, up to Great Britain, Spain, even the makeup of the European Union. Consider assembling a chart of their rises and falls, paying close attention not only to their swanky buildup and fanfare, but the common failures that lead to their unfortunate destructions. Next, profile the most powerful leaders and their enemies, including, but not limited to, Genghis Khan, Alexander the Great, Darius I, Napoleon, Charlemagne, Julius Caesar, Hitler, Mussolini, and Stalin. Additionally, be familiar with the Great Man Theory and the arguments brought against it; the best offense is a good defense.
3.Form your inner circle No successful person ever reached the top without a little help. There are two ways to choose your advisers and you may rely on whichever you feel will ultimately yield the most power. 1) Bring in an array of experts from different fields and with varying backgrounds, including those who might disagree with you on certain matters of policy. By having all perspectives at your disposal, you're less likely to neglect a detail that could come back to bite you. 2) Surround yourself with like-minded yes-men and women who will be unconditionally supportive and loyal. This option works best for those who are certain they know everything.
4.Befriend the current power holders Keep your enemies close by getting in with the influential. From W to Mary-Kate, schmooze your way to the A-list and take notes on whom you can placate and where blackmail will be useful. Plus, if this whole "take over the world" thing doesn't work out, at least you'll be really popular and connected.
5.Devise your plan of attack Decide what sort of takeover you'd like to carry out, military or diplomatic. Only the savviest, most suave leaders should attempt the latter; or maybe just a really compelling used car salesman.
6.Practice, practice, practice Rehearse, simulate, and repeat until you eat, breath, and sleep strategy. Start slowly with weekly games of Risk until you feel thoroughly cunning and ruthlessly calculated. When you're ready for a faster pace, try World Empire V, a computer simulation that one reviewer even recommends, "For that megalomaniac you just know is bent on conquering the world." Practice what you learn by taking over a small country in South America or island in the South Pacific; choosing a warm place will even allow for a little R&R amidst the toils of power consolidation.
7.Transfer into CSOM You aren't likely to succeed on your conquest without a college degree, so for now, sit tight. Beef up your negotiating skills for those teleconferences with Kofi, practice your marketing pitch to Mr. Burnett for a reality series that will chronicle your rise to power, and land an internship at GE to see mass organization on a smaller scale. Global conglomerates are a great practice ground!
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