Niccolò Machiavelli here. You might know me from my famous quote, 'the end justifies the means' (spoiler alert: I never actually said that). But you've been missing out on some good stuff because no one offers better career, leadership, and life advice than me (I lived through some crazy times). So here I give you my unvarnished counsel in a conversational format that gets down to the nitty-gritty.

There's something useful and unexpected here for everyone from ambitious corporate executives and frustrated middle managers to ordinary citizens who could use some honest, no-nonsense advice on dealing with colleagues, friends, and family. I'll walk you through my core principles related to management and leadership, including ways to resolve conflicts: when to bluff, how to burnish your reputation—even how to pull off a conspiracy. And what is life, if not navigating one damn conflict after another?

Not to brag, but I've been told I have a keen wit and a droll sense of humor. And I'm pulling no punches here. I think you'll find these blunt and brutally frank life lessons a bracing antidote to the vapid happy talk that passes for modern management advice these days.