The 50th Law (with 50 Cent)

The Court Jester:
Almost every court has its Jester. In the past they
wore a cap and bells, but today they come in different varieties and
looks. They can be the court cynic and scoffer, who has license to poke
fun at almost everyone and everything, including sometimes the
leaders themselves, who tolerate this because it shows their apparent
lack of insecurity and sense of humor. Another variety is the
domesticated rebel. Such types are allowed to go against the dress
code, display looser behavior, and espouse unconventional opinions.
They can be a bit flamboyant. In meetings, unlike anyone else, they are
allowed to come up with wild opinions contrary to the group. Such
nonconformists prove that the leaders encourage the free exchange of
opinions, at least in appearance.
These types fall into such roles because secretly they have a fear of
responsibility and a dread of failing. They know that as Jesters they are
not taken seriously and are given little actual power. Their humor and
antics give them a place in the court without the stress of actually
having to get things done. Their “rebelliousness” never really
represents a threat or challenge to the status quo. In fact, they make it
so others in the group can feel a bit superior to the in-house oddball,
more comfortable in conforming to the norm.
Never take their existence as a sign that you can freely imitate their
behavior. There is rarely more than one Jester per court for a reason. If
you feel the pull to rebel against the norms of the group, better to keep
it as subtle as possible. Often the modern court will tolerate differences
in appearances but not so much in ideas and political correctness.
Better to reserve your nonconformity for your private life, or until you
have amassed more power.
The Mirrorer:
These types are often among the most successful
courtiers of all, because they are capable of playing the double game to
the hilt—they are adept at charming leaders and fellow courtiers,
maintaining a broad base of support. Their power is based on the idea
that everyone at heart is a narcissist. They are masters at reflecting
back to people their own moods and ideas, making them feel validated
without sensing the manipulation, as opposed to using overt flattery.

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In the court of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Frances Perkins, FDR’s
secretary of labor and longtime adviser, was the consummate player of
this game. She had high levels of empathy and could sense Roosevelt’s
moods. She would adapt to them. She knew he loved to hear stories, so
any idea she presented to him she would present with some type of
story line, and this would charm him. She listened to whatever he said
with much more attention than anyone else and could later refer
verbatim to something “brilliant” he had said, which proved how
deeply she had listened.
If she was going to recommend an action that might meet some
resistance, she would couch it as one of his own ideas from the past,
but with a slight modification of her own. She could decipher the
meaning of his various types of smiles, knowing when she could go
further with her idea and when to stop in her tracks. And she made
certain to confirm his idealized image of himself as the noble warrior
fighting on behalf of the disenfranchised. To other courtiers, she
presented herself in the most nonthreatening manner, never making a
show of her influence over her boss and applying the same type of
charm to everyone who crossed her path. In this way she made it hard
to feel threatened or envious of her powers.
This is a role you might want to consider playing in the court
because of the power it brings, but to pull it off you will have to be a
great reader of people, sensitive to their nonverbal cues. You want to
be able to mirror their moods, not just their ideas. This will cast a spell
over them and lower their resistance. With leaders, you must be aware
of their idealized opinion of themselves and always confirm it in some
way, or even encourage them to live up to it. Those on top are lonelier
and more insecure than you imagine, and they will lap this up. As
mentioned before, overt flattery can be dangerous because people can
see through it, but even if they see through your mirroring, they will
remain charmed and want more.