When not to Communicate

Leakage of information is due either of loyalty or to lack of discretion among to whom you communicate the plot.

Machiavelli

Influence relationships, just like business deals, frequently collapse because information about them leaks out. So when you are communicating with whomsoever you want to influence, do not communicate the fact to the wider world. Influence derives much if not most of its strength from being secret. Opponents will try to diminish the relationship by shining a public searchlight on it if they can, just as, for example, political parties will expose the source of the opposition’s party funds to destroy or discredit that particular influence.

So beware of yelling too loudly about what you are intending or of giving any indication, either to the person being influenced or to your opponents, what your objectives are. But while the key to a to a good manipulative relationship is to ensure that Mr. B is not altogether aware what effect Mr. A will have on him, some discreet signaling of intentions is still useful. Gentle hints, cool suggestions, and low-key messages about the advisability of action X as opposed to action Y are usually more effective as an opening gambit than banging all the arguments down on the table from the outset.

The less the words the better the prayer

MY JOURNEY