“Indeed, there is no other way of guarding oneself from flattery than by letting men understand that they will not offend you by telling the truth.”Niccolò Machiavelli · Principele · 1532 · Capitolul XXIII
To rid yourself of flatterers, you must demonstrate that the truth does not anger you.
Machiavelli identifies flattery as a major danger for a leader: flatterers say what he wants to hear, not what he needs to know. To get rid of them, a prince must create a climate where people are not afraid to tell the truth. If a counselor knows he will be punished for bad news, he will lie. For example, a CEO who punishes constructive criticism will be surrounded by yes-men and will make wrong decisions.
Machiavelli knew that flatterers do not lie out of malice, but out of fear. A leader who gets angry at the first sign of disagreement trains people to stay silent. For example, a manager who shouts at the first uncomfortable question will only receive silent approvals. Truth thus becomes a dangerous commodity, not a precious gift. To break this circle, the leader must reward the courage to speak, not just tolerate the truth. Only then do flatterers lose their power.
Why it matters In any organization or relationship, encouraging honesty is the only antidote to interested lies; those who surround themselves with flatterers deceive themselves.