Ruthlessness is not for the faint of heart. But there are important differences, too. Success is a complex combination of character and competencies. Raw talent in gas-lighting, cruelty and coercion aren’t enough.
That being said, being streetwise and cutthroat is old school. It takes cold-blooded focus and dedication. Most aspiring strongmen, kingpins, kleptocrats, fraudsters and even dime-a-dozen grifters and corporate tyrants aren’t born with a silver spoon or can wait for daddy to be indicted to take over the family syndicate. (Photo by: Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images) Universal Images Group via Getty Imagesīut where do you find the consultants who coach mendacity and duplicitousness? Or tap headhunters whose Rolodexes are stuffed with brilliant but amoral toadies? Is there a clearing-house for unscrupulous lawyers specializing in shady dealings and book-cooking accountants with stints at Enron or AIG on their résumés? Bartolucci traditional toy shop with wooden Pinocchio dolls on Via dei Pastini, Rome, Lazio, Italy.
