If you want to be treated like a superior, you’ve got to act like one…

Are you higher up the ladder than someone else? If so, it’s essential to act the part – unless, of course, you prefer to be seen as their equal. But a word of warning: acting as if you’re equal to others while holding a superior position to them will only inspire contempt.

Take Louis-Philippe, king of France during the 1830s and 40s. He despised royal ceremonies, as well as all the symbols associated with the throne. In defiance of the formalities of his position, he was infamous for wearing a gray hat and holding an umbrella in place of his crown and scepter. In fact, he didn’t even keep the company of royalty, mostly befriending bankers instead.

But the king’s behavior didn’t do him any good – he was soon hated by both the rich and the poor. Wealthy people disapproved of the unlikely king, while the poor disliked a king who acted like the lower classes but didn’t look out for them. Even his banker friends turned on him when they found they could insult him without the fear of being reprimanded.

All of this hatred mounted until the people rose up against him and he was forced to abdicate the throne.

In general, people are suspicious of higher-ups who act like their equals; doing so leads people to thinking you’re dishonest, as they’ll assume your modest ways are a sly trick to cloud your privileges.

Then what’s a better tactic?

You should instead use the strategy of the crown to make people treat you like royalty. Simply put, if you believe you’re above others and act in this way, other people will begin to believe you’re superior, too. When people see you acting superiorly, they’ll assume there is good reason for you to do so.

For instance, Christopher Columbus behaved like royalty and, consequently, most people viewed him as such. In fact, it was his confident socializing with the Spanish royal family that eventually convinced the Spanish throne to finance his voyages.