Here are some commonsense, yet often violated, rules about power that can help make you more successful--and, even better, equip you to cope with today's organizational realities:

You need to take care of yourself. Companies have been telling employees this for decades. The implication: don't worry about the company, because it isn't worrying about you. You are responsible for attracting the support that will make you successful and building your personal brand. Companies (and many people) worry more about what you can do for them in the future than what you have done for them in the past. VC partners who have made their colleagues billions are thrown out unceremoniously. Same for law partners, management consulting partners, public accounting firm leaders. Don't expect thanks for all you have done for your company or your colleagues in the past. Your job is to ensure that you are useful--through your role, the resources you control, your contacts and network, your reputation--to those around you as they contemplate their future. The minute you aren't, your influence will be either gone or substantially diminished. Perception is reality--so get a public relations strategy and get help where you need it. I...