What does King of Swords mean for career and work?

Senior authority in law, medicine, academia, strategy. The person whose judgement settles it.

He describes the stage where somebody's opinion is the deciding one, and the responsibility that arrives with that: consistency, and a standard that applies when it is inconvenient.

Reversed, authority defended rather than exercised. The practical reading upright is that the situation needs a decision made on stated principles and recorded, rather than another round of consultation.

Impartial judgement and clear reasoning. Set the standard and hold to it.

Excellent for legal, ethical and strategic decisions, and for any situation that has been decided several times on the basis of who was most persuasive that day.

In an advice position he says decide on the principle rather than on who is asking, and then apply it to yourself as well. The second half is what separates him from somebody merely inflexible.

Cold, controlling, using intellect as a weapon. Judgement without compassion.

Also, and this is the sharper reading, reasoning bent to justify a conclusion already reached. He is clever enough to construct an argument for anything, and the reversal is where that capacity is pointed at his own preferences.

It is very difficult to challenge from outside, because every individual step of the argument is sound.

Upright: authority, impartial judgement, ethics, clarity, strategy

Reversed: coldness, manipulation, harsh judgement, rationalising

• What principle should decide this, independent of who benefits?
• Am I reasoning toward the truth or toward what I already want?