Business Lessons From The Godfather
I recently revisited one of the most influential movies of the last century, The Godfather
This three part drama about the Corleone crime family is usually just seen as good entertainment, but I extracted several business lessons from it. These lessons apply even if you are not in the line of mafia work.
Never dishonor those who helped you.
Henry Ford once said, “Integrity is crucial for business success – once you can fake that, you’ve got it made.” That may have worked for him, but in today’s world one of the most valuable things in business is your reputation. When someone helps you out, or stands up for you, thank him. You owe him one, even if he is too decent to tell you that. If you dishonor that person, others will take note. They will know that if they do business with you, they might very well be your next victim, and will steer clear of you.
Come with friendship, not with dollar bills.
Business is all about relationships. A man with all the money in the world will still be unhappy without someone to share it. This is why men close deals on golf courses, in cigar bars, and over a meal. This form of bonding ensures that even if a different person offers a better price, you will still go with the guy you trusted and spent “leisure” time with.
Watch your back.
As in anything where there are limited resources, there will always be people who say one thing to you and do another. The corporate ladder is not climbed without stepping on others’ heads. Know your friends and your enemies, and avoid putting yourself in a situation where you can be harmed.
Don’t discuss business at the dinner table.
A big thing in the mafia was not discussing business at the table. Give your family a break from business talk during the most important bonding time – dinner. Many studies have also found the psychological effect on kids always hearing parents discuss business is rather negative. Kids can become worried about the future, think money is the only thing that matters, or lose interest in talking to the folks. So keep your work in your office.
It’s not personal, it’s business.
While seemingly at odds with the second lesson, we are actually speaking here about how you should view decisions. If you get passed up for a promotion, it probably isn’t personal – it just made more sense from a business perspective for your superior to do so. If your longtime client leaves and you didn’t do anything wrong, thank him for his long business and move on – it’s not personal, and it doesn’t make any sense to waste time in misery over it. Also, if you have to make the decision, you need to emotionally detach yourself from it to make sure it makes the best business sense.
Do you have any other business lessons learned from the Don? Add a comment, I’d love to hear about it.
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December 5th, 2007 at 6:21 pm
[...] The Godfather trilogy illustrates many valuable Business and Leadership lessons. [...]
December 5th, 2007 at 6:36 pm
Many thanks for your GREAT article!!!! I really appreciate your insights. I added a link to this article from a recent HappinessBlog.com posting on the same subject. Would you consider a return link or comment?
Many thanks!
Michele Moore – author of
How To Live A Happy Life -
101 Ways To Be Happy
http://HappinessBlog.com
February 22nd, 2008 at 10:00 am
At 36, my father introduced the Godfather to me at about ten or eleven. And two important business lessons that we need to take from the Don are:
1. Never let anyone outside the family know what you are thinking.
2. Anticipate your enemies strategies and moves.
Hopefully these can be added.
Cliff – very interesting lessons. I do recall hearing those in the movies – thank you for contributing those
.
April 5th, 2008 at 5:51 am
I really appreciates the making of this articles.
here are my thought that i learned from the godfather and it’s very practical in business and life.
1.”Dont hate your enemies,because it’s effect your judgement.”
2.”Try to think what people around you think”
3.”Just don’t say that you are innocent,it’s insult my inteliggent”
this words for me is more to psychology words for those who wants to bring our favour to gain advantage.so be careful to this part of people in business.
4.”Women and children can be careless,not men”
this words is not taking prejudice on women and children,but it’s more to strong words for mens as a head of family.
5.”people who not spent time with family is nothing”
from Aziziee,
June 16th, 2008 at 11:36 pm
Never mess around with the boss’ daughter, even if you really aren’t cousins by blood.
July 9th, 2008 at 3:12 pm
Great post, especially the point “its not personal, its business.” so many peoples lives would be better had they heeded this. I am not so sure I agree with not discussing business at Dinner, as I learned many valuable lessons from listening to my parents discussions at the Dinner table.
February 10th, 2009 at 9:27 pm
Make them an offer they can’t refuse.
May 2nd, 2009 at 8:34 pm
[...] score is masterful and the overall story has so many lessons that are applicable in real life. This blog does a GREAT job if outlining some of the key [...]
May 6th, 2009 at 9:43 pm
leave the gun…take the connolies
May 8th, 2009 at 4:47 am
Chrysler likely to dodge US loan payback; Will join largest “deadbeats” in US history
What would the Godfather do? Who shall we send to collect this debt?
Ever since we lost Luca Brasi “to the fishes,” we’ve been contemplating who will collect the debt that Chrysler now says in its filing with the bankruptcy court it doesn’t plan paying back to the US Treasury (that would be you and I folks).
It’s certainly a sign of “disrespect.”
Since this debt is technically owed to the US Government, is it time to send in the Marines? Or shall we simply ask the judge to liquidate them (as in a Chapter 7 liquidation proceeding). You be the judge!
May 20th, 2009 at 9:28 pm
Its all about relationships! Focus on that and the money will come. Great post fun comparison.
May 3rd, 2010 at 8:49 pm
I honestly think that reputation is the most important part of business and has allot to do with why we see so many company’s in trouble today. Nobody thinks twice about burning bridges! I blame Hollywood.
May 21st, 2010 at 9:29 pm
1. Being the head isn’t an entry-level position. You must work your way up from the bottom.
2. “Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.”
3. Timing is crucial…be patient.
4. There’s always time for family.
5. A good name is hard to get but easy to lose.
6. There are more important things than money.
Just some introductory thoughts…
May 31st, 2010 at 12:15 am
Never let anybody outside the family know what you’re thinking. See if Sonny would have kept his mouth shut the tatalias would have never shot the Don. See they knew Sonny was hot for the deal but the Don wasn’t so they decided to get rid of him so Sonny could run the family and endorse the tatalia deal. Sonny showed the weak spot.
January 8th, 2012 at 8:09 pm
The book would disagree with the final point almost entirely, as it states that one of the Don’s strengths is that he takes everything personally – ‘accidents didn’t happen to people who took accidents as a personal insult.’