Business Brilliance from The Godfather

Some say that I have an unhealthy obsession with The Godfather movies. Well, at least with the first two. And I can't entirely disagree.

I have seen them hundreds of times and still stop the clicker when I see a Godfather clip while flipping through the cable stations. "Leave the gun and take the canoli" gets me to stop every time.

I also own the DVD box set.

I think I realized I had a problem a few years ago when one of my employees disagreed with me on a customer conference call. I hit mute and said "Santino, never go against the family!"

He looked at me like I was a complete freak show.

Then I made him an offer he couldn't refuse and we were Ok with each other again.

But seriously, I think the reason I like the Godfather movies so much is because there are so many great business lessons in it. Ok, not the killing. That's not really a great lesson. But if you replace "kill" with "fire," well then, you might be on to something.

Now, on to Dave's top 10 list of business brilliance from The Godfather.

1) “I'll make him an offer he can't refuse” - Putting a gun to someone's head during negotiations is usually frowned upon in corporate America. But effective negotiating is still essential for getting ahead. If you can't negotiate well, you will have trouble getting ahead, so learn how to do it.

2) “Come with friendship, not with dollar bills.” Business is 99% about relationships. This is why business is done at meals, on the golf course, or in the case of Next Step’s saleswoman Amy Costanza, shopping for shoes with her clients. This form of bonding ensures that even if another company offers a better price, the customer will still go with you; the trusted friend who she spent “leisure” time with.

3) The Don's men understood the power of branding. They let others spread their name for them. It all starts from the top down, goes to the team and then the customers. When you get your customers spreading the good word, your brand just got made.

4) “Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.” - Good advice for all walks of life but especially for the business owner trying to stay on top of his competition who is trying to undermine him. The best strategy to deal with these people is to not let them know you are their enemy.

5) “Never dishonor those who helped you” 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.

6) “It’s not personal, it’s business.” Some people think Donald Trump invented this phrase. Sorry folks, it was the original Don. When you boil this phrase down, it simply means that if you have to make a decision, you need to emotionally detach yourself from it to make sure it makes the best business sense.

7) They’re flexible. They don’t stick with a product or service that isn’t profitable. Times change. Running alcohol during prohibition was profitable for only so long. Don Corleone was adaptable and changed his product line to adapt with the times while holding firm to his values.

8) They make it easy to buy. For those that did business with the Corleone family, it was a pleasure. They got a good product and were treated with respect. It was easy to do business with them because of the simplicity of their business model!

9) “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. Have fun and laugh with your kids. Teach them life’s lessons; not how to worry about business.

10) "Never go against the family." My reaction on that conference call may have a bit of an overreaction but there is some merit to this quote. Good bosses certainly encourage an open dialogue and encourage feedback. Great bosses surround themselves with "no" men instead of traditional "yes." men (and women). If they have their ego in check they won't have to surround themselves with a bunch of minions that bobble their heads all day long. But the important thing is that disagreements should be discussed internally. Otherwise the company looks confused and without a solid, firm direction.

I hope you have enjoyed my top 10 list of business brilliance from The Godfather. To be clear, I do not condone the violence that the mafia uses in their methods of "negotiation." But be honest, haven't you wanted to "whack" a coworker at some point?

Arrivederci,
Davide