Leadership Lessons from 'The Godfather'

In the late 1960s, American novelist Mario Puzo went down to a tiny room in the basement of his Long Island home. It had enough space for a small desk, on which he placed his typewriter, and a pool table for his five children to use after school. Puzo’s first two novels were critically acclaimed but sold little, leaving him and his family in deep debt. He needed a bestseller; he needed a book that might not be celebrated by the critics but could soar through the sales charts and remove him from his deep financial hole. 

Because of his upbringing in Hell’s Kitchen, a predominantly Italian section of New York, Puzo was privy to the vast underworld around him. Though his mother never allowed him to partake in any street shenanigans, Puzo knew how it all worked. He knew the organization’s structure, the language of how they talked and, most of all, their daily behaviors. He used that expansive knowledge each day as he sat in front of the typewriter creating the 10-page outline that would become an international bestseller: “The Godfather.”

Puzo’s book, which later became one of the greatest movies of all time, is not about leadership. But when you remove the bloodshed, the power grab and the turf fight, the story offers some amazing lessons. Puzo’s main character, Vito Corleone, runs a vast empire and must make smart decisions that literally have life-or-death consequences. 

Here are six lessons from watching and reading “The Godfather.”

1. Never hate your enemies. It affects your judgment. When we allow hate to enter into our thinking, we block out any clear understanding of the problems and potential solutions.

2. Build authentic relationships by helping others — not because you expect something in return. Do favors for others. 

3. Understand what the other side wants — make them an offer they can’t refuse. We all tend to negotiate from our viewpoint, making our points more important than the other’s. Negotiate from strength, not weakness.

4. Listen, and don’t talk. Never allow anyone from outside your inner circle to know exactly how you feel. Don’t be emotional when learning something new. Stay calm and quiet. 

5. Don’t settle for the easiest path; find ways to win. When Vito Corleone was in the hospital, his son Sonny told his council he wanted “no more advice on compromise; tell me how to win.” Make those you lead give you a clear cut resolution to a problem. 

6. Observe. When Vito’s son Michael is attending his funeral, he watches those around him keenly and forms his opinions. He reads their body language, behaviors and movements. Watch everyone and understand the behaviors of those you lead. 

Puzo delivered a masterpiece from his little basement office that, 60 years later, remains just as relevant in our leadership worlds.

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