One-Time Offer: Leadership Lessons From 'The Godfather'

If someone says that “The Godfather” is one of the greatest American films ever made, maybe a throng of people would react and tell him that this is a gross understatement. For starters, it is the best and certainly a highly influential film in its genre. A gangster movie won’t ever be the same again. It was difficult to escape the looming shadow of Vito Corleone even on a good day. And the whole movie screams “iconic” from beginning till end. If a person is fortunate enough, Nino Rota’s “Speak Softly Love” won’t be stuck in his head for ages.

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However hard it is for anyone to imagine that people can learn a thing or two about leadership from this critically acclaimed classic, the Corleones’ approach to issues and the situations encountered by the leading characters here in this film offer valuable insights. One cannot overemphasize the fact that this is not to condone or support criminal and immoral acts. There are general lessons, though, which do not involve those acts, that can help leaders achieve goals.

One of the clearest takeaways from the movie is the fact that building a network is as important as keeping an organization’s own core resources strong and independent. A group must acknowledge the necessity of forging ties and interconnected mutual relationships with other institutions that might help them survive in the most trying of times. Relationships outside of the immediate workplace can also surprisingly provide a perspective on issues and problems that beset the organization. The Corleones fiercely endorse familial closeness and friendships.

Image source: flickr.com

Resilience when faced with the most troublesome circumstances and the need for backup plans and other preparations for the future are necessary considerations that an effective leader must take into account. Executions work primarily because of careful and strategic planning. Business eventualities are dynamic, not static. One must plot possible solutions to future problems.

Richard Ohlhaber lists 'The Godfather' as one of his favorite movies. To learn more about his interests, follow this blog.

The Best Players After MJ Left the Bulls

Before we begin let’s get one thing straight – the discussion involving superlatives like best or greatest is more often than not, of a subjective nature. The reason why Michael Jordan is considered the GOAT is mostly backed up by the sheer number of people considering him to be. But now, let’s look at the best players who came after him.

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Kobe Bryant
A lot of players have been compared to MJ. A lot of players were touted as being the “next Michael Jordan”. The one player who comes closest to this is Kobe Bryant. Winning five NBA championships in the post-Jordan era, Kobe played, shot, and thought like MJ. It was uncanny. They were both winners.

Tim Duncan
Probably the most decorated player post-Jordan, Tim Duncan is the greatest power forward of all-time. Like Kobe, Duncan won five championships after MJ retired. The Big Fundamental became the Spurs’ leader for two decades, and would average a double-double for record periods of time.

Lebron James
Much has been said about Lebron James. Whether you love him or hate him, he is a player of immense talent, and one of the greatest in NBA history. To date, he has made the NBA finals eight straight years, and has won three championships. He continues to break a lot of records during his incredible career.

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Richard Ohlhaber lives in Texas but grew up in Chicago. He is still a huge fan of Chicago sports teams. For more on sports, visit this page.