The Sopranos is one of my favourite TV series of all time. HBO Canada is currently running all the episodes on consecutive nights in celebration of the 25th anniversary.
How you doin?
There is an interesting book that I picked up at a used book shop, “Tony Soprano on Management.” The subtitle is, “Leadership Lessons Inspired by America’s Favorite Mobster.” Amazing how a fictional character can be assessed and his management style woven into a business book.
The author, Anthony Schneider, created this unauthorized book on his own accord. Like me, Mr. Schneider is a marketing consultant and leadership coach. I suppose I feel a kinship on this front, too.
Like any other leader, Soprano deals with an array of employee and business issues every day:
- Staffing problems – hiring and firing (literally in some cases), as well as ongoing performance management (the envelope feels a bit light this week – you are not the earner I thought you would be).
- Business issues – running legitimate businesses (a strip club and waste management) and the associated day to day and competitive challenges that arise.
- Private business deals – running high roller poker games complete with catered food, professional dealers, and sundry other “extras.”
- Competitive Dynamics – if we do “this” and our competitor does “that” what will we do next?
- Labour issues – providing onsite union guidance for labour on major projects – for a fee for service, or non-service as the case may be (paid to be a no-show???).
- Celebrating success – not always with family, but always with friends and business associates.
- Integrating family into business – he deals with other “families” that are also in similar business ventures.
- And so on…
The book is a treasure trove of tools and approaches to help you deal with your business issues (aside from the “whacking”).
The one thing the character did and that great leaders should do is “ACT.” While Tony would contemplate an issue, he acted and resolved it a lot sooner than many real businesses (certainly faster than government bureaucracy). Although Carmela, his wife in the series, said it first, this Cicero quote was used by Tony in the same episode with a rival mob family leader. “More is lost by indecision than wrong decision.” And for anyone that has watched the series you know there were wrong decisions, but seldom indecision.
I use the concept of a football team’s game plan and adapted it for business application in the same way as the author did with the Soprano character and management. Not everything is a linear and direct example. Context is important. Knowing what fits and what doesn’t is also essential to ensure you are applying the game plan concept correctly. If you have never played high level football you won’t likely understand the football aspect of the game plan. However, the principles of review, planning, execution, adjustment, and measurement hold true for your business game plan just as in football. And you must have a strategy that is articulated in your game plan. This approach holds for the book and its management lessons, too.
Reading a book like this allows me to stretch my brain and thought process the same as listening to a terrific business podcast or reading a superb business book. There are always things I learn and agree with, and just as often something that I cannot completely reconcile. And yet, being judgement free, there is nothing lost for me. Sometimes the opposite of a good idea is another good idea. There is always a takeaway that gets stored for future reference. Or maybe when I teach at the university or chair a leadership session.
The good news is always – you don’t have to if you don’t want to. But if you choose to you can go places, kid. There is a consequence for eery decision you make or avoid.
Disclaimer: I am not suggesting that you act like a mob boss in your real life. No “whacking” or cement shoes or other stereotypical shenanigans. Be a good person and do good things for the right reasons. Please don’t have your morals and ethics surgically removed.
The first step is “know thyself.”
Otherwise…well, fuhgeddaboudit.
Tim's Thursday Thoughts 