Strategy Lessons from The Godfather
Strategy Lessons from the Godfather
Over the last Christmas vacation, I watched Godfathers 1 and 2 twice apiece. After spending 40 years never having seen either, it was time to rectify, and I offer the following lessons I learned (I’m saving #3 for next year).
1. Speak less.
In the musical “Hamilton”, the lead character is advised to “Speak less, smile more”, which is probably good advice to all of us. In the Godfather, both Vito and Michael speak very little, which only enhances the power of their words when they do speak.
In the bloody world of the Mafia speaking too much brings even greater risks, and each Godfather movie offers a good example of being too talky. In the first movie, Sollozzo comes to Vito with a business offer to invest in his narcotics operation. Vito declines to participate due to the risk and his distaste for drugs. But Sonny speaks up, suggesting that it could be good business. To this, Vito offers a world-class glare that I’m sure we have all gotten from our fathers. Afterward Sollozzo recognizes that if Sonny were in charge of the family he could have a deal, and puts a hit on Vito. Sonny got his father, the Don, shot by speaking too much.
In the second film, Fredo (after a few Cuba Libres) lets it slip that he does indeed know Johnny Ola. Michael is a good listener, recognizes the slip and concludes that Fredo has betrayed the family. Go back and watch Michael’s face after he hears Fredo, it is a chess master calculating the next four moves. This ultimately leads to Fredo’s death on Lake Tahoe.
2. Get in others’ heads.
The Godfather is like a big first player game where you see the world through Michael’s eyes and try to co-pilot his family. When playing this game, it is crucial to understand the opponents, their weaknesses and their motivations. Michael says in the first movie, “One thing I learned from Pop: try to think how others around you are thinking”.
At one point, Michael fears that the Barzini family is going to kill him. He goes to his father and asks what he thinks will happen. Vito says the Barzinis will come after him by using somebody close to him, in the family circle. When Tessio comes to him at the Don’s funeral, Michael immediately knows, and then Tessio is goners.
3. Dig the well before you’re thirsty.
In the opening scene of the movie Amerigo Bonasera comes to Godfather for a favor, since it is Sicilian tradition to consider all favors on their daughter’s wedding day. Amerigo has been a very successful undertaker but has lived totally within the American system, never engaging with the Corleones. However, the system of justice fails him, which leads him to the Don. Godfather says “you never come to me, until you need a favor”.
Vito is often doing favors to people even though there is no apparent quid pro quo. He offers value well before asking, he “goes first” and has a large pool of assets to draw from in the future. Michael is the opposite, never offering value, and always scheming. Not coincidentally, Vito lived a full life and had a packed funeral, while Michael is generally alone.
4. Build a wall of friendships. Our society allows us to live as islands, if we choose. We can make money online, order food from GrubHub and never interact with people if we choose. Michael might have chosen to live like that, but not Vito, who says this to Johnny Fontane: “What of your old friends? One year you around with this person, the next year another person…that Italian boy, he had some bad luck and you never saw him again because you were more famous.”
The movie’s version of the Mafia operates as a parallel society, with its own system of justice. In many ways, it is superior, and is driven by relationships and loyalty. More Vito: “Friendship is everything. Friendship is more than talent. It is almost the level of family. If you had built a wall of friendships you wouldn’t have to ask me to help.”
5. Be Deliberate, but decisive.
Have you ever met a person who takes forever to make a decision, and even then feels like they could change at any moment? Those are challenging people to work with (and live with). Michael and Vito both have this powerful ability to take in a moderate amount of information, and get to a firm decision. Michael, when thinking about the plan to kill Sollozzo: “Once anybody makes up their mind to kill then there’s no problem. That’s the hard part, making up your mind.”
6. Use reason, not threats or anger. Vito Corleone could have been a self-help speaker or written books on negotiation. Before we were “Getting to Yes” or finding the other side’s BATNA, he was finding the other person’s interests and using them to help solve problems.
Vito: “Never get angry. Never make a threat. Reason with people.”
7. Create monopolies. Peter Thiel, in “Zero to One’ argues that competition is for suckers. Better instead to create Blue Ocean products where there are no competitors. After starting his olive oil business, Vito “persuaded” store owners to stock less of the competitors and for competitors to merge into his business. Similarly, he divvied up the entire country with other Mob families so each would have their own territories and no competition. They did a good job avoiding red oceans (although the tactics not recommended!)
