It’s the 50 th anniversary of The Godfather probable the most famous
and many would say the best film about the mafia. Films and t.v.
series set in the world of organised crime are often referred to in
articles to illustrate the principles of effective business thus
spicing up what otherwise might be rather dull academic accounts. In
any discussion about leadership, strategy, negotiation tactics,
effective communication or employee motivation a reference to
the severed horse’s head in the bed is going to grab the
readers attention. But what I find most interesting rewatching the
film 50 years on is what it has to say about Loyalty and giving
Favours to build relationships. Practises that have always gone on in
business but seem to have become more acceptable.
A scene at the beginning of the film shows the Don giving an audience
to those who wish to use the occasion of him becoming a Godfather at
his nephews christening to ask a favour. As is the tradition on such
occasions he is obliged to grant the favour but as he explains to an
enraged father whose unmarried daughter has become pregnant to a local
boy, if he agrees to help the father then he may be asked a small
favour at a later date, a favour he can not refuse. The father wants
the boy killed. The Don points out that this would leave his daughter
with out a husband and the child with out a father. They settle on
breaking the young man’s legs.
Doing someone a favour doesn’t usually come with an explicit
commitment to return the favour but it does put you in the others
debt. And if you’re in a position to do a lot of favours then a lot of
people are going to feel they owe you. HR are good at favour, help you
out of a little local difficulty. Maybe bypass some of those
recruitment procedures on this one occasion. You don’t have to go as
far as suggesting who should be appointed just let it be known who you
think is the best candidate. Then there are contracts everything is
done by competitive tendering these days except when an exception is
made. The lowest bid isn’t automatically successful there can be other
criteria but it helps if a friend lets you know what the lowest bid
is. May be your bid could be fast tracked.
In Mafia society loyalty is very important. To many chief executives
personal loyalty is very important. Both expect unquestioning support
and maintain it through a system of patronage and fear. The mafia
have the more effective employee retention strategy and a code of
silence the equivalent of your average business Non Disclosure
Agreement. Of course there are inevitably over time changes at the
top. In the Godfather that involves getting rid of the those who’s
loyalty is to the Don not to the organisation, it is much the same in
business. Hence the famous quote,” it’s not personal it’s just
business”.
Blair Mcpherson former Director author and blogger www.blairmcpherson.co.uk