Leadership lessons from Tony Soprano
Some random thoughts on leadership, inspired by Tony Soprano after my recent binge watching of the show:
- It’s lonely at the top
- Being at the top is about making decisions
- It’s a hard job. Everyone always wants something from you, you have to make tough decisions and enforce them.
- Being decisive is more important than being right
- If something needs to get done, you gotta do it yourself. When Tony’s cousin had to get killed, Tony went and did it himself. When the Bellevaqua kid had to get shot, he did it himself.
- Be greedy. Tony will break your knees if you hold even 1000 from him.
- Make your team respect you. When he left the hospital, people thought he was weak. He nip it in the bud by beating up his big muscled bodyguard for nothing in front of his crew.
- Treat your team like family. Know everything about them, let the come to you with their personal problems, take an interest in their families and troubles, take care of them. Whenever someone dies, Tony goes to funerals, sends gifts, etc.
- Make people have a good time. He kids around, makes people laugh, hugs people, teases them, brings them food.
- Be pragmatic.
- Don’t care if people don’t like you. He makes decisions that keep the business going well for everyone even if the decision is unpopular and he defends his decision.
- Keep your circle of trust small and tight.
- Groom your successor. He has christopher and has been grooming him for years.