{"id":758,"date":"2013-08-14T11:50:48","date_gmt":"2013-08-14T19:50:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alfieland.com\/?p=758"},"modified":"2013-08-14T15:35:33","modified_gmt":"2013-08-14T23:35:33","slug":"vito-corleone-school-of-management","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alfieland.com\/?p=758","title":{"rendered":"The Vito Corleone School of Management"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"godfather\"<\/a>\u2026having come of age in Philadelphia during the fifties, I knew \u2018those guys\u2019. They were family, neighbors and friends\u2026especially at 7th and Mountain St. in South Philly where pop had his place of business, and 11th and Wolf where my grandparents and selected family resided. In some ways, those characters became influential in what I would eventually come to embrace. I was of them but wasn\u2019t one of them. While our dad was loosely \u2018connected\u2019, it was mom who kept my brother Jimmy and me on a very tight leash, but the lessons gleaned from the \u2018wise guys\u2019 have proven to be invaluable. Of those \u2018street urchins\u2019, the one who best represents that which is right (not necessarily lawful) is Mario Puzzo\u2019s fictional character, Vito Corleone. No institution of higher learning has formally recognized the great skill and leadership of the \u201cGodfather.\u201d In the future, maybe we\u2019ll see the University of Nevada\u2019s Corleone Graduate School of Business and Management. I don\u2019t think so, but what an endowment!<\/p>\n

While few want to be associated with an organized crime syndicate, the management style and wisdom of Vito Corleone was far reaching and has great practical applications as to how we live and what we might value (albeit annotated and edited). Given the opportunity to know anyone in history, actual or fictional, my choice would be Don Corleone. I, along with many others, view Coppola\u2019s Godfather films as masterpieces (I and II) and the lessons his characters taught us are timeless. Remember the opening scene\u2026?<\/p>\n

On Jurisprudence<\/h2>\n

Amerigo Bonasera is waiting \u2018on line\u2019 to have an audience with the Godfather while attending the wedding of Connie Corleone, Vito\u2019s daughter. At the Godfather\u2019s desk, Bonesera says, \u201cI believe in America. America has made my fortune. I raised my daughter in the American fashion. I gave her freedom but, I taught her never to dishonor her family.\u201d As you might remember, this little soliloquy was the result of Bonasera\u2019s daughter being raped and beaten by some neighborhood thugs and he was seeking justice since the courts did not dispense such at the conclusion of their trial. While the Godfather was not immediately keen to fill this request for a variety of reasons, he reluctantly gave his assurances that the matter would be handled directly\u2026but not by taking a life since no life was taken during the commission of the crime.<\/p>\n

The takeaway for me was\u2026the legal system is designed to interpret and apply the law, which is does quite well. The dispensation of justice is another matter. While justice may be its objective, often it is a mere ancillary byproduct of that system. Justice is another matter and occasionally, it is accomplished via \u2018non- traditional\u2019 means (not all of which meets with my approval). Somehow, I\u2019ve always known that. I don\u2019t know if this was a learned lesson as a result of observation, or if it was just organically there. I just knew it very early in life and it was reinforced with that scene. While very colorful, John Gotti was not the most quotable character of the 20th century, but he once said, \u201cWe have our own system of jurisprudence in Little Italy\u201d in answer to the question of, \u201cwhy such a very low crime rate in that section of NYC when compared with other neighborhoods?<\/p>\n

Ummmm!<\/p>\n

On Priorities<\/h2>\n

\u2026a theme central to the first Godfather film was the consideration of Don Corleone\u2019s \u2018family\u2019 entering the narcotics business at the invitation of Virgil Sollozzo\u2026a Sicilian thug who was a \u2018wanna be\u2019 player without portfolio\u2026no capital, connections nor political influence. Four of the five families concurred with this new enterprise because of its potential profitability leaving the Corleone\u2019s uncommitted. At a \u2018sit down\u2019 with the heads of the five families, Sonny (Vito\u2019s second son and heir apparent) was offering his voice on the matter which displeased his father for a host of reasons not the least of which was tipping the family\u2019s hand to the competition. This is a serious error in sports, business and within all Italian families\u2026legit or otherwise.<\/p>\n

The Don was a thoughtful man with vision, insight and a sense of propriety about his ventures. He viewed his businesses as vice which provided that which people sought\u2026recreation. \u201cHow a man makes his living is none of my business, you understand, but gambling, booze and broads isn\u2019t dope\u201d reflected his opinion on the matter. Many of his enterprises were deemed harmless vices which provided relief from the arduous business of managing our lives. Narcotics, however was another matter. The Godfather saw this as \u201cdestructive and dangerous\u201d for both clients and providers\u2026more so for providers. I admired his courage to walk away from a game changing business venture which reflected his ability to manage the \u2018greed monster\u2019 and to protect that which was his livelihood. This was the result of what business academics might call a cost\/benefit analysis where one measures the long term effect as a result of the effort required, then asks the great question\u2026 \u201cis the juice worth the squeeze?\u201d<\/p>\n

I respected Don Vito\u2019s decision. My first take away was found in that noble act of passing on a highly profitable but \u201cdestructive and dangerous\u201d venture. More significant, was his commitment to protecting that which he deemed more important\u2026 his current enterprises which served the Corleone family well. This sentiment is best reflected in the following quote: \u201cI have a sentimental weakness for my children and I\u2019ve spoiled them as you can see. They talk when they should listen,\u201d referring to Sonny publicly expressing his opinion at the meeting table. \u201cBut anyway Signor Sollozzo, my no is final. And I wish to congratulate you on your new business; I know you\u2019ll do very well, and good luck\u2026especially since your interests don\u2019t conflict with mine.\u201d It is inferred however, that a price shall be exacted should that state of affairs change. In Yiddish, there is a transliterated expression that sounds like \u201cgay and gizenta hate,\u201d which means something like \u201cgo, and be well.\u201d I live by that little axiom. I don\u2019t want to run your life or anyone else\u2019s. I just want to run mine, but if your interests interfere with mine\u2026you shall be in a fight. We protect that which we value, and what we value become priorities.<\/p>\n

On Street Cred<\/h2>\n

\u2026young Vito Corleone (DiNiro) was gainfully employed in a general store until Don Fanucci instructed the owner to hire Sal Fanucci (not sure of name), his newly arrived immigrant nephew necessitating a replacement. This \u2018request\u2019 could not be denied. The local Don ran the neighborhood and lack of cooperation would result in unspoken hardship. Everyone got it. Vito was now unemployed and he graciously accepted his fate so as not to burden his boss with additional guilt. At the same time, Vito\u2019s neighbor, Pete Clemenza asked for a favor which entailed hiding a gun. As a \u2018thank you\u2019 Clemenza invited his new found friend to \u2018partner up\u2019 in some nefarious activities including burglary and selling hot merchandise. Vito accepted the offer and was now on his way to infamy.<\/p>\n

In a scene where Don Fanucci jumps onto the partners\u2019 truck loaded with stolen dresses, he confiscates several garments for his daughters while asking for a tribute payment which was customary and necessary. The demand was for more money than the boys were willing to pay. To that end, Vito meets with Don Fanucci in a caf\u00e9 and presents less than the required but anticipated tribute. The Don was angered but impressed with Vito\u2019s bold counter offer. He then promptly invited Vito to work for him. Unimpressed, young Vito did not believe in entitlements without providing service, so he \u2018dispatched\u2019 Fanucci in a dimly lit hallway leading to the Don\u2019s apartment. From that moment on, everyone knew Vito Corleone as a \u2018serious man.\u2019 That event created the \u2018Corleone Family\u2019 which grew into that well organized and highly profitable crime syndicate Puzzo and Coppola so deftly described. What I took from this portion of the story was the notion that you are \u2018nobody\u2019 until you accomplish something of value\u2026albeit a murder. Something clicked with me as a result of that scene.<\/p>\n

My Story:<\/h3>\n

At the conclusion of my first season coaching high school gymnastics in the CIF (governing body for high school sports in CA), I attended the annual coaches\u2019 meeting where rules changes were presented for the ensuing season. Our team at South Hills High School did well for our first time out and our kids went 11-1 with a conference championship. We were pretty bad but our competition was worse. While at that meeting, I suggested that we adopt the FIG (Federation of International Gymnastics) system of scoring rather than the current but antiquated system which had been in place for many years. The CIF Commissioner conducted that session and when the call for rules changes came up, I raised my hand and was promptly addressed as \u2019the guy in the back with the tie.\u2019 I proposed my rules change and the motion was soundly defeated\u2026by like 90-10 against. This was somewhat humbling in that my motion was not only a good rule change but the right rule change since everyone globally had adopted it many years prior\u2026except the CIF.<\/p>\n

A year later, our team did well again. We were getting better\u2026much better and our kids went 13-1 and won another conference championship. At the season\u2019s end I attended that same CIF rules meeting and proposed the same scoring change. This time the Commissioner addressed me as, \u2018the guy from South Hills.\u2019 My motion was defeated but not by as wide a margin\u2026like 60-40 against. During our third season, we went 14-0, won another conference championship and were ranked within the top ten teams in California. This time something dramatically different occurred at that CIF rules meeting. The Commissioner addressed me as, \u2018Al Marino from South Hills\u2019 and my proposal passed something like 90-10 in favor.<\/p>\n

My rule change recommendation was no different in form or substance the third time out when compared with my earlier attempts. What changed?…an accomplishment which established CREDIBILITY! My personal take away was and still is\u2026you have to succeed at what is in place prior to effecting change otherwise any effort toward that end will be viewed as \u201cwhining \u2018cause ya can\u2019t win under the current structure.\u201d Attempting change without having achieved in the \u2018what is\u2019 will likely prevent the \u2018what can be.\u2019 Accomplish something first, then maybe you\u2019ll be heard. Maybe!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u2026having come of age in Philadelphia during the fifties, I knew \u2018those guys\u2019. They were family, neighbors and friends\u2026especially at 7th and Mountain St. in South Philly where pop had his place of business, and 11th and Wolf where my … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-758","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-featured-story"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alfieland.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/758","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alfieland.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alfieland.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alfieland.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alfieland.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=758"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/alfieland.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/758\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":768,"href":"https:\/\/alfieland.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/758\/revisions\/768"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alfieland.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=758"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alfieland.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=758"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alfieland.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=758"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}