the art of leading

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Think ahead-be prepared

In the Mafia, Families maintain a position roughly equal to that of Vice-President in business terms. They call that person the Underboss. The Underboss is the second-in-command of the family. Their specific tasks may vary from family to family. Sometimes they have autonomous power to run a large part of the business ventures with the sole obligation of reporting to the don, who’s #1. Other times that person doesn’t have such broad capacity. The most common thread, though it varies, is that the underboss is frequently groomed to replace the don in case of death or incarceration.

This is a perfect example of planning for the future. It involves putting the future of an organization in the top of the priority list. Granted, many leaders in many walks of life have been great icons without having a succession plan in place. But their organizations have faltered after their exit. In the Mafia, though, the main Families have remained the same throughout some decades: the Sicilian Mafia, the Camorra Mafia, the Calabrian Mafia, the Sacra Coronas Unita, and La Cosa Nostra (American Mafia). Obviously, the underboss many times has been ousted before becoming don. But the fact remains that the family has created new leaders that subsequently rise to power and guarantee relative stability.

Today’s business world, I believe, should take heed. Many companies hire CEO’s from outside their cultures. Their success is dependant on the “flavor of the day”, evidenced by the high turnover rates. I’m not saying this is inherently bad: fresh perspectives aid a lot in solving different situations. It’s just that I believe that the best leaders see themselves as having the additional responsibility of assuring the organization’s future and not just think about the present moment. The best leaders should develop themselves as mentors to others. This provides flexibility and security in case of unforeseeable circumstances.

Mafiosi understand the importance of mentorship. You should too. Not only does it bring considerable benefits to an organization as a whole, but it also aids in the personal development of everyone, hence breeding more productivity and loyalty.

Categories : General Leadership, Mafia, Mentorship //