Entrepreneurial Traits of Mafia Dons

If you have ever seen a good Mafia movie, whether its Goodfellas or The Godfather, you know that Mafia members have a certain way of getting things done. Aside from the violence and illegal activity, the mafia members in hit movies such as these can actually teach us a great deal about entrepreneurship. In fact, there are a lot of similarities between a good startup team and a tight-knit mafia. While it may be some outside-of-the-box thinking, next time you are in the mood for a good Mafia drama, pay close attention to some of the entrepreneurial traits you can see in these mob members.

They Get Stuff Done No Matter What

Just like in the best mafia movies, you need to be willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done. While in mafia movies this often requires a great deal of law breaking, in the real world it is all about using the tools you have to get the job done no matter what.

This is the type of strong leader that you want at the center of your new startup and the type of attitude that any successful entrepreneur should have. It doesn’t matter how hard you have to work or how late you have to stay up, you don’t leave the office until what needs to be done is done. Have that mentality that you won’t quit until the job is done, and you can take any business far in this market.

What’s Best for the Family is Best for Them

In mafia movies, there is always the underlying theme of family and everything the mafia does is always about the good of the family. This is the exact same tight-knit mentality that any new startup needs to have, only the startup needs to be the family and everyone needs to be willing to put the organization above themselves.

All team members need to work together, towards a common goal and to focus on what is best for their company, not about being the shining star or the hero. In the best mafia movies, the main characters aren’t robbing banks for their own interests, they are doing it for the good of their organization. Adopt this same mentality to create a tight-knit, focused team that trusts each other.

They’re Brutally Honest

Some of the best lines of mafia movies come because their leaders are brutally honest. This can be a jarring trait, but it is a good one to have. This doesn’t mean being rude or disrespectful, but it does mean being brutally honest. As a leader, you need to be straightforward with everyone on your team and honest even if it means accidentally hurting people’s feelings. Startups are often in sink or swim mode and you don’t have time to worry about feelings or decorum during these moments. You need to save time by being honest, straightforward, to-the-point and brutally honest so everyone can move on and focus at the task at hand. It truly does save everyone time.

Running a new startup is no easy task, but if you keep these important entrepreneurial traits in mind, you can develop the type of tight-knit team that can really get things done.