3.

0 ANALYSE THE BEHAVIOUR OF LEADERSHIP IN THE GODFATHER: PART 1

(1972)

The growth and alternate of Michael Corleone from a disciplined officer inside the US
army into the maximum powerful mafia leader in the US, affords a have a look at in the growth
of each leadership features and management of alternate. Keeping this sort of context in
thoughts, the question additionally arises behaviour of leadership. This distinction is not as
smooth because it appears to be and has factors of moral values connected to the solution. Do
ethical issues come into play while ruthless and tough choices ought to be taken? This
particularly appears relevant in these day’s unexpectedly converting worldwide business
environments where tender considerations with the aid of the leader/s can spell doom for
corporations. If at all moral concerns come into play, then how a ways must they have an effect
on any chief-taken decisions?

Going lower back to Michael Corleone, in step with a vital studying of this transition of
Michael’s, we are able to say that the principle leadership developments he evolved have been:

- The belief of the fee of relationships

- The importance of taking ruthless choices quickly and without worry, and

- The significance persona trade in leadership improvement

These aren't in any order of priority but we will now take a look at each of those sides.
There are likely many different trends which he developed, however this paper will attention
handiest on these three as we feel they're of importance in driving the trade in his individual.

3.1 Value of relationships

One of the most powerful components of management which Puzo brings out within the e
book is the importance the family has on being internally bonded and the closeness the
contributor’s percentage. Family members are frequently the folks who remind us approximately
what is vital in our lives. Our youngsters (even though we've got no longer had them but) can be
the purpose we work as hard as we do, that could give us the inducement behind our
determination to overcome hurdles, demanding situations and struggles in our careers and expert
lives. Our parents and siblings are frequently the human beings with whom we grew up, they
knew us while were younger and often we want to cause them to proud. The Godfather
embodied these traits; one of the sturdy messages which come out is that no person within the
family ought to publicly disagree with a selection taken by them beneath any situations. Sonny
once betrayed this cardinal rule and needed to pay the fee. Michael sticks to this precept and
places the value of relationships on top of his agenda in his progress closer to turning into a
frontrunner.

In groups, this same principle will practice. Mr Arun Sarin in his speak to the Haas
Business School in 2009 to the graduating MBA students emphasised that a frontrunner must
have 3 characteristics. First of all she or he need to be a strategic leader, secondly an operational
chief and finally and most significantly, a human being’s chief. He additionally said that the
closing became the toughest. In addition, he or she must be capable of cope with all 3 of these
features simultaneously. Michael has the capacity to place into impact all 3 qualities inherently
in him. What prompted their ‘popping out’ turned into the set of events into which he became
pulled? Leaders, or human beings in corporations who've a strong have an impact on their
employees, have to hold in thoughts that ultimately it's miles the people leader in them so as to
be remembered, even after they have long past. But this potential to ‘connect’ is rare and
consistent with us the dearth of this was the purpose why such a lot of remarkable corporations –
even the coolest to awesome agencies – went or are going via difficult instances. When there's a
disconnection between what the pinnacle people say and what they do, there may be an
irreparable damage in relationships.

Organizations, and as you'll have found out, we're searching on the mafia as an company
(without a connections to what they training that is a wholly one-of-a-kind difficulty) have one
component in commonplace, be they big or small. As a rule they profess to do commercial
enterprise ethically and deal with their employees pretty. These after all, are the two fundamental
reasons why they exist. If we take a look at businesses which includes Johnson & Johnson, we
can observe how business is accomplished ethically. Robert Wood Johnson, former chairman
from 1932 to 1963 and a member of the corporation’s founding own family crafted this credo in
1943 earlier than the agency went public. This became lengthy earlier than everyone ever heard
the time period “company social duty.” He additionally indicated that the credo is extra than only
a moral compass and brought that he believed its miles a recipe for commercial enterprise
achievement. The reality that Johnson & Johnson is one in every of most effective a handful of
corporations that have flourished via more than a century of exchange is evidence of that. The
first two paragraphs of the credo that's quoted below are applicable to the troubles being
mentioned on this paper. The attention in them is on enterprise and employees.

“We accept as true with our first obligation is to the doctors, nurses and patients, to
mothers and fathers and all others who use our products and services. In meeting their needs
everything we do need to be of excessive exceptional. We should continuously try to lessen our
charges if you want to hold affordable expenses. Customers’ orders should be serviced promptly
and as it should be. Our providers and distributors should have a possibility to make an honest
income.

We are accountable to our personnel, the women and men who work with us in the
course of the world. Everyone must be considered as a person. We need to appreciate their
dignity and recognize their advantage. They should have a feel of security of their jobs.
Compensation should be truthful and good enough, and running situations smooth, orderly and
secure. We must remember of methods to assist our personnel fulfil their own family duties.
Employees have to sense unfastened to make pointers and complaints. There must be equal
possibility for employment, improvement and advancement for those certified. We need to offer
able management, and their moves should be simply and ethical”.

What comes out truly is that the credo isn't simply a stringing collectively of fine
sounding words. The underlying philosophy permeates the organization and has stored it in
instances of crisis. In reality, the famous Tylenol case displays this appropriately. What
happened briefly, become that during the fall of 1982, for motives not regarded, a malevolent
individual or folks, changed Tylenol Extra-Strength drugs with cyanide-laced drugs, resealed the
packages, and deposited them on the shelves of at least a half of-dozen or so pharmacies, and
food stores within the Chicago location. The poison tablets have been purchased, and seven
unsuspecting human beings died a horrible dying. Johnson & Johnson, figure Agency of McNeil
Consumer Products Company which makes Tylenol, all at once, and without a caution, needed to
explain to the arena why its trusted product turned into all of sudden killing people.

The organization came together as one own family to tackle this crisis and came out of it
exceedingly unscathed. If we look at the cost of relationships practised through Don Corleone
and, afterward his son, it is clean that the philosophy and ethos of treating contributors like own
family had been definitely practised. The value of doing that is exemplified in the brief synopsis
of the Tylenol case given above. Michael’s relationships with his circle of relatives, especially
after he became the Don, is illustrative of this. Leadership – this is, proper management, is
constructing relationships and building on these relationships. As Field Marshal Viscount
Bernard Montgomery once said, “Why does a soldier go away the protection of his trench hollow
inside the ground and cross ahead within the face of shot and shell? It is due to the chief who's in
front of him and his comrades who are around him. Comradeship makes a person sense warm
and brave when all his instincts have a tendency to make him bloodless and afraid”.
Comradeship is built through relationships and as Monty, as he changed into universally known,
became an inspiring chief who cared for his infantrymen’ morale. He ought to play with a target
audience of British troops like a fanatical ecclesiastic launching a crusade, stated one modern-
day observer. Monty arrived in Cairo on twelfth August 1942, and assumed command of the
Eighth Army tomorrow, when he made this address to his demoralized officials.

“I need first of all to introduce myself to you. You do no longer understand me. I do no
longer understand you. But we have set to work collectively; consequently we must understand
each other, and we need to trust each within the different. I have simplest been right here some
hours. But from what I actually have visible and heard given that I arrived I am prepared to
mention, right here and now, that I believe in you. We will then work collectively as a crew; and
collectively we will benefit the confidence of this top notch Army and move forward to very last
victory in Africa”.

It is recognized now that Sir Bernard Law’s speech to his officers marked one of the
turning factors of the battle. Rommel’s offensive at Alam Half started out at the night time of 30
—31 August. Viscount Bernard Law Montgomery went directly to command allied floor troops
within the Normandy landings and he performed a decisive position in checking the German
counter-offensive in the Ardennes in 1944. On 4 May 1945 be formally widely wide-spread the
give up of all German forces in north Western Europe.

Building relationships is consequently a strong leadership quality. But for that, the
potential leader has to be tried and examined in the furnace. It changed into such a very
attempting enjoy Michael needed to undergo.

3.2 Taking Ruthless Decisions Quickly and Without Fear

All leaders have to take tough decisions and very often this is not easy, and to a person of
refinement, is unpalatable. Don Corleone did this when he decided to let Michael take over the
organization even though he (Michael) at that time did not show any inclinations or attributes to
do so. But the father had the gut feeling that the youngest of his children would be a worthy
successor. This comes out clearly when the father learns that Michael had killed the New York
police chief as an act of revenge or vengeance or loyalty to the family.

The second ruthless decision (which actually is masked as a soft one) he takes is when
after his recovery from being shot, he calls a meeting of all the families to make peace.
Superficially, this seems a gesture of placation but it actually has the potentials of future
vengeance. Which, by the way is exactly what happened when Michael became the Don and
ruthlessly destroyed his rivals. Did Don Corleone know that Michael would do this? I am of the
view that he did though it is purely a subjective feeling. As Don Corleone used to say, ‘hold your
friends close, but your enemies closer’.

The third ruthless decision he took was to have as his consigliere, an outsider (i.e. not
from the family). This was a decision which Michael later overturned, and I am of the view that
here Michael made a mistake. Hagen’s knowledge of the family business was precious and
should have been utilized and strategized.

There are many more such decisions and they will be listed later in this paper, in the last
section. The focus of the discussion there is on how personality changes can trigger ruthless
decisions which are required for effective leadership.

“We’re bombarded. Information overload, demands from our bosses, beeps and
notifications, potential things we’d like to explore. The possibilities in terms of where we could
put our time and attention are not just endless, but the volume is increasing rapidly too. So how
do we make the right decisions and cut through all the noise? It’s time to get ruthless.

Ruthlessness is one of the hardest skills for a ninja to acquire; it allows us to make clear-
headed decisions, objectively and calmly. It’s not just about how we process information,
though; it’s also about our ability to protect our time and attention, focusing only on the things
that add the greatest impact, even at the expense of other things that are ‘worth doing’.

You need to realize that renegotiating your commitments to yourself and others is better
than burning yourself out trying to meet them all goes against the Western, Protestant work ethic
that we’re so familiar with to decide not to do things, but that’s exactly what we must do. A lot.
Being much choosier about what we say ‘Yes’ to is an important skill – and learning to say ‘No’
to ourselves means not biting off more than we can chew. If you do get into situations where
you’ve taken on too much (and I do this regularly, by the way!), you need to realize that
renegotiating your commitments to yourself and others is better than burning yourself out trying
to meet them all”. Ruthless employees who can successfully gain entry to organizations and can
then get promoted within those organizations to reach senior managerial and leadership
positions. What little empirical research currently exists supports the view that Corporate
Psychopaths are more commonly found at senior levels of organizations. The paper discusses
how, in a quantitative sample of 346 white-collar workers, in 2008, research using a psychopathy
scale identified greater levels of psychopathy at more senior levels of corporations than at more
junior levels. The paper goes on to propose that this is a universal issue that can pose various
ethical problems for corporations because of the ruthless, selfish and conscience-free approach to
life that Corporate Psychopaths have’.

If we look at examples of successful organizations, it is evident that most of them have a

ruthless leader driving them. This is contrary to what Jim Collins had to say. Collins and Porras
(2005) brought in the concept of Level 5 leaders who, according to him, were best qualified to
lead companies. Boards of directors typically believe that transforming a company from good to
great requires an extreme personality, an egocentric chief to lead the corporate charge. Think
“Chainsaw” AI Dunlap or Lee Iacocca. But that’s not the case, says author and leadership expert
Jim Collins. The essential ingredient for taking a company to greatness is having a “Level 5”
leader, an executive in whom extreme personal humility blends paradoxically with intense
professional will. In this 2001 article, Collins paints a compelling and counterintuitive portrait of
the skills and personality traits necessary for effective leadership. He identifies the characteristics
common to Level 5 leaders: humility, will, ferocious resolve, and the tendency to give credit to
others while assigning blame to themselves. Collins fleshes out his Level 5 theory by telling
colorful tales about 11 such leaders from recent business history. He contrasts the turnaround
successes of outwardly humble, even shy, executives like Gillette’s Colman M. Mockler and
Kimberly-Clark’s Darwin E. Smith with those of larger-than-life business leaders like Dunlap
and Iacocca, who courted personal celebrity. Some leaders have the Level 5 seed within; some
don’t. But Collins suggests using the findings from his research to strive for Level 5-for instance,
by getting the right people on board and creating a culture of discipline. “Our own lives and all
that we touch will be the better for making the effort,” he concludes.

Michael was not by any stretch of the imagination a Level 5 leader; but his ruthlessness
made him an effective leader. Unsentimental decision making is a trade mark of a good leader. In
the corporate world, many unsentimental 9bordering on the ruthless), decisions are taken for the
good of the company. A classic case in point is what Mr Howard Lutnick did when his company-
he was the CEO – Cantor Fitzgerald – lost the bulk of its six hundred and odd employees in the
9/11 attack. They had the misfortune to be situated on the floor where one of the planes struck in
a direct hit.

“Cantor Fitzgerald suffered the greatest loss of life of any company. The firm lost 658
of its 960 employees, almost two-thirds of its workforce.

What's even more heart breaking, Cantor Fitzgerald had a policy of hiring relatives, so
those who lost someone at the firm likely lost more than one loved one. Lutnick lost his brother.
Because the attacks had devastated Cantor Fitzgerald so badly, the firm was not expected to
survive. Remarkably, within a week the firm managed to get its trading back online.

Lutnick made a commitment to keep Cantor Fitzgerald going, despite the odds and the
difficult choices that had to be made. Lutnick made the controversial decision to cut off the pay
checks to employees who were killed. Instead he gave the victim's families 25% of the firm's
profits for five years, and 10 years of health insurance.

He's been trying to fulfil his vow to keep the firm alive for the last decade. Cantor
Fitzgerald certainly suffered a tremendous loss, but it might also be one of the greatest comeback
stories on Wall Street”. This is one of the most moving stories where a seemingly tough decision
in fact actually helped resuscitate the organization.

Michael had to take tough decisions in exactly the same way in order to ensure his
business survived. Perhaps the first major tough decision he took was when he saw his father,
who had been shot, was alone in the hospital when Michael went to see him. We feel the
shackles of the US army’s value systems fell away when Michael realized that the police
protecting his father had been deliberately pulled out by his rivals. This was a turning point and
ultimately ended in his shooting and killing the New York police captain who was responsible. It
was a ruthless decision as it meant he had to leave the shores of the US and go back to Sicily. He
also had to leave his girlfriend of so many years. Michael did all this without turning a hair and
took the first major step in the ladder towards leadership. This also marked a change in his
personality and we feel he realized then that he had the powers in him to take over from his
father.

3.3 Personality Change

This segment will draw a touch at the contents of the preceding two. It will no longer
reside on the hoary query if leaders are born or made. That isn't the cause or point of this paper.
What this segment will do is show how a relatively respectable, law abiding young man modified
his philosophy and technique to life. And the motives which precipitated this variation.
According to Winston Churchill, it's miles necessary for someone to go through very hard
instances early in life if she or he is to grow to be a good chief. As he places it, “the strict
compression of instances, the twinges of adversity, the spur of slights and name callings in early
years, are had to evoke that ruthless fixity of purpose and tenacious mother-wit without which
extraordinary actions are seldom achieved.” (Quoted through Viscount Bernard Sir Bernard Law
inside the book referenced below).
 The ability to understand possibilities is likewise crucial for someone to alternate into a
frontrunner. As Brutus said in ‘Julius Caesar’:

“There is a tide in the affairs of fellows which, taken on the flood, leads directly to fortune;

Omitted, all the voyage in their existence is sure in shallows and in miseries.

On this sort of complete sea are we now afloat,

And we should take the cutting-edge whilst it serves,

Or lose our ventures”.

Julius Caesar Act Four, Scene 3

Both those quotations are of relevance to Michael’s method of change into a leader. If we
remember Churchill’s perspectives, Michael’s trial by using baptism started out when he
volunteered to kill the police captain after the incident inside the medical institution. If this view
is related to what Brutus said (and we experience there's a causal connection), Michael knew that
the turning factor (the tide in the affairs of men which had to be taken at the flood) had come for
him while he volunteered to kill the police captain. According to us the main symptoms shown
with the aid of the ‘new’ Michael are revealed inside the following times:

- The volunteering by using him to kill the police captain

- His leaving the United States without telling Kay why and wherein he changed into going

- His now not communicating along with her for over 5 years

- Marrying any other lady while he turned into almost engaged to Kay

- His go back to America without telling Kay

- Now not getting into touch along with her for over one year and then marrying her

- His sluggish climb to the pinnacle of the ladder without telling Kay what he became as
much as
- His arranging the murder of his brother in regulation even when he turned into the
godfather of their infant

- Disposing of Tom Hagen from the publish of consigliore without consulting anyone

- The systematic wiping out of opponents, and

- Lying to Kay on the end of the story that he had nothing to do with what was taking place

This is a massive listing and in a few ways we are able to sympathize with Michael. Each
of the moves indexed above changed into to Michael at the least, essential at the time. That they
confirmed the ruthless aspect to his improvement as a pacesetter is only with the aid of the way.
The trade in Michael from an innocent to a ruthless leader is also recommended by using Don
Vito Corleone, the master of the game. He is all about business now. He became thinking about
the family now, and no longer the sincere man he become while we first met him. Hagen’s
dismissal is typical of this attachment to the circle of relatives. If Tom Hagen have been stored
on as consigliere, it'd have given the influence that Don Vito was handling Michael via Hagen.
This thing of subjects might have undermined the latter’s authority and credibility. By
displacing Hagen and becoming in what in these days’ world may be known as consultancy, Don
Vito was surely confirming Michael's final electricity. When the heads of the Five Families have
been removed, then it might be really Michael's doing -- establishing very graphically that
Michael (and the Corleone’s) had been a pressure to be reckoned with, not a pressure that could
fade with Don Vito's passing. The flow to cast off Hagen changed into one of the most ruthless
selections which pop out within the story.

Michael Corleone is a leader in the fact that he was courageous and his actions now not
only helped himself, but others. What he did affected others in addition to himself or even simply
the own family. He is tragic inside the experience of his trade; his downfall from what's visible
as sincere and hardworking, to manipulative and "gangsters." His is a man or woman that may be
defined in a huge quantity of approaches. The question then arises whether he is a sad hero, and
via extension a frontrunner who had the elements of tragedy deeply hidden within him? Was he
someone who turned into manipulated by means of situations and was too vulnerable to
withstand the forces buffeting him? In other phrases, is he an antihero?
 In literature and in movies, an anti-hero is a man or woman that possesses a number of
the personality trends and weakness which might be historically assigned to villains, outlaws and
those that both are shunned by using society or do now not live up to their status, however
although have enough heroic qualities and intentions to align them with the heroes within the
readers' minds. Anti-heroes may be awkward, obnoxious, passive, pitiful, obtuse, or simply
ordinary; but they are continually, in some essential manner, incorrect, unqualified, or failed
heroes. When the anti-hero is an imperative man or woman in a piece of fiction the work will
frequently address the impact their incorrect character has on the alternative human beings they
meet. Additionally, the paintings may depict how their person alters over the years. According to
us, Michael Corleone is a robust man or woman who liked the modifications he become present
process in his personality. The list reproduced above is common of a person who's intelligently
making plans the future and who is aware of exactly what he is doing and where he goes.

Michael is a dangerous person who's sturdy and cannot be led aside from the course he
has chosen for himself. His father changed into a position model who he widespread and
respected. His father was the best leader of those who Michael wanted to emulate and possibly,
overtake. To draw from concept referring to character, “persona theories have mainly been
concerned with the factors that decide and provide an explanation for extraordinary people'
personalities as there, and the factors that have added approximately the given personality. What
is called personality continues its individual despite occasions. Aspects of a character fail to
puzzle us if his modern-day scenario explains them. We do not even characteristic it to his
character when an character shows all styles of undesirable behavior under overwhelmingly
awful circumstances, or while he becomes likable and secure underneath the influence of events
which (as we say) might make almost all of us likable and secure. What we do characteristic to
persona is the reverse: when an individual remains likable and relaxed below overwhelmingly
bad situations, and while a character stays afraid and in pain in spite of obvious possibilities and
desirable success. Thus, it can be said that, far from explaining persona exchange, our theories
were endeavoring to give an explanation for and define persona as that which tends not to
exchange when one might anticipate exchange”.
 It is apparent that Michael does now not suit this stereotype. He changed when one
predicted him to alternate and so as to come in alignment with the necessities of the enterprise
wherein the Corleone family became engaged.

4.0 CONCLUSION

We indicated at the start, that this paper is set management features and the way those
leadership traits develop. We additionally said that we will look at how global leaders manage
alternate correctly, even supposing it's far necessary for them to exchange. The foregoing
sections have finished this in detail. To go back to Churchill (ibid), he additionally indicated that,
“the fulfillment of a commander does now not get up from following rules of models. It is
composed in a new comprehension of the dominant facts of the scenario at that time, and all the
forces at paintings. Every extremely good operation is specific. What is needed is a profound
appreciation of the actual occasion.” And we should additionally bear in mind Viscount Bernard
Law Montgomery (ibid), who said that “These commanders (of a higher grade) have in common
an inner conviction that, even though founded on motive, go beyond motive. These are the
leaders who, stimulated by religion and conviction are capable of recognize the instant (while
everything that reason dictated has been executed) will go in advance and take a bold decision to
take a brand new direction – an movement which transcends cause”. Michael Corleone is an
embodiment of these concepts of leadership.

We aren't saying that to succeed in existence a person needs to be in reality ruthless and
cruel. Consequently, in an Organizational Behavior class, the instructor should be very sensitive
approximately making the points highlighted in this newsletter. Students have to now not
beneath any situations depart with the impression that being a difficult and cruel person is the
direct direction to the pinnacle of the agency. Riding hard shod over personnel is in no way a
solution. Students need to leave with the understanding that sturdiness is a prerequisite of these
days’ leaders and at the identical time need to recognize that an approach which combines
durability at the same time as on the identical time hewing the road in phrases in their company’s
vision and challenge is the proper technique. The skills of the instructor could be tested
seriously, however we experience that it's far a check which the teacher will and should enjoy.
Ideally, the instructions ought to no longer exceed 90 minutes and we're of the opinion that the
concern need to be spread over at least for classes. We reiterate that corporate examples should
be continuously introduced of hard leaders who succeeded and link those examples to Michael’s
way of functioning. As indicated in the beginning, the periods on management must be rounded
off with shows of actual leaders whom the students ought to ideally have met. The trainer need to
have matters in mind at all times during the elegance:

- He must constantly refer returned to Michael’s development as a leader and make sure
what he or she says by no means strays from the e-book

- Emphasis must accept to the fact that management types of running managers exchange
as they grow to be older. Students ought to be made to recognize this and not waste their time
trying to be a ruthless chief to progress their careers.

The contents of this newsletter can also be used as a basis for a work save on Leadership
which should ideally be targeted at working towards managers. They have to advantage by the
training which can be made and get a one-of-a-kind perspective on how to succeed in their
careers. In this example, we would endorse that the focus is at the business enterprise wherein
the player/s are operating, and the presentation have to involve a dispassionate critique of the
management style which they've located.

The citation from Shakespeare’s Henry the Fifth shows why Michael’s transformation
had this type of deep effect. The key lines from this relevant citation are:

‘So, while this loose conduct I throw off,

And pay the debt I by no means promised,

By how tons better than my phrase I am,

By so much shall I falsify men's hopes;

And, like vibrant steel on a sullen floor,

My reformation, glittering o'er my fault,

Shall display extra goodly and entice greater eyes

Than that which hath no foil to set it off.

I'll so offend, to make offence an ability;

Redeeming time, when men suppose least I will’

What they suggest is that because human beings did now not assume Henry to remove his
drunken and raffish methods displayed by way of him in his more youthful days, it becomes all
of the extra effective while he without a doubt does this while he will become the king – “My
reformation, glittering o’er my fault, Shall show greater goodly and attract more eyes….” This is
precisely what Michael does and those are extra respectful (and scared) of him due to the fact
they did now not at any factor in time experience that he had it in him to be a ruthless leader. The
transformation is exceptional and its impact is all of the greater powerful as it changed into
unpredictable.

Michael Corleone is the remaining manipulator. Nothing he does is without a cause and
we are sure that even though occasions had now not forced him to ‘pop out’, he could have
performed so routinely. His nature is of that type.