It's a Wonderful Life

“Remember, No-One is a Failure Who Has Friends”

 

Google Movie Synopsis:

After George Bailey (James Stewart) wishes he had never been born, an angel (Henry Travers) is sent to earth to make George's wish come true. George starts to realize how many lives he has changed and impacted, and how they would be different if he was never there.

Scenario:

George finally realizes one of the only real things that matters in life (even when the job seems to be at the end).

Selected Scene:

Harry:             . . . Good idea Ernie, a toast to my big brother George, the richest man in town. 

Mary:             Who’s that?  

George:         That’s a Christmas present from a very dear friend of mine. 

Zuzu:              Look Daddy, teacher says every time a bell rings, an angel get his wings. 

George:          That’s right, that’s right, atta boy Clarence

Business Tip:

It’s been a wonderful year, I hope you’ve been able to pull a lesson or two.  As I wrap up 2015, I thought I would end it with a tip that is right there at the top of my professional (and personal) life and to which I owe much of my success.  Make a few friends as you proceed toward your career path and enjoy your journey, don’t forget to smell the roses and ring a bell whenever you get the opportunity. Onward!

Ted

“The Science of Name-Dropping”

 

 Movie Synopsis:

John Bennett (Mark Wahlberg) makes a wish bringing his teddy bear (voiced by Seth McFarlane) to life. John soon finds himself having to choose between his new best friend or his girlfriend, Lori (Mila Kunis) who is ready for a commitment.

Scenario:

Ted and John are hanging out at the pad when John claims to be able to guess the name of Ted’s new girlfriend.

Selected Scene:

John:               Well, what’s her name?
Ted:                White trash name, guess.
John:               Mandy
Ted:                Nope
John:               Marilyn
Ted:                Nope
John:               Brittany
Ted:                Nope
John:               Tiffany
Ted:                Nope
John:               Janice
Ted:                Nope
John:               Don’ f**k with me on this, I know this shit! 

Business Tip:

Let's talk about the "fine line" of being a pretentious, annoying individual trying too hard to fit in, versus a well-connected professional, willing to share his/her network with those in need. To be clear about the issue, nobody likes a person acting more impressive then they really are, especially if it's in a manner to "one up" in a conversation. So, what do you do when you have contacts you think might be important to mention? Well, it depends on who is in the conversation. If it's a peer to peer group, it should be okay to mention a name or two (although, I highly recommend not to exceed more than 2 names per/convo). If you're with folks you are meeting the first time, don't share your contact, if it makes sense, go ahead and offer to make a connection in your follow up communication and only provide the name when asked. If you're with management, only chime in if your contact is in a "decision-making" or "influential" position to actually help. If your contact is more entry-level, it could be helpful for you to reach out to him/her and forward any useful information to your supervisor along with a brief recap of your conversation, if appropriate. One footnote, none of this applies if you work in Washington, DC...this is where name-dropping is basically expected (that is, if you are lucky enough to get a "hello" from anyone)!

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

"The Secret Message of Books in Your Work Space"

Google Movie Synopsis:
The follow-up to "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" finds young wizard Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) and his friends, Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson), facing new challenges during their second year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry as they try to discover a dark force that is terrorizing the school.

Scenario:

Harry and Ron are in Gilderoy Lockhart's (Kenneth Branagh) office where they learn the truth about his books and how he took credit for all the things mentioned in his books mainly because of optics and perception.

Selected Scene:

Harry: You're running away? After all that stuff you did in your books?
Lockhart: Books can be misleading...
Harry: You wrote them!
Lockhart: My dear boy, do use your common sense! My books wouldn't have sold half as well if people didn't think. . .  

Business Tip:
Just as it's difficult to not judge a book by its cover, the same can be said about a person's work space. How you keep your desk in order is how people think of you as a professional and often directly associated to your thought process. Your work space should display who you are and who you want to be. Consider the following when organizing your area:
- Keep it clean
- If you have piles of documents everywhere at least make sure they are stacked neatly
- Have a couple of framed photos with family (this shows maturity and a sense of being genuine)
And the best tip for last, pick one or two books related to your job and/or industry (Leadership development, CEO biography from one of your favorite companies or anything written by Malcolm Gladwell). Make sure they're visible but shouldn't be the first thing people see. not only do these books send a signal of your intellect, they also let people know you mean business! If your having a hard time thinking about which books, remember, "when in doubt, go to the library."

Rocky

“Your Words Can Come Back To Bite You—If You’re Not Careful”

 

Google Movie Synopsis:

Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone), a small-time boxer from working-class Philadelphia, is arbitrarily chosen to take on the reigning world heavyweight champion, Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers), when the undefeated fighter's scheduled opponent is injured. While training with feisty former bantamweight contender Mickey Goldmill (Burgess Meredith), Rocky tentatively begins a relationship with Adrian (Talia Shire), the wallflower sister of his meat-packer pal Paulie (Burt Young).

Scenario:

Rocky and Apollo are in the 15^th round of their heavyweight championship fight.  The final bell rings, sounding the end of the boxing match.  Both fighters are exhausted, mentally and physically.

Selected Scene:

Apollo Creed:             Ain’t gonna be no rematch, ain’t gonna be no rematch.
Rocky Balboa:            Don’t want one!

Business Tip:

We often find ourselves having to back out of a corner based on a controversial comment we said at a particular moment in time when we really haven’t thought it through all the way.  It’s like we have this built-in reflex mechanism that makes us want to respond immediately when asked a direct question or faced with a pointed statement. More then likely this can be due to our emotions, physical condition, not having all the facts or thinking we have all the facts (and we really don’t). I covered related issues in previous blogs (Forrest Gump-4/12 and Titanic-3/7) if you feel like exploring more of this later.  During the scene above, Apollo and Rocky are both guilty of spouting off with minimal thinking to what they were saying, albeit they just went 15 rounds knocking each others brains out—sometimes during an intense discussion we feel like we went 15 rounds! The tip here is to start getting into a habit of leaving yourself an out when you find yourself in a high stresses situation. Practice using words at the end of a sentence such as, we’ll see, good point, I’ll think about it, give me some time, etc.  There’s nothing wrong not committing to an answer . . . even if you’re called a chump!

Armageddon

“When Looking for a Vendor, Get 3 Bids”

Google Movie Synopsis:

When an asteroid threatens to collide with Earth, NASA honcho Dan Truman (Billy Bob Thornton) determines the only way to stop it is to drill into its surface and detonate a nuclear bomb. This leads him to renowned driller Harry Stamper (Bruce Willis), who agrees to helm the dangerous space mission provided he can bring along his own hotshot crew. Among them is the cocksure A.J. (Ben Affleck), who Harry thinks isn't good enough for his daughter (Liv Tyler), until the mission proves otherwise.

Scenario:

Harry and Rockhound (Steve Buscemi) are strapping in preparing for launch, Rockhound reminds Harry of the process of selecting the group responsible for building the rocket ship.

Selected Scene:

Rockhound:    Hey Harry
Harry:             Yeah Rock?
Rockhound:    You know we’re sitting on 4 million pounds of fuel, one nuclear weapon and a thing that has 270,000 moving parts built by the lowest bidder, makes you feel good, doesn’t it?
Harry:             Yeah!

Business Tip:

When you are shopping at the grocery store do you find yourself comparing prices and brands? Maybe you start to look at the size difference or the price per pound, before you know it you probably handled or viewed three times as many products then you actually purchased.  Well, the same is true in business.  There’s even a general rule when looking for a vendor to perform a particular service (printing, administrative, sales, etc.), get 3 bids!  Two bids really don’t provide enough information for you to confirm you are receiving a fair price, if you get four or more you find yourself spending too much time managing the process. Plus, vendors are usually okay with the 3 bid process, any more than 3 and their chances of getting the work diminishes and they become hesitant to submit a competitive bid.  Although the lowest price is generally the winner, don’t overlook quality and reputation of the vendor, it may save you money in the END.

Star Wars IV: A New Hope

“Sharing an Opposing Viewpoint in a Meeting is at Your Own Risk”

Google Movie Synopsis:

The Imperial Forces -- under orders from cruel Darth Vader (David Prowse) -- hold Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) hostage, in their efforts to quell the rebellion against the Galactic Empire. Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) and Han Solo (Harrison Ford), captain of the Millennium Falcon, work together with the companionable droid duo R2-D2 (Kenny Baker) and C-3PO (Anthony Daniels) to rescue the beautiful princess, help the Rebel Alliance, and restore freedom and justice to the Galaxy.

Scenario:

During a meeting inside the battle station, the top brass of the Imperial Forces meet to discuss plans to defeat the rebel rebellion.

Selected Scene:

Admiral Motti: Any attack made by the Rebels against this station would be a useless gesture, no matter what technical data they have obtained. This station is now the ultimate power in the universe! I suggest we use it!
 Darth Vader: Don't be too proud of this technological terror you've constructed. The ability to destroy a planet is insignificant next to the power of the Force.
 Admiral Motti: Don't try to frighten us with your sorcerer's ways, Lord Vader. Your sad devotion to that ancient religion has not helped you conjure up the stolen data tapes, or given you clairvoyance enough to find the rebels' hidden fort-...
 Darth Vader: I find your lack of faith disturbing.
 Governor Tarkin: Enough of this! Vader, release him!

Business Tip:

There’s a huge difference between critiquing an idea/plan versus objecting to one.  Sharing insights on why something may not work or flagging potential issues yet to be discussed is a good thing, however, disagreeing or speaking out against something that is supported by an executive is dangerous.

I’m not condoning you stay quiet if you have fact-based information supporting your stance, what I am saying, if you have a point to make that will place your boss/manager or a company executive in an embarrassing situation—don’t do it!

Instead of sharing your comments in the meeting, ask for a private opportunity or let them know you have “new” information you would like to share and ask to stop by their office or call them after the meeting.  As in the case with Mr. Vader, you never want company management to perceive your faith in the leadership is questionable.