The Offer: Together We Go Further

The Godfather was released to the big screen more than 50 years ago. One can’t help but marvel at the fact that such a masterpiece could have even been made when it faced quite its fair share of challenges.

A writer who didn’t want to write it.

A studio that didn’t want to produce it.

A film no director would touch.

A cast of unknowns.

A community against it.

And yet, in the end, what pulled together one of the greatest masterpieces of all time was the incredible collection of talent assembled by the producer, Al Ruddy, including the director, Francis Ford Coppola, who infused the film with the flavour and intricacies of his own Italian-American heritage. Their focus on the details further enhanced the movie, making it stand the test of time.

Here are a few lessons we can learn from them and their team in bringing exceptional performance to build a product that stands the test of time:

1. It starts with conveying your vision, goals, and expectations clearly to your team. Instill them with the right mindsets and ideas to excel in their roles. Though the people tend to bring on prior experiences, biases and prejudices, align them with a common objective (product).

2. Organize great minds and ideas from the team. Understand their strengths and weaknesses, and move accordingly. Create a structured environment where everyone knows what they need to do and how their work fits into the big picture.

3. Encourage creativity and innovation by challenging the norm. Allow team members to feel independent in proposing new ideas and questioning the market standards. This intentional disruption becomes a catalyst to create an ever-evolving user experience.??

4. Conflicts, which contribute to the product development, are essential in a team, but not ones rooted in personal ego and vendetta. It should never be personal, just business. With empathy and understanding, the team can come together with their diverse ideas and arrive at a resolution.

5. Day in and day out, as the team works together, opportunities to interact cross functionally and casually are limited, which may build silos between departments. Having the team get together over a meal builds bridges for bonding, recharging, and building stronger relationships.

6. Always account for variable change as you go through the process of building. This may come in the form of external pressures or internal delays that cause a strain on the team. Have the team to keep an eye on industry trends, market dynamics, and customer needs, and be willing to pivot when necessary.

7. People always tell stories to themselves based on their interpretations and assumptions of the original plan. Sometimes, providing a specific set of instructions are required (zoom in), and at times, focusing on the end result (zoom out) will be important. So, choose the type of communication as required.

8. Product building is not a solo job. There are many stakeholders, internal and external, that are responsible for a product’s success. Create a community of fans, and well-wishers, who are ready to use it and spread it across the network. This involves not only the team, but the vendors, the complementers, the customers and the consumers.

9. Inspire and motivate your team by appealing to their emotions and passions. Help them see the bigger picture and understand how their work contributes to something meaningful.?

10. A great product performs like a well functioning democracy. When more people use it, its value increases.

“Democracy is a government of the people, by the people and for the people.” ~ Abraham Lincoln

Be it your team, customer, consumers, complementers, vendors or family, it’s all about the people. Without people, nothing evolves or revolves. It’s the people who give meaning.