Get more articles like this and Register for our Forum.

Theatre

I’ve come to realize that quite a few people learned all that they know about business from the movies. While I wouldn’t suggest taking anything you picked up in the theater as absolute truth, there are a lot of lessons to be learned from cinema. Consider this post your popcorn primer in modern business.

Viewer discretion is advised, some of these clips contain foul language.



You’re A Child…

The lesson here is two-fold. First, try to see every angle of the problem before jumping into it. It will save you a lot of trouble in the long run.

Second, answer every shot. When you fail, keeping face means knowing how to defuse your detractors. It’s one thing to drop the ball, it’s quite another to let yourself be pummeled without trying to put things in perspective.

From: Glengarry Glen Ross


Get Out…

What can we learn here? If you aren’t willing to take a risk don’t expect to get anything in return. Take some time to get your facts straight, but when opportunity presents itself you have to be willing to seize it.

From: Boiler Room


Game Of Inches

Startups are always a game of inches. Take time to recognize a the little things you could accomplish during your day. Big goals are made up of little steps. Also, recognize the importance of delegation. A lot of times you are going to have to be willing to turn over some of the responsibility for your success to your team. You aren’t an island onto yourself, be willing to step aside.

From: Any Given Sunday


Greed Is Good

Never underestimate the power of a little bit of ambition. Corporate ethics notwithstanding, Micheal Douglas proves out the power of drive directed towards a goal. You are going to run into a lot of obstacles, and the only way around them is to stare them in the eye, have a plan and execute it without waffling. Even if you are wrong it is better to fail at doing something than fail by doing nothing.

From: Wall Street


Learning To Make Due

The “Always Be Closing” stuff aside, the real lesson here is learning to work with what you have. In a startup environment, resources will always be scarce. You can either spend your time complaining about all the resources and man power you don’t have, or you can learn to make the most out of what you do.

From: Glengarry Glen Ross

Web 2.0 Roundup

Once again, if you are really interested in learning to run a startup then movies aren’t the best place to turn. That being said, there is something about dramatization that can make complex concepts make sense. What is the most important thing you’ve learned about business from the movies?

[Be sure to subscribe to the RSS feed before leaving. Photo Credit]

These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.
  • del.icio.us
  • bodytext
  • StumbleUpon
  • Ma.gnolia
  • Reddit
  • Slashdot