Godfather Knows Best
50 Mobstyle Rules for Young Professionals
by
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This Book of Ours
This book is not about organized crime. I value my life too much to discuss something that would be considered illegal, immoral or could easily place me in a landfill with Jimmy Hoffa for a roommate. This book is about how our mob principles can best be harnessed to better serve you as you come up in your new rat-eat-rat corporate environment. As you become armed and dangerous (in the corporate sense), you will learn that the way in which mainstream corporate America operates and how this thing of ours does its business have several uncanny similarities: We are both a family business. Like you, we are a fully organizational model with ruling bodies designed to monitor and manage order.
The notion of "chain-of-command" is very important. In this thing we do, both of our goals are to maintain supreme sovereignty over our respective empires. We don't like to hurt anyone (that's old school), but we don't like losing money either. In this thing of ours, we favor cooperation over competition by making people offers that are in their best interest.
Just like you, we earn our way up the food chain and woe to the fool who gets in our way. We rule, but more effectively than you. We do it by promoting our own version of solidarity. We maintain stability and strict accountability. But, in this thing of ours, we spend less on costly overhead (if you get my meaning).
We originated the "hostile takeover" maneuver that you have now popularized in your corporate world. As Al Capone confirmed back in 1926, "We are no different than you. We are both in the supply and demand business."
These Rules of Ours
If you want to succeed in business (and life), there are certain iron-clad rules you must obey. In both our thing and your corporate world, there exist a lot of political gamesmanship which poses great danger if you fall into the traps I will describe. These will now form the basis for how most of your decisions will be made. Most rules go back hundreds, maybe thousands of years. Several were taught to me by my mentor, Joe "fats" Velardi. No matter. They still work today. Learning our rules will take some getting used to. But once you have crushed your share of competition and have proven yourself worthy without getting that lingering guilty feeling, our books will be opened to you. With that comes access to valuable information, a first shot at greater opportunities and untouchable street power. Your hands will never be soiled by nasty deeds because you have quietly assigned others to do the dirty work. In time your competition will come to fear and respect you and your mother will seek you out for advice. Read on or get left behind.
These Rules of Ours
Rule # 1: Be First, Best, or
Different
Rule # 2: Keep Your Friends
Close and Your Enemies Closer
Rule # 3 Ignore Everybody
Rule # 4: Overnight Success
Takes About Twenty Years
Rule # 5: Feed Your Head
Rule # 6: Know Your Bad Self
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About the Book
Most of you reading this book have already hit the key qualities inherent in most successful people and have already begun to develop a bold willingness to go after goals that others think are too ambitious or too difficult to accomplish.
Godfather Knows Best is not aimed at academics. It is a frank, but instructive primer for budding professional leaders and promising CEOs that cuts through the research by distilling two thousand year old principles into fifty rules that aren't taught in business schools and which have application in today's business world and real life situations. Dr. Louis Gonzales, a long time streetwise manager and CEO, puts readers within steps of the Florentine master, Machiavelli and the Godfathers and Tony Sopranos of today's corporate America. He presents his bada bing management theories in a tongue-in-cheek, amoral mob-style language that every reader can understand.
Godfather Knows Best sifts out the real nuggets; the surprising truths that ambitious young people must know as they climb the ladder to corporate domination. The book is hilarious, evil and chock full of principles that questions the age-old assumptions of teamwork and leadership. No doubt, your ambition (and madness) is what got you here. Clearly, it is your time. Celebrate it.
About the Author
Dr. Louis Gonzales is a retired CEO of Little Feathers Group, a successful education and business consulting firm that assists young managers working in urban educational and business settings. As a youth, Dr. Gonzales survived several gang-active communities in Los Angeles, California where he worked hard to balance the ethics and values of education with those of the gang culture. Even then, his skills as a writer and speaker were apparent in the ease in which he was able to negotiate his way through several cultural and social obstacles. In 1965, educators and civic leaders alike took notice of Dr. Gonzales' skills which earned him a small scholarship (his ticket out) to attend a local community college.
Dr. Gonzales attended the California State University of California where he received a B.A. in English and a Masters Degree in Counseling and Psychology. His extensive work with high risk populations later earned him a Doctorate degree in Urban Education from Columbia Pacific University. He has served on several Governor's advisory committees on issues affecting urban/cultural issues and is a writer of two books: Gang-free Zones and Zen and the Art of Retirement.
Dr. Gonzales is a sought-after speaker on topics relating to entrepreneurship, urban education and school crime and violence prevention. He is a bright, brash and witty streetwise educator who thrills at attacking in honest and humorous ways, today's complacency in education and other systems. Dr. Gonzales is now retired and no doubt living on a beach in an undisclosed location under an assumed name, where is researching his next book.