Who would have thought it? If you’ve been keeping up with the latest management and leadership trends in the media, you’ll know what I’m talking about. John Wick has become a leading business fable of the 21st century.
The highly entertaining, fast-shooting, action-packed, violent rampage movie has some great lessons for business owners to take to heart.
Okay, Okay, Okay – this is the first such article, but I reckon we should start a movement around John Wick and how he could rival Michael Gerber and Jim Collins. So, for those John Wick fans, buckle in. Let’s explore the five core lessons John Wick can teach us about business success.
I will serve. I will be of service!
This is the first great quote of the movie. John Wick is down and quizzed about where his allegiances lie, and this is his reply. “I will serve, I will be of service!” It is the ultimate mantra for successful business people. To provide a valuable service or offering that people need. To help people get what they want. The more you help people, the more they will buy from you.
Zig Ziglar says, “You’ll get everything in life you want if only you help enough people get what they want.” You need to instil this mantra throughout your business and one that your marketing needs to communicate clearly.
The Omnipotent High Table
For those of you who haven’t seen John Wick – watch it! It’s an entertaining watch. Ultimately the whole underworld serves the reclusive and mysterious ‘High Table’ – a select group of a few core people that ‘rule’.
The High Table is akin to your target audience, your niche, to be more specific. If you’re trying to serve too many, the wrong audience, the wrong offering to the right audience, business becomes too hard, and you’ll never get the success you want.
Razor sharp focus on a very tight niche that you can serve (and be of service to) is the easiest way to achieve significant revenue growth. Stop trying to be all things to all people.
Be pigheaded!
One thing that John Wick is is pigheaded. The amount of roadblocks, injuries, exhaustion, adversity and enemies he faces throughout each movie is nothing short of impressive, and yes, of course, it’s a movie. But it demonstrates the resilience required by all business owners.
- Drive and determination
It demonstrates how important drive and determination are to your success. How much clarity you’ve got about the end game, why you’re doing what you are doing and that nobody, no matter what will get in your way.
Pigheaded discipline and determination are how Chet Holmes puts it in his book, ‘The Ultimate Sales Machine’. John Wick has this in spades, and you need to too!
Enemies are around every corner
I think the statistic is that John kills one person every minute in all movies. The body count adds up and up and up. The reality is that this is just like a business. Every minute your company faces significant risks around every corner and from directions you can’t even fathom.
I’d be a rich man if I had a dollar for every time I got whacked across the face from something completely unseen in my 20 year entrepreneurial journey. They have come, will come today, and will continue to come tomorrow. Expect the unexpected, and ultimately embrace the unknown and rollercoaster ride that is business.
Enjoy
Most importantly, John Wick is a thoroughly enjoyable action-packed rollercoaster – and your business is no different. Enjoy the journey for all its ups and downs.
We often get caught in the weeds, chastising ourselves for not being good enough, not working hard enough or falling victim to imposter syndrome. But in reality, we must enjoy the journey and not waste our very precious time.
