Further Business Lessons From John Wick.

The presence of the word 'further' in the title of this piece might lead some readers to believe that the content below is a follow-up to an article titled 'Business lessons from John Wick'. This is not the case. The intent here is to provide a different view on an idea that has already been explored by other content creators. Simply put, the idea in question is that John Wick, a fictional assassin portrayed by actor Keanu Reeves, can teach us valuable lessons in the realm of business. This opinion does not only result from my observation of John Wick but also from the underground universe within which he operates. His interactions with various secondary characters provide interesting insights on how good business can be conducted.

1. Getting results is good but getting consistent results is better.

In the first instalment of the John Wick franchise, Viggo Tarasov, the head of the Russian crime syndicate, describes Wick as 'a man of commitment, focus and sheer will'. The hitman backed this statement by going on a killing spree that was as systematic as it was relentless. No one who stood in John Wick's way escaped. No one. Once he decided that someone had to be eliminated, it was like money in the bank. In short, it was an absolute guarantee. If you were on Wick's hitlist, that shot or stab was coming no matter how much you tried to defend yourself or escape. That 100% guaranteed result rule upheld by John Wick is probably what supports his fearsome reputation. It is understood that this is why he was Tarasov's first choice when it came to taking on 'impossible tasks'. Needless to say that this contributed immeasurably to John Wick's currency as a hitman and raised his bargaining power far above the ones wielded by other assassins. Key lesson: When the stakes are very high, the choice is no longer between average and excellent but between excellent and exceptional. John Wick faced countless excellent foes but the fact that he is exceptional enabled him to overcome all resistance. In business, the average are nowhere, the excellent are noticed and the exceptional make the rules.

2. Keep good relationships with outstanding service providers and suppliers who value you as a client.

As John Wick progresses and takes on new missions, it becomes necessary for him to renew his arsenal and use the services of various suppliers that operate in the criminal underworld. His dealings with these secondary characters are very straightforward but it is abundantly clear that they have tremendous respect for Wick. It is very likely that this is due to John Wick's status as a premier hitman but, for the sake of simplicity, we will assume that there are other assassins that are almost just as good as John Wick in the client books of these suppliers. They choose to give special treatment to Wick because of the way he treats them. If he is a man of commitment, as described by Viggo Tarasov, then chances are that he is committed to these suppliers who, in turn, understand his importance as one of their clients. John Wick is consequently able to easily ask them for favours and they strive to give him the best that they can offer. An interesting feature of Wick's relationship with his suppliers is that even though he left the criminal underworld at one point, these suppliers were always ready to welcome him if he ever decided to come back. The quality of their services remained outstanding and they fulfilled John Wick's requests to his exact specifications. Key lesson: If you are a great client, stick to the service providers who understand this and who treat you accordingly. A very good service provider is bound to fail if it does not take steps to assess the relative importance of each client.

3. Sometimes, there are NO second chances.

When Vigor Tarasov learns that his son Iosef has brutalised John Wick and killed his dog, he tells him the following: 'John will come for you and you will do nothing because you can't do nothing'. He knows that it will be impossible to convince John Wick to back down and that he can only delay the inevitable. Iosef does not seem to fully understand this until he ends up staring at John Wick's gun and getting shot in the head. He assumed that his father would be able to protect him and that he would be able to return to his old ways. In short, Iosef thought that things would work out in the end and that his mistake could be corrected. It is the typical naive attitude of someone who never stepped out of his own personal, social and professional circles. He believed that his ability to bend the rules within those circles could be extended elsewhere and that if it did not work the first time, he just had to keep trying. This not only resulted in his death but also in the destruction of his father's empire. Key lesson: The consequences of some bad decisions cannot be reversed. This is especially true when these involve treating someone badly for pointless reasons. No one is completely powerless and circumstances can change in ways that enable retaliation on a far bigger scale than initially thought. In business, a few unhappy clients can produce a snowball effect that becomes very hard to stop.

Conclusion

The John Wick franchise is still going strong with a new movie expected to be released in 2022. It would not be surprising to see further confirmation of the lessons above in the upcoming instalment. Regardless of what the new movie can potentially teach us, it will be great to see Keanu Reeves reprise what is arguably his most iconic role after Neo in The Matrix.

Ashley Boolell | www.ashleyboolell.com