Ford vs Ferrari - A corporate lesson in Big vs Small and Money vs Passion

I saw this movie in full recently with friends and I highly recommend it whether you like Motor Racing or not. Having visited LeMans in the 90's and 2000's its once of the most exhilarating, historic, sporting endurance events and theater's of corporate rivalry in the sporting calendar. Other than great acting, action and cinematography I would add the following observations and lessons from a company and leadership perspective:

CORPORATE LESSONS:

BIG v small - Ford v Ferrari: Just because you are big, does not mean you are better. You can have all of the money and corporate resources in the world but there is no substitute for passion and purpose. You cannot have the three Bs. Biggest, Best and Best Employer.

The long game vs short game: Short term performance or a sprint is not the same as sustained performance over a long period of time. Repeating success is the real market of a champion.

Strip out the fat: If you want to go faster, take out the excess weight and baggage in your business. 

Know your strengths: Play to them, enhance them and they will overcome your weaknesses. 

Know the competition: Keep you competitors close and our enemies closer. 

Know your limits: Everyone, everything and every company has its limits. Know what they are, explore them and see how it feels at 7,000 rpm. Push yourself, your people and your business too far and they will break.

You cant buy a WIN: You may want to WIN but what is your WHY? That will get you to the finish line. if you do not know your WHY you will never keep going to find the perfect lap.

Corporate Politics get in the way: If you want a man/woman to change the world or your company, get everything out of his or her way in order to allow them to succeed.

Legitimacy becomes legacy becomes Legend. Past performance is not the only predictor of future performance. You can win once, but to keep winning you need to keep improving, making constant tweaks and improvements and focus on consistency, performance, reliability and humility.

LEADERSHIP LESSONS: (credited to Noor Adhami at HSBC for the below)

Find your “Shelby”: That boss who has ultimate faith in your capabilities. The one who would take personal risk on you. Find the one who will “promise you the drive”

Find your “Ken Miles”: This passionate, unstoppable employee who goes above and beyond. Call yourself lucky if you have more than one. Remember that the fastest car alone doesn’t win you the race; “It’s the man behind the wheel”

Deal with moments of adversity with grace: It’s hard to put your energy and soul into something, only to see it taken away from you in the very last minute. How you react defines who you are.

Know your worth and stand tall!: Try to see the smallest of victories even in moments of defeat, and if people don’t see it, show them !

Trust your gut: It will serve you well good, most of the time.