Takeaways
Slowing down will speed you up.
A high-functioning team is nimble, adaptable and positive throughout the process.
How you respond to mistakes is more crucial than the mistake itself.
Mike Lessiter and his dad, Frank, have a movie night every week together. In a recent weekly movie viewing, Frank decided he wanted to hit the theaters, no doubt to appease his popcorn itch (IYKYK). F1 was the movie of choice and, while the movie itself was fantastically executed, it turns out the movie also had a lot of great principles. Mike encouraged the Lessiter Media team to check it out and then gathered us together for an “F1 Movie Club” to discuss. Mike’s observations on business takeaways was spot-on, and we had a lively roundtable conversation.
Here’s a recap of what we unearthed in this blockbuster film starring Brad Pitt as a professional racecar driver, brought in to help turn around a failing F1 team…
1. Teamwork Makes the Dream Work
Our late Lessiter Media teammate, Amy Johnson, was a big fan of the “teamwork makes the dream work” mantra, and it has become a regular turn of phrase amongst our staff. Within F1, a recurring theme was the undeniable importance of teamwork. As Sonny Hayes (Brad Pitt) and Joshua Pearce (Damson Idris) kept butting heads and tensions continued to rise across the board on this already tumultuous team, it was clear that the “I” was being favored over the “we.”
When someone, no matter their status, thinks they are more important than the team, the team doesn’t work. Every role matters. Remember that old saying, “There’s no ‘I’ in team?” We teach that in sports at a young age because it sets the stage for every team a person will be a part of throughout the course of their life. You can be the best player out there, but it’s not going to mean anything unless you have a good team supporting you and you supporting them. Things go smoother when everyone is on the same page, working toward the same goal, with everyone’s best interest in mind.
2. The Power of Precision
“Slow is smooth, smooth is fast.” Sonny quoted this philosophy, which originates from the military, to emphasize the importance of executing with precision and control. By doing so, you achieve greater efficiency. In business, slowing down to ensure accuracy ultimately speeds up the process by preventing mistakes that require backtracking and costing you more time. Details matter not just for your end product, but to your end user as well. A small mistake or oversight can make your customers wonder what else you’re not getting right. Slow down to speed up.
3. Small Contributions Lead to Big Wins
“If we can pick up a tenth of a second from you, and from you, and you, and me … If everyone in this room can make one critical contribution, that’s a second every lap. And after 72 laps, that’s the difference between last and first.” When Sonny said this, he got to the core of teamwork and how every person has the ability to make a meaningful impact. It’s the concept of incremental improvement. Successful teams focus on the sum of the whole, where every team member contributes to small efficiencies and refinements, and those compound into significant overall success.
4. Adaptability & Nimbleness are Key
The ability to “read the road conditions” and adjust on the fly is crucial, especially in an entrepreneurial environment. Things are going to change and the unexpected is going to happen, even for the best planners. When things do arise, people have to pivot and be ready to do something different. The fiber of a high-functioning team is being nimble and able to move and adjust on the go. In those moments, have grace for each other and patience in the process. The team’s mindset will determine if you can stay the course.
5. Embrace Learning from Mistakes & Mentorship
One of the pit members on the team fumbled a tool, costing valuable seconds getting back on the track. They got their butt chewed out after the race by another member of the team until Sonny came over and put a stop to it. In another scene, Sonny tells his younger driving teammate Joshua, “Don’t beat yourself up, there’s plenty of people to do that out there.” Mistakes happen; it’s inevitable. How we respond to mistakes (whether we made the mistake or are the one correcting it) is crucial. Pressure creates diamonds, but it also crushes cars. Learn from the mistakes when you make them — own them. Mentor from the mistakes when your teammates fumble — grow them.
6. Calculated Risks & Purposeful Action
Sonny didn’t shy away from breaking the mold in his strategic execution on the track. They had a car that wasn’t optimally performing, but rather than make excuses he found ways to make that car work to the team’s advantage. This demonstrated adaptability and resourcefulness, even when resources were limited. Don’t let limitations be your benchmark.
Every action Sonny took was also done with a purpose. Everyone, his team included, thought he was being chaotic and reckless as he unconventionally performed. But as the race ensued, they began to realize he was being intentional — a purposeful recklessness. His well-timed actions and creative advancements showed that a clear strategy was at play. Every action should have a purpose, even if you don’t know what the end result will be. Don’t put yourself or your team in a box. Take those calculated risks.
7. Celebrate the Victories Along the Way
It’s important to never let an opportunity to praise someone or celebrate a win of any level pass you by. As Sonny and Joshua began ranking higher each race than the one before, they were celebrating like they were winning first place and turned those leaps and bounds they made as a team into goal post moments. Recognizing and celebrating smaller victories along the journey to a larger goal helps maintain team morale and momentum. No praise is too insignificant and no victory too minor.
Special thanks to the Lessiter Media F1 Movie Club attendees for your contributions: Mike Lessiter, Frank Lessiter, Kim Schmidt, Michelle Drewek, Jeff Lazewski, Christopher Nielsen, Patrick Sharpe, Darren Foster, Michael Ellis, Ronda Iten, Robin Noeldner, Teresa Owens, Bree Greenawalt, Bailey DeBruin and Maddie Seitz