It’s been almost six months since the Netflix hit Money Heist ended, and Sergio Marquina, popularly known as ‘El Profesor’ or ‘The Professor’ from the show, has been a unique and, quite frankly, an inspiring character for most of us.
For the uninitiated, the 5-seasons plot revolves around a man who plans to rob two banks. He devises a plan and enlists the help of a group of young, active criminals, giving them the names of cities all across the globe. They execute the plan, often facing many hurdles, stealing money and gold from two of the world’s most secure financial organizations.
Some might argue that Sergio is genuinely one of the best fictional con-man out there, and honestly, why wouldn’t he be? He literally pulled off two extremely high-risk heists – one could only imagine them as impractical.
One of the reasons to which we can attribute the heists’ success is Sergio’s leadership. The genius behind La Casa de Papel can teach us all a thing or two:
Trust your team
This is a no-brainer. We often face conflicts when working in teams. Everything can sometimes fall on one member, or someone may try to bring another person down. All of this leads to one major outcome: Failure.
Although not being physically present during the heists, Professor was the glue that kept everyone together. Plans went haywire every time the heist team went against one another or when someone sought to assume the lead.
It was the professor’s faith in each individual that got him to bring such a great heist team together. Professor showed them and us why a team should work together to achieve the desired result during tough times.
Always have a Plan B
Let’s face it, sometimes your employees are bound to make mistakes, and things may not go according to your plan – to err is human. What would an unprepared leader do? Fumble or play the blame game. A leader who plans well in advance accounts for possible mistakes and makes suitable provisions for the same. It’s usually a good idea to have a backup plan, and sometimes even a backup plan for your backup plan.
I seriously doubt that the professor is a Virgo; I mean, that would explain so much! That is why when the professor said,” The plan is designed to survive any setbacks, including my death.” we were all 😲😲😲
Keep Calm
Even in the most trying situations, remaining calm permits a leader to come up with better solutions. Reacting without thinking about the consequences always worsens the problems for the team and the goals they’re looking to achieve.
In the entirety of Money Heist, I don’t think we’ve ever seen Professor lose his cool, panic, or even become enraged. Many people are naturally impulsive, like Tokyo. But Professor Sergio has, time and again, shown us what it means to keep calm.
Take responsibility for outcomes
Leaders should learn to build a well-thought-out plan and delegate execution to their teams. When leaders fail to do so, they become bosses who are just interested in winning. The main difference between being a good leader and being a boss is that the former owns the plan irrespective of the outcome, while the latter owns the plan when it is favorable.
The Professor was an excellent leader who would go to any length for his squad. He took responsibility for all of his plans and made sure he spent enough time – almost 5 months for the first heist, developing them.
One team, one person
When you’re a part of a team, you must treat everyone with utmost respect and consideration. A leader is always assisting their team when in distress.
Even though the first heist was successful, he displayed his concern for the squad by assigning them a ‘delivery person’ – someone who’d rescue them in any danger and return them to the professor for assistance. Isn’t that just aww?
The squad truly loved the Professor so deeply that they were willing to die for him. To be inspired by a living person is one thing, but to be inspired by a non-fictional character is another. I’m honestly in awe of the professor, and if you haven’t watched the show, then I’d suggest you do. The professor could be a mini crash course on leadership, really!
Until then, bella ciao!
