'Last Word' Pays Homage To Actor James Gandolfini

Transcript

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

All right. Our last word in business today comes from Tony Soprano, and the word is: Family Business. It's our homage to actor James Gandolfini, who died this week while vacationing in Italy.

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

Gandolfini became famous for his role in "The Sopranos." Tony Soprano, the mob boss, described his job as waste management consultant.

INSKEEP: Call it what you want, but on the job, Tony Soprano had plenty of business insights.

(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW. "THE SOPRANOS")

JAMES GANDOLFINI: (as Tony Soprano) What two businesses have traditionally been recession proof since time immemorial?

STEVEN VAN ZANDT: (Silvio Dante) Certain aspects of show business and our thing.

INSKEEP: Whatever your thing may be, you may have something to learn from Tony Soprano.

MONTAGNE: Anthony Schneider, who wrote a book called "Tony Soprano on Management," says the character has certain vision and a distinct approach to his employees.

ANTHONY SCHNEIDER: He - everyone called him Uncle Tony, whether related to him or not, and that's a big thing in management. He took a long time to manage people, spent a lot of time thinking about people. And he wasn't afraid to squeeze, and he would squeeze a business plan, and he would certainly squeeze those people who worked with him or for him - and as we all know, squeeze even a little bit harder if they worked against him.

INSKEEP: And that's the business news on MORNING EDITION from NPR News. We have many great people working with us, here, and sometimes working under deadline. They do get a little squeezed.

MONTAGNE: That's right. They do, Steve. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.