(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")
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.
