The beauty of the 007 franchise is the longevity it has had in an industry when so many hits are here today and gone tomorrow. Since 1962, the franchise has pumped out 24 films with a gaggle of different Bond actors. And yet, as proven by last weekend’s #1 finish at the box office, the impact and interest in these films continues to grow. Why? Well, good-looking leading men and women help, but there’s more to the secret-sauce, and stealing bits and pieces from the Bond model can actually help us professionally. Here are three-and-a-half unintended business lessons the Bond movies can teach us:

1. The necessity of re-invention. The Bond movies have been constantly tweaking the formula for their success. Keep in mind that re-inventing yourself doesn’t have to be a complete overhaul. When I went away to college I chose a school where I knew nobody because I wanted to begin with a clean slate where I could tweak how the world saw me. This type of reinvention is why some poor high school students excel in college or why that dufus in college you never thought would amount to anything becomes a CEO of major company. It’s never too late to learn a new skill or shine light on a skill you’ve had all along to re-invent yourself slightly in the workplace.
2. You win some, you lose some. Every Bond fan has their favorites: a favorite movie, a favorite Bond actor or even a favorite Bond girl. And personal opinions about the best or worst in these categories is cause for great bar debates. Keep in mind that as your career evolves and grows, there will be some hits and some misses, but that doesn’t mean we should stop swinging.
3. Stay top of mind by having audiences wonder what’s next. Part of the intrigue of the series is the fact that we never really know what to expect from the next film. Will it be the same Bond actor? What gadgets will they come up with? Or even, when will the next movie will hit theaters? The point being, there is an element of intrigue that keeps us tuning in. What are you doing in your professional adventures to keep your customers/clients tuning in?

And three-and-a-half: Have a hook. Of course, for our protagonist it’s as simple as the way he introduces himself as, “Bond… James Bond.” He makes his mark in three words (and two of those words are the same word). Quite frankly, he’s memorable in a way that would make him a heck of a salesman… but I’m glad he’s saving the world instead.

I’m Stahlmann… Jack Stahlmann. And while I don’t save the world, I do tweet so let’s tweet-up!