Well hello-ha ...
I hope you are all well and having a lovely weekend. I've had a bit of a mare of a week (more of that in a separate post), so I haven't done much this week, although I did make time to catch up with the new series of The Apprentice.
I've watched The Apprentice for a long time now, and here we are, in series 14. 14 !!! For the first time ever, I wasn't excited for the launch of this series, and I wasn't even sure I was going to watch. However, the daughter loves it, so watch it we did.
I lost a lot of interest last year with The Ultimate Cop Out, when Lawd Sugah wasn't able to decide between the 2 shit finalists.... so he chose both ... but I think what annoys me the most is how over the last 5 years, the girls have just been HORRENDOUS, shrill, bitchy banshees who Karen usually has to give behaviour yellow cards to.
This first episode was no different. The girls were awful. Aggressive, loud, snarky - they even pushed each other under the bus. They have pouffy hair, over-inflated lips, identical dresses and somehow manage to run around in heels, all whilst muttering they would all do a better job than so-and-so.
I don't understand what's happened to the women on The Apprentice over the years. Originally, both the men and the women were shit in the opening episode, but over the years, the men have become more reliable, mainly because they'd rather get on with the task than jockey for the right camera angle.
Worst is that opening intro where they all give some cheesy quote to camera. Once this used to funny, but now it's just a joke. I don't know what these people are thinking. They're certainly not thinking about what image they want to convey. They seem to think it's only about arrogance and generating money, when running a successful business is about SO much more.
A few of them talk about changing the world - but more for personal glory than altruism. None of them talk about helping people, developing people, improving the world, providing great customer service. Now don't get me wrong, of course you enter business to make money, but you don't have to be a twat at the same time. In fact, the only way you will succeed is if you are NOT a twat - you have to be able to take people with you, and none of The Apprentice candidates seem to grasp that.
The best people who have been on the show over the years - and I even include Katie Hopkins in this - have been able to engage people and unite them in a common goal. The only thing this week's women were united in was not wanting to be team leader (and even that back-fired).
It used to be that the gobby one would turn out to be a rough diamond, and would polish up quite good over the series. Now they just reveal new depths of shallowness, and hopefully that they're less cringey than other people.
So what were this week's Leadership Lessons?
1. COMMUNICATION - it's all about communication. Communication is not about TALKING, it's about ensuring the message is understood. Usually on The Apprentice, communication involves talking over each other - hence this week's scenario where both sub teams bought the same item.
2. PLANNING - to be fair, the girl's team leader wanted to do more planning, but the team just wanted to crack on. YOU CAN'T JUST DIVE IN. If you do, you might find there's no water in the pool and crack your head open. If you plan, you don't have to flap around like a headless chicken in killer heels ... with big lips.
3. TIME-KEEPING. You've got to stick to schedule. No one mapped out their day. Half the girls didn't get to the airport on time. No one knew Malta had a daily siesta ..... seriously.
4. CONTRIBUTE. Week after week, Lawd Sugah will say "you disappeared .. where were you in this task?" When you're in a team, you have to contribute. If you're out of your depth, you have to remember what you ARE good at, and do that. Even if it's just fucking TIMEKEEPING.
5. ACCEPT CONTRIBUTION. I am the team leader, I have made up my mind, I am not going to listen to anyone else because if I agree your idea is better than mine (and it is), I'll look shit. What utter BOLLOCKS. Good leaders know when to draw back and let others shine. Ok, on The Apprentice you're not going to let others shine, but at least allowing others to contribute will engage them and get them working WITH you rather than against you.
I used to love The Apprentice. It used to be fascinating, watching leaders and teams forming and storming and occasionally performing. It used to have some serious-minded business people involved who, whilst far from perfect, learnt from the journey. Now, it's like the contestants are picked up outside a nightclub, and worse, it doesn't make for better TV.
But I've started the ride, so I'll continue, hoping as always that interview week makes it allllllll worthwhile.
[And why has Karen been so ridiculously airbrushed in these promo pics? C'mon guys, this is supposed to be a SERIOUS show, not entertainment.]
I hope you are all well and having a lovely weekend. I've had a bit of a mare of a week (more of that in a separate post), so I haven't done much this week, although I did make time to catch up with the new series of The Apprentice.
I've watched The Apprentice for a long time now, and here we are, in series 14. 14 !!! For the first time ever, I wasn't excited for the launch of this series, and I wasn't even sure I was going to watch. However, the daughter loves it, so watch it we did.
I lost a lot of interest last year with The Ultimate Cop Out, when Lawd Sugah wasn't able to decide between the 2 shit finalists.... so he chose both ... but I think what annoys me the most is how over the last 5 years, the girls have just been HORRENDOUS, shrill, bitchy banshees who Karen usually has to give behaviour yellow cards to.
This first episode was no different. The girls were awful. Aggressive, loud, snarky - they even pushed each other under the bus. They have pouffy hair, over-inflated lips, identical dresses and somehow manage to run around in heels, all whilst muttering they would all do a better job than so-and-so.
I don't understand what's happened to the women on The Apprentice over the years. Originally, both the men and the women were shit in the opening episode, but over the years, the men have become more reliable, mainly because they'd rather get on with the task than jockey for the right camera angle.
Worst is that opening intro where they all give some cheesy quote to camera. Once this used to funny, but now it's just a joke. I don't know what these people are thinking. They're certainly not thinking about what image they want to convey. They seem to think it's only about arrogance and generating money, when running a successful business is about SO much more.
A few of them talk about changing the world - but more for personal glory than altruism. None of them talk about helping people, developing people, improving the world, providing great customer service. Now don't get me wrong, of course you enter business to make money, but you don't have to be a twat at the same time. In fact, the only way you will succeed is if you are NOT a twat - you have to be able to take people with you, and none of The Apprentice candidates seem to grasp that.
The best people who have been on the show over the years - and I even include Katie Hopkins in this - have been able to engage people and unite them in a common goal. The only thing this week's women were united in was not wanting to be team leader (and even that back-fired).
It used to be that the gobby one would turn out to be a rough diamond, and would polish up quite good over the series. Now they just reveal new depths of shallowness, and hopefully that they're less cringey than other people.
So what were this week's Leadership Lessons?
1. COMMUNICATION - it's all about communication. Communication is not about TALKING, it's about ensuring the message is understood. Usually on The Apprentice, communication involves talking over each other - hence this week's scenario where both sub teams bought the same item.
2. PLANNING - to be fair, the girl's team leader wanted to do more planning, but the team just wanted to crack on. YOU CAN'T JUST DIVE IN. If you do, you might find there's no water in the pool and crack your head open. If you plan, you don't have to flap around like a headless chicken in killer heels ... with big lips.
3. TIME-KEEPING. You've got to stick to schedule. No one mapped out their day. Half the girls didn't get to the airport on time. No one knew Malta had a daily siesta ..... seriously.
4. CONTRIBUTE. Week after week, Lawd Sugah will say "you disappeared .. where were you in this task?" When you're in a team, you have to contribute. If you're out of your depth, you have to remember what you ARE good at, and do that. Even if it's just fucking TIMEKEEPING.
5. ACCEPT CONTRIBUTION. I am the team leader, I have made up my mind, I am not going to listen to anyone else because if I agree your idea is better than mine (and it is), I'll look shit. What utter BOLLOCKS. Good leaders know when to draw back and let others shine. Ok, on The Apprentice you're not going to let others shine, but at least allowing others to contribute will engage them and get them working WITH you rather than against you.
I used to love The Apprentice. It used to be fascinating, watching leaders and teams forming and storming and occasionally performing. It used to have some serious-minded business people involved who, whilst far from perfect, learnt from the journey. Now, it's like the contestants are picked up outside a nightclub, and worse, it doesn't make for better TV.
But I've started the ride, so I'll continue, hoping as always that interview week makes it allllllll worthwhile.
[And why has Karen been so ridiculously airbrushed in these promo pics? C'mon guys, this is supposed to be a SERIOUS show, not entertainment.]
