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Julia TalksI’ve just run away from the television because my good lady wife is watching the Apprentice. Might as well write a blog and eat chocolate instead, I thought. Lindt’s Roasted Almond, in case you’re interested.
Why do I hate the Apprentice so much?
Well…partly it’s because all the contestants are so stupid and so extreme. So it’s the sort of TV I hate because it’s so contrived and exaggerated. But these people are supposed to be business people, in fact they’re supposed to be high flying, top quality business people. So I worry that the general public might think that all business people are like this – I worry that people might think that I’m like this.
The competition
Now, business is often competition. You want to be better than your competitors, and you want your company to win. But it’s rare, in my business experience, that people will stoop to the games playing and low tactics which seems to happen every week in the Apprentice. The name calling, blaming and trickery which goes on is something that I haven’t really seen since school. And the clever bit in the show is the way that Alan Sugar manages to see through this every time. He’s positioned as such a masterful business mind that he can work out what’s going on with the snivelling brats. I know plenty of mums who would give him a run for his money on this one.
The challenges
And the challenges. I hate the challenges too. When in your business career have you ever had to do something like this? That’s right, never. If I had to design a new flavour of crisps, or sell sausages, I’d take some time to work out my strategy. They always go wrong because they don’t work out their strategy, or if they do, they just grab the first thing that appeals to them, and don’t work it through. Actually, that might be like some of the real life businesses I come across. Hmm…no, actually I’ve never had a client who has made so many mistakes, so quickly.
The Apprentice promotes the idea that business thinking is based on gut instinct. It isn’t, being good in business is something that you learn.
Why does it appeal?
Apparently 8.11m people watch this stuff. That’s a third of everyone watching TV while I’m writing this blog. So I’m trying to work out why it’s so popular.
People like the Apprentice because they can see what’s going wrong, and laugh at the idiots. It’s pure entertainment of course – we’re laughing at the expense of others, and we can take sides and want one of the idiots to win more than the others.
As long as no one thinks that it bears any relation to the real world of business, where people co-operate, work in teams, develop partnerships, and think for at least 5 minutes before selling their sausages.
If you’re going on the Apprentice, and would like some help, why not get some business support and advice, so you’ll do better than these numpties.
I think problem with programmes like The Apprentice far too many people will take it seriously, people believe what they watch on TV like they do when they read even the tabloid newspapers.
I run a call answering service, therefore we screen lots of “cold calls” for our clients, and I sometimes wonder if some of these people watch Apprentice for tips on how to sell – because they do it so badly; often even being rude, or trying to trick their way to speaking to the right person. All they are doing is setting themselves up to fail.
Your article makes very valid points and I think programmes like Apprentice is why we see so many poor business people almost on a daily basis who simply don’t have a clue on how to conduct themselves.
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by JuliaChanteray, Ashley Price. Ashley Price said: RT @JuliaChanteray: Here we go – why the Apprentice is bad for business. http://ow.ly/3f9AY [...]
Great blog, Julia… couldn’t agree more.
When I hear those blinkered, self-oriented Apprentice contestants boast proudly that they don’t care who they tread on as they climb the ladder to make their name in business and make their 6-figure salary, my heart sinks. There’s already an odd (sometimes hidden, sometimes not) perception in the UK that business is only about greed and that all business owners are out to rip off ‘honest working folk’.
My experience is that ‘honest working folk’ can be found amongst business owners and employees alike. Their dishonesty and egocentricity is to do with them as people, not as a reflection of how they choose to make their income. Let’s not celebrate them, whether they are on TV, or not.
Numpties, indeed.
It’s refreshing to hear these comments. However, in my opinion the art of business has been tarnished by Alan Sugar’s irresponsible behaviour. Unfortunatly, Mr Sugar creates a competitive environment which seems to bring out the worse in people – this is NOT what business is about. Success in business comes from having the good old fashioned values such as integrity, honesty and dare I say it compassion! If you want to become a successful business person, Id suggest an MBA or at least some credible biomass education – NOT Mr Sugar’s master class…The Apprentice!
It’s refreshing to hear these comments. However, in my opinion the art of business has been tarnished by Alan Sugar’s irresponsible behaviour. Unfortunatly, Mr Sugar creates a competitive environment which seems to bring out the worse in people – this is NOT what business is about. Success in business comes from having the good old fashioned values such as integrity, honesty and dare I say it compassion! If you want to become a successful business person, Id suggest an MBA or at least some credible biomass education – NOT Mr Sugar’s master class…The Apprentice!
Great blog Julia….
I just hope that the leaders of the apprentice watchers understand how to get the message through, that the all-knowing Mr Sugar didn’t get where he is today by running his business like he and his team coach the apprentices to run theirs….
maybe there is a new series in challenge the apprentices – similar to egg heads:-)
Nope, you’ve all missed the point. You’re all fired. Even though people enjoy watching everyone else get all fired up, the real appeal for the average viewer is to watch someone speak to another in the same way they know they should be speaking to themselves, in order to achieve their own ambitions. It’s all subconscious, but Donald’s hair gives us something to focus on instead. We all want what the apprentices desire, to a greater or lesser degree. And we all know that tough-talk is one of the last things we’ll engage in with ourselves if we have the choice. So the show becomes a vicarious self-flagellation (!) and we watch to imagine what we’d do if we were to actually confront the power of our own dreams, stripped naked to a simple actions-get-results framework. We all have a Donald inside, and we all wish we’d either talk to ourselves MORE as he does, or begin listening to ourselves the way the apprentices are forced to. The show is stupid, but the premise is immaculate.