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EPISODE TWO LESSONS

Anthony Parinello and Beth Gottfried
10 SECRETS I LEARNED FROM THE APPRENTICE
Chamberlin Brothers, 2004

Michael Robin
LESSONS FROM THE APPRENTICE
Time, Inc. 2005
 

In the boardroom

Donald's first words were "Here we go again." Project Manager Jason was soon in the hot seat. Nick had kind words for Jason, but Sam did not. Troy felt that Jason's decision not to meet face to face with the Marquis clients was a crucial mistake for the team - and Donald agreed. Jason chose Sam and Nick to join him on the chopping block: Sam, because he literally snoozed during the team effort and Nick for reasons even Jason couldn't explain.

Once the guys stepped outside, George made a case for eliminating Sam. Donald thought Sam was destined to either get a company in huge trouble or take it to new heights. Donald also said he didn't think Sam had anything to do with the guys' failure on this challenge. The guys were brought back in and Donald made his final decision. Before he could say anything, Nick demanded to know from Jason why he was chosen. Jason still had nothing to say except that he "had to pick someone." Donald reassured Nick that he would not be fired. When Sam tried to defend himself, Donald calmly said, "In many respects, you've been a disaster Sam." Not a good sign. However, in the end, it was Jason who was sent down to the street - not Sam.

Commentary

  • Coordinate.

    • Each The Protege women were on the same page--and in the same outfits--when they impressed Donnie Deutsch and his clients with their racy ideas for the Marquis Jet Card.  Matching flight attendant uniforms sent the message that the team had its act toegether and the well-rehearsed salesmanship of Omarosa, Heidi, and Amy proved it.

  • "Substance" versus "Sizzle". 

    • Donnie Deutsch challenged the teams to come up with multimedia ad campaigns for Marquis Jet's private aircraft.  The men of Versacorp, still smarting from the previous week's defeat, took a sensible approach.  They profiled their customer, selected images that showed how the product met his needs, and presented a glossy, professionally executed campaign.  In spite of this, the Protege women walked away with another win.  What did they have that the men didn't?  In a word: guts.  The women, following team member Tammy's vision, had the audacity and imagination to fill their jet photos with bold imagery that made the men's slick work look generic.  In the battle to attract attention, Tammy's ad was the clear winner.  She'd heeded Donnie's advice to 'swing for the fences', and scored a home run for Protege.

  • Know Your Customer. 

    • It was hard not to wince when project manager Jason declared that meeting with Marquis Jet executives to discuss their ad campaign would be a 'waste of time."  Even as he spoke, the Protege women were plowing him under with knowledge gained from just such a meeting.  This is a lesson that needs to be remembered:  when it comes to meeting customers' needs, knowledge is power.

  • Know Your Staff. 

    • It is hard to imagine more combative individuals than Heidi, Ereka, and Omarosa.  This trio goaded one another like boxers at a weigh-in.  Yet Amy's deft management steered this wild bunch to victory with nary a hiccup.  How did she do it?  First, rather than waste time trying to get Ereka and Omarosa to play nice, she separated them; unable to get in her adversary's face, each woman focused on the job.  Later when it came time to plan Protege's pitch, Amy didn't let Omarosa and Heidi's personal friction keep her form capitalizing on their strong presentation skills.  Careful definition of each woman's role enabled Amy to put them both right up front, and they rewarded her confidence with compelling performances and flawless teamwork.  Whatever battles awaited them back in the suite, Protege's fiery-tempered women excelled when it mattered.  Amy's smart management kept turmoil to a minimum, and the team's winning streak alive.

Lessons Learned

Get Face to Face

"Every wall is also a door." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

  • When in doubt, go straight to the top.
  • Do whatever is necessary to get eye-to-eye with new clients or customers.
  • Make your case with passion and style.
  • Understand that nonverbal communication is just as important--if not more important--than words spoken during a meeting.
  • If at first you don't succeed in your efforts to connect personally with a key decision-maker, think creatively and try a new approach.
  • Don't be fooled by appearances.
  • Forget about investing your time dealing with underlings.
  • Set up meetings with new customers or clients so you can confirm the goals you'll be trying to attain.
  • Always try to get feedback on your strategies.
  • If you've caused an important problem, don't be afraid to chart a new direction.
  • If you choose not to invest your time, money, and energy in a face to face meeting with your organization's key decision makers, both internal and external, you may rest assured that your competition is ready, willing, and able to make than investment.

Gold Stars:

Amy
The Report Card
Protege:
  • Effort --
  • Performance --
  • Creativity --


 
Versacorp:
  • Effort --
  • Performance --
  • Creativity --


 
 

 
EPISODE 2