Final

Lessons from BBC TV’s “The Apprentice” – Series 16. 12 or 14. Final

It’s the final in series 16 of BBC TV’s The Apprentice and, as is the pattern now, previously-fired candidates return to help the two finalists in their bid to “launch their business” and prevail to secure His Lordship’s investment.

How greatly do the business, on the one hand, and the candidate themselves, on the other, weigh in the final choice?

As it turns out the choice made is the safer one – a small catering business vs. on online clothing shop – and the person probably the more incisive. But both propositions and both finalists had flaws and gaps and it wasn’t obvious which one would be chosen.

It is interesting to see the tribal behaviour – and this happens every time – in how the returning dismissees quickly align and become loyal and supportive of “their” candidate. “Become the clients choice” was a motto that a sales training class I was part of many years ago came up with ourselves as we reviewed the outcome of an intensive exercise that clearly demonstrated the power of getting on your side someone who would be party to the selection decision.

These tasks are hard. Nobody has all the knowledge and skills. The participants don’t know each other (at least, at the start they don’t) and they have to judge how far to collaborate and support each other and when to strike out alone for personal advantage. It’s both a team and, ultimately, an individual challenge.

The show is played strongly for the ‘reality’ (i.e. sensationalist / conflict) angle and that makes for good entertainment and drama. His Lordship’s style has to be seen as playing a panto baddie otherwise you’d choke on his outdated manner and manners. But, taking that on board, and with all its flaws, “all business life is here” for us to learn from.