Anyone watching the US Celebrity Apprentice currently airing on BBC 1? If not, I really recommend it. It's by far my favourite version of the Apprentice programmes. It's great entertainment and perhaps because of the length of the programme focuses in more depth on the stresses and strains within the teams. And leadership lessons seem to come tumbling out from every episode.
Before I share the lessons from the most recent episode, I should perhaps say for anyone who may read this in the US that my research seems to suggest that the series we're currently watching in the UK (Series 11 I think) is the one you had back in 2011 so you may need to cast your mind back to remember the episode I watched just last night!
The task in this episode involved the teams creating an outdoor camping experience for US Company Camping World. The men's team, led by actor Gary Busey triumphed over the ladies team led by model Niki Taylor, principally because their branding for the sponsor was superior. What I loved about this episode though was the surprising leadership demonstrated by Niki in the Boardroom.
When Donald Trump asked about the reasons the team had failed she accepted responsibility, explaining that her team members had done a good job and therefore as the task manager she also had to accept accountability. This despite the fact that she'd clearly found one of her team members' behaviour difficult to manage. On several occasions Donald Trump gave her the opportunity to place the blame elsewhere - but despite knowing that she'd be fired as a result, she refused. And by doing so, gave a huge lesson in leadership.
Watch the key parts of the episode here. The video is 21 minutes long but the key parts start at 17:35.
Integrity. A quality often mentioned but rarely illustrated as well as this, particularly in business in recent years. Watch also her team-mates reaction. You can see and hear their admiration for her and when they rush to catch her so that they can walk out of the Boardroom as a team they show their loyalty and commitment to her. She expected to walk out alone, not with them alongside her. In my work with many organisations I rarely witness such outstanding leadership and see teams as engaged as this one clearly is.
Why do I think this is surprising? Well, one of the characteristics necessary to progress in the programme is a willingness to fight, usually by looking for an excuse to blame someone else, in the event of a failure. That's one of the facets of the culture of the programme. Add to that the inherent competitiveness which is part of the culture in the US, undoubtedly more so than in the UK, and accepting responsibility rather than passing the buck must have required courage and moral fortitude.
Well done Niki Taylor. If more business leaders had more of your qualities there'd be happier and more successful companies to work in and be customers of.
