Terry tells it like it is: Week 1
This week was the first time I uttered the words "you're fired"
to one of the contestants - and unfortunately it was Kim who had to
be the first to go.
It was a hard decision to make, as Kim had stepped up to the plate
to be team leader and being the first person to do that was never
going to be easy. She had the full support of her team but at the
end of the day she lacked the necessary ability to lead her team
effectively.
What Kim should have done was lead by example. All the decisions
were made by consensus, which isn't the way to lead a team. She
should have taken into account the opinions of her team members,
but made the final decisions herself.
At this level of business, you have to be able to make hard
decisions by yourself quickly, knowing what the ramifications could
be.
Obviously at this stage of the process we have a long way to go, but we are already starting to see some strengths and weaknesses show through in some of the members of the teams. I'm really excited to see how these people either step up or fall away as the competition goes on.
As you watch the show from home, there are some things you can
learn from seeing what the contestants are doing from week to
week.
In the business world it's all about passion and commitment to what
you're doing, and it's also about taking risks where necessary. You
need to be able to recognise opportunities as they come
along.
We're putting the contestants through their paces in real-world
situations - these are the sorts of challenges that they would face
in business every day. To succeed, you need to pay attention to
detail and realise that ultimately, it's about making money.
The most important attributes in the person I will eventually
hire are the ability to lead a team effectively, creativity, and
the ability to get along with the rest of the people in my
company.
I expect the person I hire to perform at a very high level for me,
and I'm pleased to see that there is a high level of talent among
the contestants. Who will prevail remains to be seen, of
course.
I'm sometimes asked if it is better to go about your work
quietly or to speak up and let your opinions be known in the
business world.
It was interesting in the boardroom today to see how the women
started off fairly quietly but certain personalities started to
come out more as the time went on and they got quite vocal.
I do appreciate people who are forthright and make their opinions
be known, but they also need to be aware that the buck stops with
me. I will make the decisions and I expect my employees to go along
with them. But I do seek the input of my employees in order to
arrive at those decisions.
The Apprentice is essentially a long job interview, but in the
real world you have to make an impression on a potential employer
fairly quickly.
My advice to people looking for a job is to be confident in your
ability, and to do your homework about the company to which you're
applying.
A bit of research about the company can go a long way, and it will
show the employer that you're a serious candidate.
What I'm looking for is someone who is going to be a good
leader; someone in whom I can have total confidence to be able to
step into the role I give them in my company.
What I have to determine, on The Apprentice, is who is taking this
opportunity seriously, and who's simply treating this as a game
where they try to get as far as they can. Time will tell.
