Podcast: Leaders We Like; Jerks We Don't (Episode 3)
The Apprenti decide not to take a week off and instead analyze episode three:
1) Problem solving in project management - Raluca looks at what happens when problems arise in planning, controlling, and people "phases" of project management.
2) Conflict and Leadership Skills - Just as Sean did, Raluca marvels at Andrea's handling of the project manager position. She also dishes out the five characteristics of a good leader.
3) Trump as a Leader - Riley thinks that Trump has been sending mixed messages to his charges and that's influencing how they behave.
4) Lenny - Riley and Raluca agree: the guy's a serious problem.
posted by Riley @ 11:29 PM
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8 Comments:
From an informally educated organizational perspective, I disagree with you two about Lenny. I think Lenny comes from different stock and to people he doesn’t respect he is probably difficult to manage. I can see where the sleek little catty popular looking people probably drive him nuts. I believe, though, people like Lenny will respond well to people who are able to connect with them – most likely with a similar background – people they can respect. I’m guessing he thinks his team mates are a bunch of pansies – no respect. No respect.
As for Brent, I don’t think he should be the final apprentice, but he exposed the worst in the people there – including The Donald. After watching this season, I’m starting to think the Hitler and his perfect Arian race mentality is still alive and well in NYC. Instead of blonde hair and blues eyes, though you have to have a certain look and be able to say corporate buzz words. Most of all, you have to think inside the box. I think Brent ended up burying himself but he was also helped by everyone else on the show digging a hole, throwing him in it and then giving him a cold shower of who-knows-what right before giving him a shovel.
In short, I’m sure they could have managed Brent better though I don’t think he’s a proper fit for Donald’s company. I think Lenny is manageable but not by these little corporate posers. And lastly, I’m not sure if I’d want to work for the Donald now – he’s showing some rather disturbing traits.
We're similarly torn about the way Trump has reacted to this group of candidates. He doesn't seem to be sending a consistent message or making sound decisions.
Regarding Lenny. I spent two years working Romania and a year in China, so I have some experience working in Communist and post-Communist environments. I find Lenny's attitude to be unacceptable in that environment as well. In this world, there's no place for his unrestrained anger, personal attacks, and resentful complaining. Similarly, it wasn't the job that Brent could or could not do that got him fired. Rather, it was his vulgarity. I'm certainly not a saint, but I found myself offended at many of his comments.
Raluca and I spent about a half hour talking about the boardroom scene and we'll share quite a bit of that in our podcast on Sunday (plug, plug). Managing Brent was distracting the team. With Brent gone, Synergy has to perform. It will either bring out the best or the worst in Syngery and ultimately that's what Trump needs to see in order to pick his apprentice.
Riley -- Don't discuss the boardroom BEFORE you record -- do it WHILE you record. With your and Raluca's background, even your prep will probably be interesting. Would you like the final scene in the apprentice to be ONLY the people getting on the elevators? Give us more. Let it hang out, man. :-)
Oh, if you only saw our recording equipment. Armchair does such a wonderful job at laying out the show and providing insight in a conversational mold, we wanted to head in a different direction.
I think the original thought was that if someone who had never heard the show tuned in, they would find the podcast interesting on a theoretical level. Yet the podcast would be even more interesting for someone who had seen the show.
I also prefer my podcasts short. Knowledge@Wharton does a great 10 minute podcast; Gallop hovers around 5 minute; NYTimes columnists clock in at 5 minutes; Slate Magazine's are around 10 minutes. There are lots of great podcasts that are more than that, though: Inside the Net (30 minutes), This Week in Technology (1 hour), Scientific American (30 minutes), NPR Books (30 minutes).
Just depends on preference.
Raluca, Riley,
I just wanted to let you know, that I have done a review of The Apprenti Podcast on my own show called The Project Management Podcast. In a nutshell: I like what you are doing, the sound quality could improve and your show is a great way of bringing PM to the masses. I also put a link to your show up on my blog.
You can find the show with your review at http://media.libsyn.com/media/pmpodcast/PM_Podcast_2006_03_25_-_Introduction_to_EVM.mp3. Fast forward to about 34:20mins.
--
Until next time,
Cornelius Fichtner, PMP
The Project Management Podcast
http://pmpodcast.blogspot.com/
pmpodcast@gmail.com
I find your broadcast very interesting and educational. I am a project manager and your insights help me evolve my skills.
Thanks Keep up the good work
Cornelius - Thanks a lot for your plug (see post).
Anonymous - We're very happy that you're happy.
One of the main goals of the podcast is to blend the world of pop culture (represented here by reality TV and The Apprentice) with the real world (in this case, organizational sciences and project management). If the podcast makes more people reflect on their jobs or their television-watching experience differently, we've done what we set out to do.
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