Business Lessons from Celebrity Apprentice (Ep 10)

How many losses does it take to get fired? Only one if you’re anybody but Omarosa, but a class act like Omarosa gets three shots at failure (not to mention a second season.) You gotta know the world rejoiced at her firing when NBC is promoting “Omarosa Free” apprentice episodes! On with the lessons

Business Lesson One: Multi-tasking isn’t always effective:

Some people can multi-task, some can’t. For most, multi-tasking is only mildly effective as instead of allowing a person to have a dedicated focus on a task they give two tasks less than half their attention. This means you get less done in the same amount of time. While some tasks require the ability to multi-task, reading and talking generally don’t go well together, especially when you’re trying to learn about something new and act as a salesperson at the same time.

I found it funny when Omarosa chastised Stephen because he couldn’t make calls to his buddies and learn about the artwork at the same time. I wouldn’t have been able to do that either. Reading while talking (or listening) simply doesn’t work for me. And if you ever catch me reading something while talking to you then I’ll tell you right now, I’m not listening to you!

Business Lesson Two: Success requires moving people to you and away from your competitors

There is plenty of room in this world for two competing companies to operate side by side. But if you really want to be successful then the goal is to pull business away from your competition and bring them you. Omarosa did a masterful job of this as people entered into the art gallery, directing them over to her team’s side.

By all appearances, Omarosa had the tactical advantage. Unfortunately they didn’t capitalize on opportunity while the other team took advantage in other ways. When Omarosa’s team brought in people to buy their artwork, the other team poached their clients and sold them artwork from their own side. Stephen claimed this was unfair, but there was nothing unfair about it. He didn’t sell his people and the other team did.

Business success is about taking advantages of your competitor’s weaknesses. That’s just the way business works. In fact, smart business people work to create disadvantages for others by exploiting their own advantages. If you can’t compete, get off the court!

Business Lesson Three: You can’t dig your way out of a hole.

Omarosa simply doesn’t know when to shut up. She’s not a smart business person and pretty much doesn’t understand anything outside of her own selfishness. So when she gets in defensive positions the only thing she knows how to do is to make personal attacks. I can’t image in a business in the world that would want to hire Omarosa after her performance on The Apprentice.

Her stupidity in this episode when to all new lows. For no apparent reason she claimed that she believed Piers was in the closet. What bearing does that have on anything? And even if true, what business is it of hers to “out” him national TV?

I have to say that Piers’ response was an all-time classic. I won’t give it away if you haven’t seen the episode but this was one of the best moments on reality TV. Oh, and for Piers to celebrate his victory with the gloating that he did… we’ll I think it was entirely justified. Let’s just call that Business Less on Number Four: There is nothing wrong with savoring a good victory.