Showing posts with label apprentice episode 3. Show all posts
Showing posts with label apprentice episode 3. Show all posts
Wednesday, 11 April 2012
A Saucy Little Number; Apprentice Series 8 Episode 3
Clichés
aplenty time, after all it was condiment making week. So who cut the mustard? Who needs to ketchup? Who needs to pepp-r up their performance? I’ll move on!
At last Katie revealed herself to the Jedi, taking on her true role as Emperor...sorry I mean project manager. Leading the remainder of the boys team with all the skill of a silent assassin. (no I still don’t know what that means either). Whatever it was, it didn’t work out anyway. Another loss chalked up on her record, though she once again escaped in a pod with sub-team leader Michael taking the firing.
Michael, probably made one mistake in the entire episode and that was positioning himself in Katie eyeline when selecting someone to lead the sub-team. Should that team have sold more? Yes for sure. Were they on a bit of a hiding to nothing? Definitely.
Just how product billed as mass market can be that when production ‘errors’ mean there are so few is a puzzler. Regular readers will know I enjoy a good saying or two, and here’s another one that came true... “Too many cooks spoil the broth” or in this case a rather sour tasting not quite tomato sauce. Ricky “The Shark” Martin, possibly distracted by the splashing of nearby bather, failed to get to grips with a fairly straightforward production process. It left Katie no other choice than to increase the trade price to a level as unpalatable as the sauce itself.
Oh and did I happen to mention the carefully chosen brand name for said sauce, Bellissimo, was also spelt wrongly. “Bellissimo is spelt wrong”...the first four words out of the mouth of the 1st trade buyer, not a great start to any pitch.
Not that dynamic Duane and his team did much better. In fact we almost saw Nick Hewer carrying out CPR on the brave team leader after sampling a rather large mouthful of the first batch of their Pineapple and Chilli Chutney. To his credit Duane headed to a corner to remove the contents from his gullet, though this did appear less than voluntary. It was more Duane Dibbly, than The Cat. If only he was carrying a thermos.
The firing was textbook use of Sith powers from Katie, who at least couldn’t be accused of hiding this week. Whilst she at least put up a defence that even the Ewoks would’ve admired, Ricky ‘La vida Loca’ Martin revealed his true inner animal...chocolate rabbit. He melted at the first sign of Lord Sugars’ dragon breath, yet it was Michael who returned to his own self-made kitchen empire. Well you know what they say “ if you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen”...as long as that isn’t your own Kitchen business.
Star of the Week: Duane Bryan – By default really this time. It was a rank bad week for everyone else.
Got Lucky: Ricky “The Shark” Martin. Failed on the production line and that was the one major problem in the whole task.
Heading for a Fall: Jenna Whittingham. You get the feeling she’s one slight slip away from a firing.
For Twitter updates on The Apprentice don't forget to follow me @simonbrooke
At last Katie revealed herself to the Jedi, taking on her true role as Emperor...sorry I mean project manager. Leading the remainder of the boys team with all the skill of a silent assassin. (no I still don’t know what that means either). Whatever it was, it didn’t work out anyway. Another loss chalked up on her record, though she once again escaped in a pod with sub-team leader Michael taking the firing.
Michael, probably made one mistake in the entire episode and that was positioning himself in Katie eyeline when selecting someone to lead the sub-team. Should that team have sold more? Yes for sure. Were they on a bit of a hiding to nothing? Definitely.
Just how product billed as mass market can be that when production ‘errors’ mean there are so few is a puzzler. Regular readers will know I enjoy a good saying or two, and here’s another one that came true... “Too many cooks spoil the broth” or in this case a rather sour tasting not quite tomato sauce. Ricky “The Shark” Martin, possibly distracted by the splashing of nearby bather, failed to get to grips with a fairly straightforward production process. It left Katie no other choice than to increase the trade price to a level as unpalatable as the sauce itself.
Oh and did I happen to mention the carefully chosen brand name for said sauce, Bellissimo, was also spelt wrongly. “Bellissimo is spelt wrong”...the first four words out of the mouth of the 1st trade buyer, not a great start to any pitch.
Not that dynamic Duane and his team did much better. In fact we almost saw Nick Hewer carrying out CPR on the brave team leader after sampling a rather large mouthful of the first batch of their Pineapple and Chilli Chutney. To his credit Duane headed to a corner to remove the contents from his gullet, though this did appear less than voluntary. It was more Duane Dibbly, than The Cat. If only he was carrying a thermos.
The firing was textbook use of Sith powers from Katie, who at least couldn’t be accused of hiding this week. Whilst she at least put up a defence that even the Ewoks would’ve admired, Ricky ‘La vida Loca’ Martin revealed his true inner animal...chocolate rabbit. He melted at the first sign of Lord Sugars’ dragon breath, yet it was Michael who returned to his own self-made kitchen empire. Well you know what they say “ if you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen”...as long as that isn’t your own Kitchen business.
Star of the Week: Duane Bryan – By default really this time. It was a rank bad week for everyone else.
Got Lucky: Ricky “The Shark” Martin. Failed on the production line and that was the one major problem in the whole task.
Heading for a Fall: Jenna Whittingham. You get the feeling she’s one slight slip away from a firing.
For Twitter updates on The Apprentice don't forget to follow me @simonbrooke
Friday, 20 May 2011
What a Cloche! The Apprentice Series 7 Episode 3
Whilst wistfully imagining an outstanding spin-off show featuring Nick Hewer named 'The King and Eye (brows)', thoughts drifted towards Episode 3s lessons. Still, the thought of Lord Sugar’s erstwhile informer shopping for top hats with the King of Tonga proved understandably distracting.
Series 7 finally found it's rhythm in this episode with the perennial buying task that has previously brought us kosher chicken, 18th century magazines that are actually London cabbie revision guides and so many more classic Apprentice moments. Yet, each and every series the candidates make the same basic errors time and again. Thankfully it was an episode that also widened the candidate base and gave us a flavour of many more of this year’s intake.
The discount buying task always makes good TV, and you get the feeling that of all the tasks that are devised on The Apprentice, Lord Sugars hand was perhaps most firmly behind this one. As critics will point out, a strong and lasting business could not be built on the kind of rash (and particularly desperate) negotiating and often rudeness that punctuates this episode. However, one thing this episode does highlight is those candidates who think on their feet, are prepared to just get on with it and can negotiate. Three key attributes that Lord Sugar holds dear. It wouldn’t surprise me to learn that the top performers in this task over the last few series have either won the main prize or been close to it.
That’s why this episode may give us our first real hint at the potential winners. Lord Sugar will undoubtedly play a ‘silent partner’ brief within any business setup on the back of this series, and perhaps for the first time we got an idea of just what kind of person he thinks he needs to work with.
On paper, Gavin, a young man who successfully set up and runs opticians was a real contender. Yet in the heat of this task he crumbled. Ok he had the more difficult team, but he was trumped the cool, calm and impressive Susan Ma. She certainly understood that time and quick and decisive decisions were key to this task. Fair enough, some of those decisions, such as which parts of London to do the cheapest shopping, were equally poor. Frankly anyone who has been subjected to those long, often fractious family monopoly games could’ve pointed her away from Mayfair for a Lord Sugar shopping trip.
Still thanks to Jedi Jim getting an extra £10 off an already impressive negotiation, Susan pulled in the win. She was perhaps the most impressive PM so far with a well organised team. Even if their locations and negotiations were far from it. It goes to show just how important it is to understand the challenge, get organised and get on with it. Gavin’s biggest failing was ‘dithering’ which lead to his team being badly organised and unable to complete the task in time. He was very nearly saved by his teams selection of leads and negotiating skills in what was after all only an £8 victory.
Most of the time as leaders we don’t have the answers. But the best leaders are able to organise their teams effectively, assign roles and give people responsibility and accountability. In so doing, especially when decisions need to be made under pressure, the outcome often takes care of itself.
In the meantime I’m wondering just who else Nick Hewer goes shopping with...
Star of the Week: Jedi Jim as always, but a nod this time to Ellie Reed who was impressive.
Got Lucky: Natasha Scribbins - what she was doing phoning a competitor only she knows...
Heading for a Fall: Natasha Scribbins - ...and her negotiations of the sign when she absolutely had £20 to spend before settling on £80 and then claiming she could’ve got better, and she already has an enemy in Zoe...in fact it isn’t looking good for her.
For Twitter updates on The Apprentice don't forget to follow me @simonbrooke
Series 7 finally found it's rhythm in this episode with the perennial buying task that has previously brought us kosher chicken, 18th century magazines that are actually London cabbie revision guides and so many more classic Apprentice moments. Yet, each and every series the candidates make the same basic errors time and again. Thankfully it was an episode that also widened the candidate base and gave us a flavour of many more of this year’s intake.
The discount buying task always makes good TV, and you get the feeling that of all the tasks that are devised on The Apprentice, Lord Sugars hand was perhaps most firmly behind this one. As critics will point out, a strong and lasting business could not be built on the kind of rash (and particularly desperate) negotiating and often rudeness that punctuates this episode. However, one thing this episode does highlight is those candidates who think on their feet, are prepared to just get on with it and can negotiate. Three key attributes that Lord Sugar holds dear. It wouldn’t surprise me to learn that the top performers in this task over the last few series have either won the main prize or been close to it.
That’s why this episode may give us our first real hint at the potential winners. Lord Sugar will undoubtedly play a ‘silent partner’ brief within any business setup on the back of this series, and perhaps for the first time we got an idea of just what kind of person he thinks he needs to work with.
On paper, Gavin, a young man who successfully set up and runs opticians was a real contender. Yet in the heat of this task he crumbled. Ok he had the more difficult team, but he was trumped the cool, calm and impressive Susan Ma. She certainly understood that time and quick and decisive decisions were key to this task. Fair enough, some of those decisions, such as which parts of London to do the cheapest shopping, were equally poor. Frankly anyone who has been subjected to those long, often fractious family monopoly games could’ve pointed her away from Mayfair for a Lord Sugar shopping trip.
Still thanks to Jedi Jim getting an extra £10 off an already impressive negotiation, Susan pulled in the win. She was perhaps the most impressive PM so far with a well organised team. Even if their locations and negotiations were far from it. It goes to show just how important it is to understand the challenge, get organised and get on with it. Gavin’s biggest failing was ‘dithering’ which lead to his team being badly organised and unable to complete the task in time. He was very nearly saved by his teams selection of leads and negotiating skills in what was after all only an £8 victory.
Most of the time as leaders we don’t have the answers. But the best leaders are able to organise their teams effectively, assign roles and give people responsibility and accountability. In so doing, especially when decisions need to be made under pressure, the outcome often takes care of itself.
In the meantime I’m wondering just who else Nick Hewer goes shopping with...
Star of the Week: Jedi Jim as always, but a nod this time to Ellie Reed who was impressive.
Got Lucky: Natasha Scribbins - what she was doing phoning a competitor only she knows...
Heading for a Fall: Natasha Scribbins - ...and her negotiations of the sign when she absolutely had £20 to spend before settling on £80 and then claiming she could’ve got better, and she already has an enemy in Zoe...in fact it isn’t looking good for her.
For Twitter updates on The Apprentice don't forget to follow me @simonbrooke
Friday, 22 October 2010
The Rise and fall of a simple call – Episode 3, The Apprentice 2010
It’s a phrase that has long elicited feelings of power, triumph over disaster and success. Rising to the challenge conjures pictures of a bloodied and battered Terry Butcher, an exhausted Roger Bannister and a triumphant Edmund Hillary amongst others. These were people who have triumphed when the odds seemed against them, when they mustered every ounce of courage and what little energy was left and rose to top.
So to use the phrase to describe the goings on the latest Apprentice challenge is purely on for ‘punning’ reasons. Although, when Lord Sugar uttered the phrase at the start of the programme he was probably hoping to see Dr Shibby standing aloft a large pile of cash with his one remaining muffin shining like a beacon in triumph. Sadly, and very predictably it was less a case of the teams rising to the challenge, more the premature opening of the oven door on a soufflé.
Classic Apprentice in every respect, from the pitch through production and even final sales day, it was a challenge littered with ‘how not too’s...’ even down to the conduct of the project managers. Melissa and Shibby were the two project managers in the firing line, with Melissa’s team claiming the win in-spite of her.
The task for Shibby (sorry, Dr Shibby) fell down on two major aspects, over promising at the front end, and a production process that was badly managed. With communication between the departments the key to the whole debacle, or rather lack of communication. With clearer communication it was still feasible that the mistakes made at the front end could’ve been turned round and a win achieved. However, the lack of communication between the sub-teams and even between the members of the sub-teams was staggering.
In many ways saying ‘Yes’ to orders that will stretch your business is not a bad thing. As the old saying goes ‘if you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always gotten’, so stretching things isn’t inherently wrong. Under-promising and over-delivering is always better than over-promising, but the key to whatever approach you choose to take is ensuring that the communication lines within your business are such that all the key parts are aware of their roles in pulling off this mammoth task.
I was certainly left wondering what would’ve happened if Christopher had been running Dr Shibby’s production line. It is fair to say that Melissa only really succeeded through the qualities Christopher and his military background brought to the cake production. And the more I think about it, the more I’m convinced Christopher could’ve rescued Dr Shibby’s hotel order and ensured that it was Melissa and her Jenny Eclair style that faced Lord Sugar Cakes.
What it did go to show is how crucial communication is to winning. The best teams, be they business teams, football teams or military teams succeed where clear communication exists and is encouraged.
So to use the phrase to describe the goings on the latest Apprentice challenge is purely on for ‘punning’ reasons. Although, when Lord Sugar uttered the phrase at the start of the programme he was probably hoping to see Dr Shibby standing aloft a large pile of cash with his one remaining muffin shining like a beacon in triumph. Sadly, and very predictably it was less a case of the teams rising to the challenge, more the premature opening of the oven door on a soufflé.
Classic Apprentice in every respect, from the pitch through production and even final sales day, it was a challenge littered with ‘how not too’s...’ even down to the conduct of the project managers. Melissa and Shibby were the two project managers in the firing line, with Melissa’s team claiming the win in-spite of her.
The task for Shibby (sorry, Dr Shibby) fell down on two major aspects, over promising at the front end, and a production process that was badly managed. With communication between the departments the key to the whole debacle, or rather lack of communication. With clearer communication it was still feasible that the mistakes made at the front end could’ve been turned round and a win achieved. However, the lack of communication between the sub-teams and even between the members of the sub-teams was staggering.
In many ways saying ‘Yes’ to orders that will stretch your business is not a bad thing. As the old saying goes ‘if you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always gotten’, so stretching things isn’t inherently wrong. Under-promising and over-delivering is always better than over-promising, but the key to whatever approach you choose to take is ensuring that the communication lines within your business are such that all the key parts are aware of their roles in pulling off this mammoth task.
I was certainly left wondering what would’ve happened if Christopher had been running Dr Shibby’s production line. It is fair to say that Melissa only really succeeded through the qualities Christopher and his military background brought to the cake production. And the more I think about it, the more I’m convinced Christopher could’ve rescued Dr Shibby’s hotel order and ensured that it was Melissa and her Jenny Eclair style that faced Lord Sugar Cakes.
What it did go to show is how crucial communication is to winning. The best teams, be they business teams, football teams or military teams succeed where clear communication exists and is encouraged.
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