| |
| |
|
WebsiteAlways |
|
Lessons from Donald Trump and The Apprentice: A Career Coachs Perspective
What can we learn about careers from watching Donald Trump and The Apprentice? 1. Recognize that job tests don't always correspond to job realities. Hundreds of companies screen candidates through psychological tests, stress interviews, group interviews, role-playing and a whole lot more. Do these tests make sense? * Martin Seligman found that optimism often outweighed raw sales talent when he tested Metropolitan Life sales representatives. * Lawyers tell me that law school tests have little relation to what they do on a day-to-day basis, especially if they're litigating or negotiating. * And most of us would agree: The way we act during an interview or role play doesn't predict how we'll survive and thrive on a day-to-day basis. So we can't fault Donald Trump for creating elaborate scenarios that force candidates into roles they'll never need once they're safely inside real boardrooms. 2. Prepare to confront sexism in the 21st century. Critics -- and Caroline --may raise their eyebrows when women use sex to sell. Season 1 brought overt flirting and short short skirts. Season 2 brought Ivana Ma, who will unfortunately be remembered for downloading her skirt to reveal some flowered bikini something or other. But let's face it, folks. Who chose these contestants? Twenty-something women wear tank tops and short skirts -- no big deal, they would say. They mostly have long straight hair and they're above-average attractive. Trump regularly brings up gender issues -- even dividing teams along male vs. female lines -- and obviously has an eye for the ladies. He's another generation. But even the young men on the show aren't immune. Discussing the magnificently blond Jennifer, one young man summarizes: she's a lawyer, she's smart -- and she's beautiful. Season 1 introduced a couple of men who weren't GQ material. One was sort of a teddy bear, the other a cold fish who tried to overcompensate during the task. When will we see a blunt-speaking, slightly overweight woman with glasses? 3. Choose environments where you'll shine and stay away from situations that bring out your worst side. It's easy to criticize the Apprentice candidates. After all, they're supposed to be the best and the brightest. But lots of bright business whiz kids don't want to take three months off from their lives and their businesses. Riding around in Trump limousines can be fun, but they'd rather start working to buy their own fleet, thank you very much! Who wants to sleep three feet away from the competition in a crowded loft, while cameras show you sleeping, eating and brushing your teeth? Not everyone can handle this type of living arrangement and the resulting pressure. What's amazing is not that these candidates seem rather weak, but that candidates of this caliber showed up at all. 4. Keep your cool, no matter what. Trump -- and most of life -- rewards people who can promote themselves professionally. Emotions and cat-fighting don't cut it, here or anywhere. In my opinion, Ivana's conduct in the boardroom was worse than her street scandal. Instead of promoting her own qualities, she turned on fellow contestant Jennifer -- who wasn't even present. They could all take a lesson from Season 1's Bill Rancic, who never raised his voice and yet managed to put forth his own case, powerfully and calmly. 5. Expect some smoke and mirrors. Sure, reality television isn't very realistic. Each episode ends with a cab ride -- to a Manhattan hotel, where contestants hole up till the taping ends and the "losers" no longer have to hide their identity. (Hopefully they get single rooms!) Some Boardroom episodes reportedly have taped voice-overs of Donald Trump. Real companies don't send executives out to the street to hawk candy bars or lemonade. Their executives get more than a few days to create advertising campaigns. But real companies operate with smoke and mirrors, too. They place ads for positions when they have a a pretty good idea who they'll be hiring. They have agendas: sometimes people are set up to lose. And they participate in staged dramatic scenes. A Fortune 50 VP (now retired) once told me about a tough labor negotiation. "The union leader and I agreed on our position in the afternoon. We announced we'd be negotiating all night. I slept in my office; he slept in the conference room. The next morning, we emerged, claiming a hard-won compromise." Not so different from reality television, is it? I offer one-to-one consultations on career and business strategy. About The Author Cathy Goodwin, Ph.D., is an author, speaker and career/business consultant, helping midlife professionals take their First step to a Second Career. http://www.cathygoodwin.com. "Ten secrets of mastering a major life change" mailto:subscribe@cathygoodwin.com Contact: cathy@cathygoodwin.com 505-534-4294
MORE RESOURCES:
Coaching - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Executive Coaching The higher you climb the ladder in this organization, the less chance you have of getting feedback about your performance. The working rule of thumb is "the farther up you go, the stranger things get," especially in the way you are reviewed and rewarded. Invest Your Inner Wealth It started out like any other Wednesday - reports to type, telephones to answer, books to balance. When the clock finally struck 4:30 p. Coaching Can Help Teachers At A Crossroads In Their Careers Teachers enter the profession with the desire to help others, but after years in the field it can lose its luster. If it's no longer offering satisfaction the way it once did find out how you can get the joy back. Coaching Skills and Positive Motivation There is one important point that is often missed in the discussion of Coaching Skills: Effective coaching is a great deal more than just problem solving. Many people misinterpret coaching as only a corrective process aimed at specific error and deficiencies of an individual. Can I Be My Own ADD Coach? Quite often I am in contact with people who discuss acting as an ADD Coach for their child or spouse. While supporting and helping loved ones with ADD is a great idea, acting as an ADD Coach really isn't a great idea. What in the World is Life Coaching? In my speaking engagements I have often compared coaching today to psychotherapy in the 1920s. The level of public understanding of coaching, outside of people in a certain socio-demographic category, is still in its infancy. God, Grant Me Patience.....And, I Want It Now!! Are you facing a difficult time in your life? Do you feel like a fish out of water? If today was a fish, would you want to throw it back in the river? If this is your situation, make no negative destructive decisions. Be Patient. Some Business Coaches are in Error Many business coaches deny the power of suggestion while using it. For instance a corporate inner circle will be told that they have inner conflicts with ethical practice due to the stockholders coming first, the customers coming second and employees coming third. Coaching vs. Directing - How Does Improv Theater Suggest You Should Lead Your Team An age old battle in improv that I believe resonates well with challenges we experience in the business world is the question of whether a team should have a coach or a director (in which case it should be called an ensemble). In addition there's the third option of the self coached team, which I will call committee from here on forward. Control, Helplessness, and Love During my 35 years of counseling individuals, couples, families and business partners, I have discovered that an important purpose of our controlling behavior in our relationships is to avoid the feeling of helplessness. One of the hardest feelings to feel is helplessness. Coaching is Asking the Right Questions Have you ever known anyone who asked themselves "Why me?" over and over every time something happened they didn't like? Or how about, "What did I do to deserve this?" And my favorite, "Whose fault was that?" Perhaps, these questions have popped into your head once or twice before.When we ask ourselves questions, our brain hunts for the answer. Why Daily Planning is So Important for Adults with ADD For adults with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), details are a drag. We tend to see the big picture and want to jump straight to the finish line, wishing we could skip all the steps in between. Be The One With Something Interesting To Say How Do You Learn Something New?If you could learn fast and effectively, you might become the person with something interesting to say on any topic. It could also help in your carreer or business. Context is King! If you've been around the Internet for more than two hours, you've probably heard someone say it or write it. If you haven't, you will. Are YOU a Dreamer? This morning I watched a news article about a young woman who had just set a world record for sailing across the English Channel. What was special about this Channel crossing? The sailor, Hilary Lister, is a quadriplegic who steered the boat by blowing through two straws. Are You Invisible? Ellen was brought up to be invisible. She was taught to be very tuned into others' feelings and needs, but to never have any of her own. Transform Your Office Into A Powerhouse Of Success Did you know that the area that you call your 'office' is a direct reflection of you? If your environment is clean and uncluttered it projects that the person who works there is calm and has everything under control. Consequently if it looks like the local rubbish tip then the impression others get is that this person is disorganised, and a complete mess. Loving Every Phenomenal Part of You Have you ever wished yourself away? I am not referring to leaving your precious life on this Earth; but rather, just wished you weren't a certain way or did not have some particular qualities and mannerisms that were so apparent to you. I know I have. Coaching Skills for Peers: Extending Influence Many people think of coaching solely as a management technique. Although coaching skills provide managers with the means to get business results while creating solid relationships, the value of coaching in other arenas is often overlooked. Masterminding Success - How to Start a Masterminding Meeting? Masterminding is about a group of like-minded, achievement-oriented individuals who come together to combine the power of several minds to tackle problems, seek advice and perspectives in achieving their goals.Before the meeting proper begins, get into your group of like-minded individuals and before any masterminding can happen, read out loud together the 9 rules so as to instill the proper atmosphere needed for creativity.
|
| Interesting articles | Home | site map | Link |
| © 2006 |
