I’ve just finished watching the apprentice. The concept of the show is simple, theres a job, 16 numpties, and a weekly, totally fixed contest to see who can stab each other numpty in the face and be crowned king of the numpties. I’m sure the job isnt real and the whole thing is edited in a way to make the entire cast look totally incompetant, after watching it you wouldnt hire any of them to wipe your behind.
This has got me thinking about what it takes to be a winner….
Ultimately I dont think there is that much between all of us, despite our different backgrounds, ambition, hopes and dreams. We’re all put in a position where were forced to perform in a setting where many things are out of our control. We do our best to make it look to everybody that they are actually all in control, and that we are the captain of the hms success. I think the vast majority of the whole nation can do each others jobs with a minimum of effort and still achieve 80% of the result (yay, 80/20 again). Human Beings are so adaptable by nature that if we really need to do something, or really want something, we’ll be a massive success. Not of these candidates really want that job, they want to win a television show, which is why they spend more time making great tv, than great business.
So who should Alan Sugar hire? Lets look at the reasons they offer for their employment
“Because, sir alan, I believe I AM the next apprentice.”
- I’ve seen the matrix, its all about self-belief right? Excuse me while I convince myself I am the next apprentice.
“I’ll give 110%”
- I’d like to further expose my incompetance by showing a failure to understand basic mathematics.
“Because you havent seen the best of me”
- Ah, i’ll try the make you think your missing out card. You wont see the best and you’ve probably not seen the worst, but this might net me another week in the mansion.
If I was hiring somebody, I wouldnt take the person that really wants that job that i’m interviewing for. I’d take the person that really wants the job because they know where they want to go next, the next job or goal. Achieving a goal is actually a very demotivating experience, all the satisfaction (and good work) comes from the struggling to achieve it. If your interviewing me and you can see I want this job because it will help me achieve my next goal, then i’ll work my ass off, because getting it isnt the achievement, but the next stage in the struggle. You might not net my loyalty for life, but I think your more likely to get a short-term success story.
I’ve said since I saw the first episode of the Apprentice that I would apply for the next series, I think that was 3 series ago. I don’t want to be the apprentice, work for alan sugar, wear a suit, or live in london, but if this is really the best that our nation has to offer, I’ll apply out of patriotism if nothing else. Oh and I’ll give 110% 