Beth_K said this in post #46 : Yikes, I just realized I said Kendra and Tana were having the argument, but it was Kendra and Craig! Maybe I need some sleep...
I figured you meant Kendra and Craig.
Of course thats just my opinion....I could be wrong. (Dennis Miller)
"You might be the toughest little whacker. . .but in my world, you're about as worrisome as a cloudy day." (Dutch Dooley)
I wonder if it will hurt Tana any in Carolyn's eyes because of the way she (Tana) characterized her team mates as "such a bunch of slackers" (I don't recall her exact words!!!), when they showed Tana and Carolyn in the limo. Then Tana went on to talk about her team and give their individual pitfalls. Does anyone think that will hurt, or help, Tana?
SoInteresting1 said this in post #48 : I wonder if it will hurt Tana any in Carolyn's eyes because of the way she (Tana) characterized her team mates as "such a bunch of slackers" (I don't recall her exact words!!!), when they showed Tana and Carolyn in the limo. Then Tana went on to talk about her team and give their individual pitfalls. Does anyone think that will hurt, or help, Tana?
I was thinking the same thing. I also thought that as soon as she asked if she could change members of her team after the people left the boardroom.
I didnt think that was a smart move...that could be her downfall in this at the end...even if her task goes well.
Of course thats just my opinion....I could be wrong. (Dennis Miller)
"You might be the toughest little whacker. . .but in my world, you're about as worrisome as a cloudy day." (Dutch Dooley)
Some might think that the sign of a good manager is to be friends with their workers. Some do and some don't. None of that is BAD behavior, all of it has its place in business and in the cut-throat corporate world.
Tana has the profile of a successful executive. Kendra tries to be buddy-buddies to her workers. There is a clear distinction between those two roles. Trump in the past hired Bill Racic because he was tough with people. He ran those two blonde hustlers off his high rollers. He didn't play group bonding nor hugging with those previously fired Apprentices assigned to him either. That goes for the same with Kelly Perdew. He stayed remote and supervised his crew. Why you think Trump gives the executives a separate car and driver, instead of riding in a bus together? Think about that people. They now have a different job responsibility. Neither of these two cried, went hugging and that kinda stuff with their working staff. An effective leader has to project confidence and determination:
1. Tana was right in separating herself from her staff. She has to stay independent and be able to make objective calls. They're no longer buddies, but subordinates. Kendra has it wrong and gives off that kiddie image. Tana behaves like an executive. Tana can compete effectively in BIG corporations because she has BIG ideas and get big respect under tought times.
2. Kendra was correct to compliment and thank her staff for the good work, but she went too far to cry in front of them. This is not a sign of a strong leader. Can you imagine if this was the reverse and she had a tough project to manage like Tana, will Kendra break down and cry the entire project? If she can't stomach it, get out of the kitchen. Kendra isn't corporate material, and wouldn't survive in any major corporate world.
Can't be too chummie with subordinates
3. Tana has gone a long distance, from first episode getting pizzed on her hosery by the dog to now effectively managing complex and challenging multiple assignments. Tana has the ability to hose her opponents...
This Hick from Iowa cornfields can take down her opponents.
It isn't just a matter of being "chummy" with them, it's that Tana completely disrespected them a couple of different times, and totally failed to lead them at all. As for Kendra, I had gained a lot of respect for her during this task, until she cried in front of her team. I'm sorry, there's just no crying in business!
The crying probably will hurt Kendra some. But I don't think an "executive" should behave like Tana did, even if she felt about her team as she did. There are many times when she doesn't act like an executive or professional, but as someone who just plows ahead (Iowa?) and runs over people, not even realizing she is behaving in a crappy way. She loses her focus sometimes, like with the beads that she thought had to be on the t-shirts, instead of spending time on marketing, like Kendra did.
For some reason, she thought it was okay to keep the Governor waiting and waiting with no attention until the event started. I don't see any more that she has the polish to be one of Trump's executives unless he wants to take a chance and help her clean up her act.
It isn't just a matter of being "chummy" with them, it's that Tana completely disrespected them a couple of different times, and totally failed to lead them at all. As for Kendra, I had gained a lot of respect for her during this task, until she cried in front of her team. I'm sorry, there's just no crying in business!
Kevin, I do not think that it is right to chastise Kendra for crying in front of her team. I mean, these people are put together in a suite DAY and NIGHT, it's not like a real business job where at the end of the day you say good night to your employees and get to go home for the night. They DO bond in some way, and so I don't think her tears were inapproprite at that time.
Had she cried in front of the sponsors, now THAT would be a different story, my friend.
In the cutthroat, big time business world, you can't show weakness in front of your subordinates. Crying is chump style, small time. If she gets emotional over a video game event, what about closing a multi-million dollar deal? I admire her passion, but she needs to grow a pair if she wants to work for Trump.
In Apprentice One, Omarosa and Heidi cried. In Apprentice Two, Elizabeth and Sandy cried. In this series, Kendra, Audrey and Chris cried. The first MAN to do so on TV.
I happened to agree with KB, crying takes away the Executive Image. If you had to, at least walk away. And never let the teardrops be captured on camera for TV showing. The saying goes: "If you can't stand the heat in the kitchen," at least do what Verna did - fly the coup.
quote:
kevinbailey said this in post
it's that Tana completely disrespected them a couple of different times, and totally failed to lead them at all. As for Kendra, I had gained a lot of respect for her during this task, until she cried in front of her team. I'm sorry, there's just no crying in business!
Disrespecting is when Tana makes those comments directly in their presence. It's not the same if another Executive or your boss ask for your honest assessment of the skill-set shortages. She had to do the best with them because Carolyn said no trading or upgrading of staff. Tana practiced the business school principles of corporate design, delegation and dispersion.
1. The design is to deliver the mission: To successfully manage and execute an all star athleic competition to raise awareness and funds for New York City's bid to win 2012 Olympics.
2. Tana delegated limited duties to her three formerly fired team Apprentices Kristen, Brian and Chris. She kept them busy with pre-operational activities like Brochure, banners and other supporting activities. Since she lacked confidence in them, she kept certain important duties to herself which kept her too busy to do some other things. Her logic being that if the Three-stooges can't get their hands on them, they can't mess them up. Being unattended isn't all that bad as being broken and torn apart.
3. Tana dispersed the technical aspects of the event competition to the athletic supporting staff for Beach Vollyball, Track, Gymnastics, Swimming and the VIP Reception. That is why the TV audience didn't get to see any screw ups in the more important events.
Tana balanced her math with 4 people to handle dozens of programs, tens of places and events, hundreds of important people and thousands of attendants to interact with their athletes and agents, event staff, logistics, VIP Reception, athlete lounge, food and beverage, budgets to produce the best overall attendee experience.
Kendra dealt with one program, two rooms in Webster Hall, one showcase ring, dozens of machines and hundred or so attendants. Oh don't forget two pineboxes for the boxers to sit on to play their PlayStation. She didn't even need a waterboy.
A. Tana's management style was acknowleging her team limitations upfront and then maximizing her business results knowing that "The problem here was I had to depend on these three idiots to help me succeed."
B. Tana's biggest obstacle: Tana's decentralized management style attracted problems including a brochure error, missing American flag and some disorganization.
C. Tana's business results: A festival event turned out to be a big success, despite several bumps in the road.
Kendra cried because she felt honest appreciation for her teammates, while the others cried because they cracked under pressure. I agree, crying does not reinforce the executive image, but it did not show that Kendra was weak. She simply moved by the dedication of her employees, especially since they were some of the most difficult apprentices to deal with and really had nothing to gain from helping her. Besides, she has had to deal with many hard tasks in the past, especially working with people that completely rubbed her off the wrong way, and yet she still managed to keep intact.
However, Tana did have a disrespect for her employees, and that was not in the boardroom. She complained about them throughout the whole entire episode, yet never seemed to confront them about the issues she had with them. At the end, she decided to leave them without even a sincere sign of gratitude. It's important to be independent and have a sense of yourself as an executive, but a real leader also needs to inspire and motivate those that are under them, which is exactly what Kendra did. There is nothing to suggest that she isn't confident or determined either. Tana, on the other hand exemplified arrogance, a gross exaggeration of confidence. Sure, she pulled through even with the Three Stooges on her team, but she was very condescending to them in the process. Can you imagine her working for the Trump Organization if she treats all her employees as liabilities?
As for Tana's task, she did do a fair job, but do you really think that she would fail? It would be an embarassment to New York City's reputation, and even if the task had been given to Danny, Michael, or Kristen, things would have still been a success.
Overall, I believe Tana is a strong candidate and not as bad as they have shown her on TV. However, as many people have pointed out before, she excels at salesmanship and would not be suited for a corporate environment. She has an excellent future ahead of her, but I'm afraid it does not include working for Trump.
04-22-2005 04:27 AM
Can't be too chummie with subordinates
This Hick from Iowa cornfields can take down her opponents. 
