The last time I watched the Apprentice was several years ago (probably more than that even: Omarosa anyone?!). I only had a faint idea of what a project manager did. I never gave it much thought. After all it was just entertainment.
However, I have recently caught a few episodes this season (Season #10) and it hit me that this is exactly what I do for a living! (I only embraced the formal role of PM a little over 2 years ago).
So I've been paying more attention this time around in the hopes of seeing if I could glean something valuable to take back to work. Unfortunately, I haven't learned much, except in the category of what-NOT-to-do!
The premise of the show is such that it pits people against each other from the get-go. Instead of focusing on a task and pulling together as a team, people are simultaneously trying to win the task but also plotting how to cast others in the worst possible light. If that happened in the military, on a sports team or some other organization that was actually trying to achieve something, those kinds of people would be kicked out. Except on "The Apprentice", they're kept around for entertainment.
One idea that I've picked up the last few years is the idea of surrender vs. succumb. I don't mean the literal dictionary meanings but actually from a different perspective. Let me re-define them:
First, succumb: To succumb to something is to give in and accept defeat, but you will make the other person wrong for it. So it wasn't your idea to watch "When Harry Met Sally"; it was your partner's. You actually wanted to watch "Batman", but fine... you'll watch it but you won't have a good time. You'll also ensure your partner doesn't have a good time by punishing him/her so you both don't have a good time.
Now surrender: To surrender to something is to give in as well *but then to treat it as if it was your idea in the first place* How novel! So it wasn't your idea to watch "When Harry Met Sally", but you know what? Why the hell not? It sounds like a blast. I'll go microwave the popcorn. You get the blankets! This creates a win-win situation. You don't punish anyone. In fact you both have a great time.
Believe it or not, this is actually possible! Lots of people go through life not even knowing that this alternative exists. But it does. And the funny thing is: you even forget you wanted to watch Batman in the first place. Life just moves on and you along with it...
So back to the Apprentice. If the teammates could actually allow themselves to be guided by the Project Manager and surrender to his/her decisions, they might actually win consistently and *never* even go into the boardroom! Now that would be a sight... I'm not saying that the Project Manager should be allowed to do whatever s/he pleases; after all, multiple perspectives and collaboration is necessary to decide how to tackle the challenges they are presented with. However, after a decision is made, the teammates squabbling and acting out (succumbing and dragging their feet) doesn't help achieve the objective. In fact it slows them all down, creates a hostile/negative working environment, purges creative energies from the team and makes them vulnerable to losing.
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