Our first semester of Trump University has ended but the lessons live on. Over the last few months, we watched 16 job applicants compete for the position of company President to one of Donald Trump’s companies. Week after week , we watched the dreaded Board Room scenes and hearing “You’re Fired” only to finally hear “You’re Hired.” Each week we reviewed the lessons learned from The Donald himself but this week’s column will review what we learned from the efforts of the winning Apprentice candidate, Bill Rancik.
Bill was different from the other candidates because, just like us, he learned his Trump-isms and applied them each week moving out of the Board Room and onto the winning teams. After dismal failures with the lemonade stand, the Marquis Jet advertising campaign and taking over the Planet Hollywood for a night, Bill figured it out. Stay focused, stay on message, stay out front, and keep grasping for the goal until you get it.
Lesson One:
Motivate through Incentives. Bill always had an incentive attached to his efforts even when his team lost, his incentive strategies would always keep the tasks afloat. Whether it was the wait staff “commission” for high food and beverage tabs or tapping into the casino VIP players, Bill understood the importance of answering “what’s in it for them” and as a result created structures to keep his customers and workers loyal and focused on the goal.
Lesson Two:
Think “the forest” and not “the trees.” Bill’s win in the pedi-cab business was not just a score in cash but a hit in strategy. When Bill was project manager, he didn’t just win. Instead, Bill won big. He created a business inside of a business when he sold advertising on the pedi-cabs. Transforming the “transportation-only” purpose of pedi-cab to a marketing success proved Bill’s ability to create and executive a brand new idea, motivate his staff and make a profit.
Lesson Three:
Business is a relationship game. The pedi-cab advertising concept was brilliant. But the teams only had a short time to execute. Cold-calling prospects would take too long. Bill had his organization move backwards to go forwards. They called on companies they knew from the beginning of contest. By returning to these business owners and decision-makers, they built their business on existing relationships. Bill knew that established relationships are the fast-track to finish line.
Lesson Four:
Please your customer. In the last episode, Bill shined because he understood it was all about his customer, the Donald himself. Bill also knew that the only one on the team who could really be motivated was himself because the incentive was singular. If he won the last task, he would win The Apprentice job and no one else would share in that glory. Therefore, he micro-managed his people with passion and determination because there were no incentives to push them along any other way. Every “i” was dotted and every “t” was crossed and Bill took himself to Go and did not stop to collect $200, instead he made it to the finish line for his salary of $250,000.
We learned over 40 lessons from Billionnaire Mogul Donald Trump throughout the season of The Apprentice. From focus to mission, from details to money, from customer satisfaction to team confidence, from co-worker loyalty to leadership respect, Trump demonstrated how each facet was critical to running a profitable business. Using explosive branding techniques to skyrocketing self-promotion, Trump taught us all the secrets behind true success: leadership skills, quick thinking, passion and determination. Trump’s Board Room was where lessons got learned and firings got earned. Fifteen contestants lost their chance to serve as The Donald’s apprentice while the one who made it through started learning even before he got the job. Not only did Bill take notes on avoiding the mistakes of the others but by paying close attention to Trump’s priorities and purpose, he made sure he would measure up in the final Trump test. Bill may have actually won the job as Trump’s Apprentice last week but his learning “on the job” started the first week of the show.
Next Fall, Donald Trump will return with another group of candidates for a second go ’round at hiring an apprentice. We will return too when we write about the secrets of success and more lessons the players will learn. Stay tuned.
Beginning next week, this column will become Won on Won with Whitehead. Jay Whitehead will answer your email questions on career advice and workforce issues. Won on Won with Whitehead can also be heard every Tuesday 5pm to 6pm on www.businessamericaradio.com. This week Jay interviews DC-based CEO, Bill Angrick of Liquidation.com. Send all questions and comments to Jay Whitehead at jayradioshow@aol.com.
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