The Apprentice - Week 14
Has Sean lost his mind? He seems more focused on winning Tammy than on becoming the next apprentice. I'm surprised by his immature behavior. If he acted like that with an actual employee, he'd be in big trouble. Tarek should take him aside and attempt to re-focus him on the event.
Sean wasn't the only one screwing up last night. Lee is in way over his head. First of all, I can't believe he chose Pepi to be on his team. Pepi got canned in week two after the disastrous Gillette/bathrobe incident. Caroline didn't even remember his name! Surely that choice won't reflect well on Lee if the task does wind up being a disaster. Lee's other big mistakes are his cocky attitude and his lack of respect for the woman from the Leary foundation. I don't blame her for being annoyed when Lee asked her, "What's up?" That's not very professional behavior. He's treating her like a pest...and right in front of Carolyn! I'd like to see him try that with Denis Leary.
As Carolyn pointed out, Lee doesn't seem to be taking the task seriously at all. I can't tell if Lee and his team have accomplished anything so far. They really botched the negotiation with the Pontiac sponsors by aiming too low. The fact that they didn't press for matching funds after Pepi brought up that possibility made them seem disorganized and sloppy. They really should have discussed their strategy beforehand!
It's hard to say how well Sean's team is doing at this point. They weren't very creative with their fundraising ideas. The thought of asking Pontiac for a matching donation didn't even occur to them. The fact that Sean chose to join Tammy at a meeting with the caterer instead of talking to the event sponsor shows how bad his judgement is right now. I couldn't believe it when he kissed Tammy on the head! He really needs to table that nonsense for later. It's not even clear whether Tammy is interested, or if she's just playing along for now. The whole situation is very bizarre.
Maybe Andrea's illness will snap Sean back into reality. I've never liked Andrea, but I can see why Sean hired her. What she lacks in personality and sales prowess she makes up for in organizational skills. I hope she's not seriously ill. A quick Google search of her symptoms turned up a wide array of possible reasons for coughing up blood, from a common cold to lung cancer. Yikes. And yet Tammy had the audacity to ask Andrea to stop off at the store on her way back from the doctor's office. I realize they have a job to do, but that wasn't right. A colleague's health should trump all else.
It should be interesting to see which one of these buffoons wins the apprenticeship. Will Sean snap out of his lovesick puppy routine? Will Andrea bounce back? Will Lee get it together at the eleventh hour? I guess we'll find out next week.
The Goods is focused exclusively on products and services for business owners. We won't ignore the latest netbook or the hottest smartphone, but we'll also examine the services, software, and Web-based tools that can help make your business succeed. Nadine Heintz, a senior editor at Inc., edits The Goods, as well as Quick Hits. Send suggestions, comments, and deals to nheintz@inc.com.
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