Lessons Learned

Training Is Key: Broad-based and Job-specific

"A leader's job is made easier if he or she has a team of well trained employees. Not only should employees be trained to do the job for which they were hired, but they should also be trained to step in and assist a colleague when needed. Ideally, employees should be trained and empowered to make independent decisions that will contribute to the group's achievement of its mission."

• Find out what your team knows. Conduct a training needs assessment for each of your employees. This should be done when someone first joins the staff and as part of the performance management process.

• Educate everyone about the business you're in. Make sure all employees know what the real business of the organization is, what it offers, and the needs of its customers. Then relate the tasks of each person and team to the overall objectives of the organization.

• Be a part of the training. Demonstrate its importance to the group by taking time away from your own work to learn the same skills that your team is learning. Besides the motivational value of your participation, you may never know when you have to step in and do work assigned to one of your staff members.

• Include staff in the planning process. Employees will get the most out of the training if they feel strong ownership in the plan and its success.

• Link training to business needs. The business plan or department goals will be met if the training is tied to strategic goals. If it isn't, the goals or plan may be compromised.

• Cross-train team members. That way they can fill another person's job when the need arises-when a staff member is on vacation or ill. This ensures that the work still gets done. It also enables you to address hourly, weekly or seasonal changes in workload.

• Empower your staff. Train them to succeed. Empowering employees can inspire them to higher levels of performance, but employees must understand fully the amount of authority they have. Periodic reviews ensure that the scope of authority is clear.

• Encourage continuous learning. In addition to job-specific and cross-training, find opportunities for your staff to have opportunities for other professional development. Such training enables them to learn new skills and behaviors, to gain confidence, and to prepare to take on new responsibilities as the need arises.

PASS

• Outstanding leadership. John, the project leader for Net Worth, proved himself to be a charismatic, unifying and inspiring leader. His was one of the best displays of leadership on "The Apprentice." He set clear expectations and made sound decisions for his team. He identified strengths of team members, found and vocalized common ground, and united them with his enthusiasm, passion and positive attitude.
   

• Authority. John commanded the immediate respect of his team by instructing them to "raise your hands" when they had something to say. He set clear expectations for behavior up front and brought about a rapid state of order and structure.
   

• You are one of us. Kudos to John, who called in the regular Burger King staff and asked, "How many of you have graduated from college? Guess what? Neither did we. They think they are better than we are. Let's have some fun and prove them wrong." He motivated and unified the team.
   

• Market the simple. John wisely directed his team to choose the new burger it believed would be the simplest to market. Net Worth chose the Western Angus Burger, which allowed it to quickly develop an effective marketing campaign. Net Worth offered a free trip to Las Vegas in contrast to Magna's ball toss.
   

• Behaviorally specific instructions. Kudos to the Burger King staff member for directing Magna's Erin, who obviously had never worked in a fast-food joint, not to put her "hands on her hips." He gave her direction that could not be misunderstood.

FAIL

• Delegation. Todd, the project manager for Magna, relied too much on delegation. Leaders can't afford to be hands-off managers with a brand-new team. Delegation can be effective with confidence in the person's experience and competence. Otherwise, it can lead to disaster.
   

• POS (point of sale) -- no sale, no revenue. Slow food is an oxymoron in the fast-food business. Magna blew it when it tried to train people with no experience to work the cash registers, while Net Worth simplified and specialized by focusing instead on selling the burger they knew how to key into the register.
   

• Scape-goating. Danny is eccentric and over the top. His entire team -- except Kendra, who held Todd accountable for not controlling Danny -- targeted him in the boardroom. Team members too often scapegoat someone who is "out there" when they do not want to be held responsible when things go south.
   

• Leader who didn't get his hands dirty. Despite his claim that he had run a restaurant, Todd couldn't operate a cash register. Leaders sometimes need to roll up their sleeves and work alongside their teams during times of crisis or understaffing.
   

• Dress for success. Danny's street-performer style of polyester leisure suits and unkempt long hair are not going to fly in Trump's corporate world. Savvy business professionals dress to fit their corporate environment.

The Report Card

Net Worth: Effort -- Performance -- Creativity --   A B B	WEEK ONE BOOK SMARTS Magna STREET SMARTS Net Worth
Magna: Effort -- Performance -- Creativity --   C D F