Lessons Learned

• Get new blood.
  • Trump sent Surya to team Arrow after Aaron requested him. Aaron selected Surya because he recognized he would bring structure and a calming balance to his boisterous team. This is smart thinking. The best teams are a mix of talents and personalities.
• Rise to tough challenges.
  • The ability to roll up your sleeves and take on difficult assignments can single you out for advancement and success. When Surya accepted the challenge of moving to the losing Arrow team, he showed the kind of courage that could make him a standout in the weeks ahead.
• Rally team spirit.

  • Aaron did a great job of rallying his team with group hugs, high-fives, cheers and his vision of going "from outhouse to penthouse." This team clearly is having fun, which translated to customers at the point of sale. We all want to catch the spirit -- it's contagious!

• Listen well.
  • When Surya arrived at Arrow, he talked and talked about his philosophy of team discipline without allowing anyone else to speak. Ever hear a leader criticized for listening too much? This is a critical leadership skill, and too many leaders forget it. We get focused on getting out our agenda and ideas without considering what others might have to offer. When you listen, you make better decisions because you gain insight and understanding. When you listen, you show respect and earn trust.
• Get the best idea from the team.
  • Heidi could have done a better job of managing idea and marketing generation with her team. She should have facilitated a brainstorming session to capture creative team ideas around the three Ps (product, placement and promotion). Then they could have evaluated options for the meal, the name and marketing ideas. Instead, she sent her marketing people away and then shut down their recommendations. If you are a project manager, it's your job to "facilitate" getting, prioritizing and executing the best ideas from your team.
• Know when to let it go.

  • Whether Marisa's ideas were good or bad isn't the issue. As a team member, you need to know when to quit pushing, let it go and move on. Had Marisa spent her time and energy generating new marketing ideas for the product name her team selected, her team might have won.

• How do you handle someone who won't let it go?

  • Heidi should have tried a different approach with Marisa after she repeatedly insisted on her way. Try a different tactic and set expectations/ boundaries. One option: Let Marisa pitch her idea to the team (allowing her to be heard and considered) and let the team decide (get Marisa to agree in advance that if team members didn't support her idea, she would need to let it go).

• Understand the difference between strategic and tactical decisions.
  • Kinetic spent too much of its valuable time on the product name. This task wasn't going to be won on a name. What mattered was selling and marketing a product that customers found appealing. Effective leaders understand that a vital part of their responsibility is to ensure that the team's time and energy are spent on critical, strategic project elements (and to help avoid getting bogged down by the small stuff).
• Take smart risks.
  • If you have to make a decision ASAP, the more conventional path is almost always the best. When Kristine concocted the "Paradise Pollo Bowl" (an unsual blend of chicken and fruit), she was betting on a risky concept that customers had not tried. The other team's "Chicken Tortilla Bowl" was a safer bet because it was closer to what customers were already buying.
• Have confidence in your decision.
  • Aaron made a tough (and risky) decision to send away two of his operations guys to attempt bulk sales. Conservative Surya challenged his decision, but Aaron stuck to it. While he might have lucked out, he delivered results, which built confidence and trust in his leadership and got them out of the tents.
• Understand your impact.

  • A common problem for many fired apprentice candidates is their failure to understand how their team is viewing them. Marisa (ruthlessly) pounded away at her chicken-suit idea. Successful business people know how to present their case and read their audience. Marisa seemed oblivious that her team viewed her as abrasive.  Likewise, she seemed blind to how disrespectful she was to Trump in his boardroom. When Donald tells you to shut up four or five times, catch a clue.  As a leader, you simply can't afford this kind of blind spot. Ask others how you are perceived and make it your mission to seek feedback.