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    BUSINESS LESSONS LEARNED
    December 12, 2005
    Presented by Trump University

    Episode Summary: Randal and Rebecca each chose three previously fired candidates to join them for this season's final project. Randal picked Josh, Mark, and Marshawn to work with him at Excel. Rebecca selected James, Chris, and Toral to join her at Capital Edge.

    Each team had three days to plan and run a charity fundraiser. Rebecca's event was the Yahoo! All-Star Comedy Benefit, hosted by Joe Piscopo, to raise money for the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation. Randal's event was the Outback Steakhouse VIP Softball Challenge, a celebrity softball game to raise money for Autism Speaks. Rebecca's event would take place at BLVD, a Manhattan restaurant. Randal opted for Keyspan Park, a minor-league baseball field in Coney Island. The team that produced the most successful all-around event would win.

    This week's episode ended on the eve of the events. Who will win and who will lose? We have to wait for next week's season finale to find out.

    * * *

    This episode offered great lessons about project planning. Let's take a closer look.

    * * *

    When Randal segmented his event into three distinct phases - tailgating, the softball game, and a party - he established a clear structure to orient his team's operations.

    Success Lesson
    Give people the big picture. When they have a clear context for what they are doing, they won't wander off course.

    * * *

    When Capital Edge hired an event marketing company to help plan the details, they took steps to make sure they were not missing any of the basics of event hosting.

    Success Lesson
    Hire experts. Sure, you' re smart. But when time is short you need expert advice based on real-world experience to make things come together.

    * * *

    Randal blew it when he told Mark to postpone a meeting with one of the announcers, who would provide humorous commentary at the ballgame. Randal apparently believed it was more critical for Mark to go shopping for party supplies with the rest of the team. When the shopping trip dragged on, Mark had to cancel the meeting altogether. As a result, the team lost critical information that might have made their event a standout.

    Success Lesson
    Make strategic team assignments. Meeting with one of the game commentators was more critical than buying megaphones. You have to make the right choices about what people will do, especially when time is short.

    * * *

    When Randal refused to rent extra tents to protect all his event's attendees if it rained, he invited disaster. As this episode was ending, the forecast changed and heavy rains were predicted for event day. Yet Randal was still waffling about renting the extra tents that could prevent a catastrophe.

    Success Lesson
    Anticipate the worst. The ability to prepare for everything that can go wrong often separates those who survive from those who don't. Why court disaster?

    * * *

    Joe Piscopo called Capital Edge on the eve of the event to say that due to union regulations, he would be unable to host it. When they got that news, Rebecca and her team moped around instead of snapping into action. They seemed to be adrift.

    Success Lesson
    Go ahead and panic. Rebecca and her teammates should have been calling everybody they knew who could have helped them secure a replacement for Piscopo. Overreacting is sometimes the smartest thing to do.

    * * *

    Things to look for next week: Rebecca has no emcee, and it's probably going to rain on Randal's ballgame. Can they snap out of it and save the day? Next week will tell us who the new Apprentice will be - and we can hardly wait!



     
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