The Apprentice 4 Weekly Performance Review, Episode 3

Rebecca: Let me begin by saying that Rebecca ought to have been fired this week. Her undying support of Toral went way past loyalty and Rebecca’s decision not to bring her friend Toral back to the boardroom was based on friendship alone. Trump called her “inflexible” and “hard-headed.” Well, the same move cost Chris dearly last week, and it ought to have been the end of Rebecca this time out.

I do admire her stepping up to be the PM, but perhaps that was a mistake, too. She really ought to have taken a lesser role this week while her ankle is healing initially.

Her team felt she was talking down to them, and I agree. Alla called her style “abrasive.” Rebecca is only 23; some of these women are ten years older than her with vast experience, and there’s no call to be using the “second-grader” tone with them.

The Donald’s message this week was “Inspire.” It’s safe to say that Rebecca only inspired Toral. She lost the respect of most of her team during the task, and cemented that loss of respect in the boardroom. In one week, Rebecca has gone from the penthouse to the outhouse! UNSATISFACTORY!

Toral: Toral was saved by her buddy Rebecca this week, for had she been brought into the boardroom, The Donald told us she would have been sent home. In an aside, I applaud Trump for sticking to the “rules” of the game and not calling her back to the boardroom.

I don’t think her biggest failure was that Toral was unable to perform her demo. It was that she denied it in the boardroom when Carolyn and others knew the real story. Why, she couldn’t even “fake it,” which is most certainly a valid skill when you’re doing a live presentation. The final results were so close that I am sure Toral’s weak and confusing presentations cost her team the victory.

I’m glad she went to one of the finest business schools, but didn’t we learn last season that book smarts must be augmented by street smarts for true success? Is that where she learned to identify for the boss that the other player’s résumés contain “very unimpressive work experience, poor professional education...”? And that list of primarily incorrect negatives would have continued, had Carolyn not interrupted. Which of the other self-made millionaires in that room was she referring to?

Everyone except Rebecca sees Toral as the weakest link on the team. NEEDS IMPROVEMENT. Lots!

Jen W: I’m glad she “likes to work with old people.” Maybe she and Clay can compare notes. It’s hard to believe she has “event planning” on her résumé. We “old people” like colors, you know… and signs with big, readable letters! But there were bigger issues.

Everything Carolyn didn’t like about the setup was true. An undetected spelling error on the cake? That should never have happened, though there were many who could have seen that before Carolyn did, including PM Rebecca.

And if Jen had watched the Martha Stewart version of this show last week, she’d know that “women in business do not cry!” Well, in her defense, that wasn’t just crying, that was full-blown histrionics! Had Jen survived the boardroom, I’d have also given her a big NEEDS IMPROVEMENT rating this week. So would Martha!

And finally… Donald Trump Well, he likes Jennifer M. because she’s beautiful, and he likes Toral because she went to “the right school” (quotes mine), and he likes Rebecca because of some odd definition of loyalty. Three strikes!

He thought Rebecca should have brought Toral back to the boardroom, just because she’s not popular, but didn’t hold it against her when she didn’t? Inconsistency! After all, the margin of defeat was so small - was it the cookies? NEEDS IMPROVEMENT.

Well, at least George and Carolyn had strong weeks! Carolyn hit on all of Jen W.’s shortcomings, and George saw Rebecca as the bigger problem. EXCELLENT.

Well, those are the performance reviews for week three. I’ll be back next week with a fresh look at our candidates’ latest escapades. Hopefully there’s no reason to critique Mr. Trump again!

Brian lives in Toronto, where he can be reached at uncle_bto@rogers.com. He spent a couple of decades working in middle management at The Prudential, primarily hiding behind the coffee machine to avoid his pointy-haired bosses. He’d like to hear your opinions and promises to respond to all serious email!

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