Behind on Writing and What Makes a Bad Boss

I picked a bad week to start my new writing plan. In addition to working a full-time job, I am also teaching evening classes Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday this week. I got home last night around 9:00 p.m. and, after making dinner and taking the dog for a quick walk, I had absolutely no energy to write. I suspect that the same will happen tonight, so I'm going to count today's post against my 500 words. Fortunately, my teaching schedule will go back to two nights a week starting next week, and one of those nights, I'll only be assisting--which means that I don't have to prepare lessons. Yippee!!

In a complete non sequitor...I watched the season premiere of "The Apprentice, Season 6" Sunday night. I've worked in a business environment for (oh gosh, has it really been...) sixteen years now. I've worked with Type A people, Type B people, passive-aggressive people, neurotic and co-dependent people, and, of course, nice people. I think I've learned something about being both a leader and a team player.

So, call me petty, but it amuses me to see a group of Type A, twenty-something, wanna-be business tycoons try to work together to accomplish a goal. Every episode of the show, two team leaders are chosen. The teams are assigned a project - renovate a house, run a car wash, etc. -- and the team who makes the most money wins. Simple, right? Not when the team members all want to be the leader. That's half the entertainment value of the show.

This year's group seems to be better than past years', and in fact, one of the two team leaders in the premiere episode struck me as a well-adjusted and practical woman -- at least from what I've seen so far. The other team leader -- a man named Frank -- will be the source of much amusement for as long as he lasts. His profession is listed as "project manager". Rather non-specific. Anyway, Frank's style of leadership is yelling at everyone in a loud, screechy, almost cartoonish voice. No motivational words. No attempting to form the group into a cohesive unit that works together. Just him telling people what to do in a loud voice.

[As an aside, the funniest moment of the whole show was when Donald Trump's daughter announced that the team led by the woman (Heidi?) had won. The camera caught Frank's initial reaction. He shook his head and pursed his lips like he had just eaten a lemon.]

Frank also likes to talk over other people, and watching him try to defend himself and blame another member of his team for the team's failure was priceless. He wouldn't let the other man, who was more soft-spoken, get a word in edgewise. If I had been in "The Boardroom", I'm afraid I would have kicked him. He was such an ass.

Next week, the teams have to design swim wear. And Frank has to be a team member rather than a leader. I'm setting the VCR now.