Impact of 'The Apprentice' on the public perception of Project Management as a profession?

I am a firm believer in that it creates a point of discussion for project management rather than damages project management as a profession. I use every opportunity I can to engage people who would not normally know much about projects and project management but who do watch The Apprentice to explain what we do and how the contestants could have done better in their tasks. There is a saying that all publicity is good publicity and I think that is true in this case - 10 million people each week could learn more about what we do.

I run a blog each week at http://www.thelazyprojectmanager.com/page5.htm which explores each show and identifies lessons learned.

VideoArts offer project management training based on old episodes of The Apprentice as well.

Let's take this opportunity to teach people more about project management based on this enormously popular programme.

[What would be excellent one day though is to get a PM expert on the 'You're Fired' follow up programme to make comment - Talkback Thames if you are reading, The Lazy Project Manager is ready, willing and able :) ...]

Hi Philip, good to see you here. Here's the link to Julie's blog post for those who haven't seen it - Some interesting points being made:

http://www.apm5dimensions.com/blog/help-%E2%80%93-i%E2%80%99m-project-manager-get-me-out-mess

I watch the Apprentice regularly and thoroughly enjoy the programme, but I have to say it has never really occurred to me that the programme does any damage to the public perception of Project Management.

In fact, quite the opposite.  I think it actually highlights to the general public how difficult our role is and the many facets it covers.  Of course the whole programme is designed to expose people's strengths and weaknesses and having done APQ, I do see similarities!  It is also edited expertly and removes out much of the content, which no doubt includes more evidence of good project management principles.

I personally try and take some learning from each programme and think that as a profession, maybe we should be exploiting the excellent coverage the programme gets and it's clear emphasis on what makes a good or bad 'Project Manager'.

I think the 'top ten' tips from the previous blog note is a great idea and would be interesting to see if successful application of them turns a "You're Fired" into a "You're Hired"!

I too see no harm in the use of the term project manager in the apprentice. Are they running a project? The exercises are:

1) Temporary

2) Have defined success criteria

3) Complex (ish)

4) Unique

5) Deliver a benefit.

So they have may of the attributes of a project. The question is would a project management approach be more successful than the headless chicken approach that seems for be portrayed. How would project managers cope with the sales pitch and the cold calling?

A more interesting question is Would You Hire Sir Alan Sugar as a Project Sponsor. So I have written a post about this topic on my blog. There are real lessons about the role of the sponsor in project success.

As the saying goes, all publicity is good publicity, but is it?  As a profession trying to have ourselves heard and aid others in developing their career, deliver projects and ensure benefits realisation, is this giving out the right impression?  I agree that having project management seen and discussed (loosely) on tv for the wider audience is great, but is the impression they are taking away that if they need a project manager they may be better off doing it themselves.  I can just hear it now, right we have a project, and we need a manager to deliver it... let's call that bloke off the Apprentice...not.

When I first started watching the Apprentice I was very annoyed at the use of the title 'Project Manager' for what is no more than a team leader in the type of practical leadership task many of us have done on management / leadership courses.  However with time I have come round to thinking that at the very least it provides some good examples of what a project manager needs to do.  As a bonus my kids can at least relate to what I do for my day job!  I also agree with others that anything that helps to publicise Project Management can only be a good thing.  It is up to us professionals to separate the fact from the fiction to ensure our profiles continue to be raised.

We should run a meeting at the Bridge Cafe ...

Overall lessons learned from the series - leading to a newspaper article etc

Is there a future series of the Apprentice planned? If so do we want to take action and pre-empt the use of 'project management' and run an article or something?  e.g. in Project Magazine?

New The Apprentice due out no later than May 2011

Dara O’Briain has revealed that the next series of The Apprentice is planned to air on the BBC this spring.

The comedian presents spin-off show The Apprentice: You’re Fired and also revealed that because the prize has changed this year, the type of candidates Lord Sugar will be looking for will also be different.

In the 2011 series Sugar is no longer offering a job in his company, instead he will give the winner cash to invest in their own business venture.

Well, the new series in underway.  Still not convinced that the contestants are giving a glowing demonstration of project management.  I note that Lord Alan is being very clear in calling then 'team leaders' as opposed to 'project managers'... anything in that?

There is so much potential for good project management to be used by the Apprentice teams. Peter's blog with lessons learned is a good demonstration of this..

Like Edward (above), I also noted Lord Alan's distinction of "team leader" over "project manager".

Might the contestant's continued descriptor of "project manager" over "team leader" be due to the good work that *we* do to promote project management.

Like so many comments above argue: if only they learned and embraced some real project management concepts, the team performance would be greatly improved.

Maybe we should charter another TV show that invites contenders with actual project management ambition and learning to compete in a similar format (to _The Apprentice_). Anybody with me on that?

In the meantime, future apprentices are more than welcome to learn from my 'project management teaching in primary schools' materials (@ibsimpson)

And so the gathered clan of the very future of our business world met Lord S and the battle commenced. The 'Apps' as I will lovingly call them from now were you usual mixture – from scary to odd but there will be one who will eventually rise in our estimation and get that business partnership with Lord S.

First casualty was Edward who spent most of the programme telling everyone, including himself, to ‘roll with the punches’ only to be dealt the knockout blow in round one as the mighty ones finger pointed and the ‘you’re fired’ declaration sounded round the boardroom.

It is noted that Lord S talked about team leaders but the ‘Apps’ spoke about project management – and then brave Edward delivered a masterclass in how not to be a project manager (he was all shouting and then shying away from anything to do with the task).

The other team leader/project manager Melody (loving those power eyebrows) was all too much for the boys team, but then she had apparently been trained by AL Gore, Desmond Tutu and the Dali Llama (and I only got a 5 day course to prep for my PMP in High Wycombe…).

The other thing that made me think – all that discussion about team names (especially when you know that the teams will change regularly week by week) – who really cares? - but Team Logic and Team Venture were born and actually this branding is an important project feature.

A brand is the identity of a specific product, service, or business. A brand can take many forms, including a name, a sign, a symbol, a colour combination or a slogan or indeed a mixture of all these. The word brand began simply as a way to tell one person's cattle from another by means of a hot iron stamp and a legally protected brand name is called a trademark. The word brand has continued to evolve to encompass identity - it affects the personality of a product, company or service. I would hope with ‘The Lazy Project Manager’ that brand means good service, value for money, and great entertainment through a learning experience.

So what is your ‘brand’? How do you present yourself and your projects?

There are three major categories of communication within a project Communication Plan: mandatory, informational, and marketing.

Mandatory and informational communication is, typically, well addressed by project managers; it is simple to understand and to carry out. The third element of marketing communication however is often neglected, to the detriment of the project and its likely achievement of success. Branding a project is achieved through creating a project personality with which stakeholders can have a relationship and therefore an emotional attachment; that is in essence that they actually care about the project outcomes. This personality or identity is known as the project brand and it is key to maximising buy-in and support from the widest range of stakeholders. If marketing communication wins the minds of these stakeholders then project branding should win their hearts as well.

Of course, branding takes time and money and effort, so you also need to have a project with a long time horizon. A steady stream of positive communication, combined with the positive feeling of the project branding, will help the project be successful and should help overcome any negative perceptions that the project may have.

Perhaps the simplest branding technique is to have a project name that reflects the people, the project, the company and the purpose.

All in all the entertainment level is as high as ever and I look forward to sharing the next few weeks with my favourite ‘Apps’.

I am thinking pro-celebratory project management - some of us v ex-Apprentice stars on a real project sponsored by APM for charity?

It never occurred to me that The Apprenctice contained anything that I would recognise as project management.

I think it matters that we care how project managers are portrayed on the media. In the real world, note how indifferent the media are to projects that go well, especially when they are public such as the olympic stadium (perhaps the budget / programme was generous), but when they go wrong they are all over it like a rash. I enjoy watching the Apprentice for what it is - yes it does give some good / bad examples of how to task manage and lead a team in some tricky time constrained situations, but lets not get too excited about how it might be to the detriment of the profession. As for weekly resume of what should have happened, personally, would it really be beneficial when the source matter is edited entertainment.

Hi All,

There have been a number of comments about the potential of doing a small show akin tothe Apprentice utilising ex-Apprecitces and some Project Managers as competing teams.  I have found a TV producer (a friend of mine) who would be happy to assist us in this project and thinks it would be a great idea!  Early discussions indicate that the project could be turned around in say 2 days filming and then some post filming editing etc, and getting this onto e.g. YouTube, APM website etc is an easy step, as does not require going through the commissioning etc process, and we could just do it.  Money wise, looks like £2-5k to do, and if for charity I am sure we could look to find finance from somewhere?  My contact also has the ability to contact ex-Apprentices.

So, the question is - do we want to do this?  If so, are there any volunteers take part?

Regards,

Ed

Sounds good to me - could this be like some sort of pilot? Would APM sponsor at all?

The Lazy PM is definitely up for this one.

Some really interesting ideas here, particuarly the TV style programme. What sort of format are you thinking? Perhaps a group of PM's could take on an Apprentice-style task and compare results. It would be good for an ex-apprentice to be on hand to talk in more detail about the planning (if any) that they did in the show.

Hi Owain,

I think my take on the discussions has been one of two options (there may be other ideas!): 1) a team of PM's undertake a task, and have some ex-Apprentice types around to comment on proceedings, their take/approach etc, or, 2) two teams undertake the same/similar task, one team of PM's, the other team made up of ex-Apprentices.

Ed

I vote for the latter - more entertaining and more pressure on the PMs :)

I am loving this whole debate/discussion. I completely agree with the concept all publicity is good publicity, the programme is very entertaining and every season thus far has had me glued.

Even though the programme is done to highlight weaknesses of candidates and completely for entertainment, I just wish that some of the candidates showed a bit more common sense.

"Roll with the punches" although hilarious was definetely a key example of this.

With regards to producing a show PMs vs Ex-Apprentices I think the idea is fantastic and would vote for the latter option of both teams delivering to the same task and comparing results.

Great idea Ed - the latter would definitely make things more entertaining and hopefully prove whether anyone can be a PM or whether one needs to establish it is valuable in keeping your eye on every ball - not just the marketing side, the creative aspect, or just being able to sell. Are PM's really team players, keeping everyone motivated or just report-compilers bowing to every senior exec demand! This could be the downfall or the uplift for PMs in general!

I was recently informed of project managers who have listed  The Apprentice and Grand Designs as elements of their Continuing Professional Development in their RPP submission. They have argued that these shows present the case for 'how not to project manage'.

A positive response, I believe, because the person submitting the case had recognised the limited value of both programmes as CPD and had only claimed an hour, out of both series. 

My Canadian namesake on GanttHead publishes his whitty rant on the programme;

http://www.gantthead.com/content/articles/269395.cfm

How wonderful to be able to answer this problem with this week's announcement that APM and CFA will help develop project managers of the future through funding of Higher Level Apprentiships - http://www.apm.org.uk/news/apm-and-cfa-help-develop-project-managers-future

Well done APM

I wonder if as a community, we can pull together some project related lessons learned from the Apprentice shows?

I think, Ed, we would be quoting just about every aspect of the BoK from Planning appropriately, resource management through the most important aspects such stakeholder management and communication - ie treat the customer professionally and don't trample over your team!

Where should we start? ;-)

I would love to do something in this area - the challenge of doing any directly with The Apprentice would be getting permission from Talkback Thames to actuallly use any name, tasks, or The Apprentice as name ... and by going generic on this we would - as was suggested - be covering pretty much all aspects of good project management.

And I still love the idea of Pro-Celebrity The Apprentice... anyone know Lord Sugar?

Good stuff, perhaps we should put our heads together with Project magazine and see what opportunities there are. Ed, Andy, Peter, are you available? I'll send an email re dates etc.

Owain