Commentary

• Keep the Pecking Order Clear. 

  • Kwame had more faith in his buddy, Troy, than anyone else, so when the going got tough at the concert, Troy was often looking over Heidi or Omarosa's shoulder. To Heidi in particular, it felt like he was doing a lot more than looking--sometimes he was calling the shots.  At the pre-concert meet and greet for which Heidi was responsible, she was caught off guard when the number of attendees swelled and only Troy was told in advance.  Heidi complained to Kwame and got his promise that Troy was merely a 'co-pilot', but the damage had been done.  Time had been lost, feelings bruised, and a power dynamic between teammates established; even after Kwame's intervention, Troy still took up and awful lot of space at the meet and greet.

• Demand Loyalty.

  • Perhaps nothing is more essential to a manager's success than spotting an Omarosa in the ranks.  For nine episodes Omarosa seemed to pursue her own agenda rather than the group's.  Whether playing basketball in the street moments after claiming to be too debilitated by concussion to pitch in the apartment renovation or drawing kicks beneath the table from Amy by mishandling sales of Trump Ice, Omarosa appeared more interested in making the most of her reality television spotlight than in getting the job done right.  By the time Kwame chose her for the concert team, he'd had many chances to read the signs, but istead of double- and triple-checking her every move, Kwame stuck with his hands-off style and stayed out of the loop while she misplaced Jessica Simpson.  Asked about a phone call from teh Taj Mahal's event coordinator that was supposed to prevent that very thing, Omarosa pretended she'd never gotten it.  Kwame realized that she was lying but kept her on the job.  He lived to regret his choice when Mr. Trump asked to meet Jessica, but Kwame couldn't find her.  Meanwhile, Omarosa was with Jessica in the star's suite, trying on clothes instead of minding her walkie-talkie and beeper.  "This was the first time I thought I could be fired," Kwame said, and his instinct was right on the money.  "Omarosa lied to you," Trump said.  "Why didn't you fire her?  When someone deceives you, you have to do something."  Kwame didn't demand loyalty, and would not be the Apprentice because of it.

• Send a Clear Message. 

  • Bill was a man on the go at the Chrysler Trump Golf Tournament.  He was everywhere at once, overseeing teammates, shaking sponsors' hands, rocketing in and out of the clubhouse at a near-sprint.  "I'm always doing a hundred things at once," he explained.  "I like to operate at a fast pace."  But, unknown to Bill, his team perceived him as "frenzied" and "panicked" and predicted that he would fail the task.  Meanwhile, at the Jessica Simpson concert, Kwame refused to micromanage.  If Troy, Omarosa, or Heidi said something was going to be done, he trusted their word.  "My leadership style requires talented people," he said.  "I put faith in the fact that I think that they're competent."  Later, however, his team said he lacked passion and needed to be more hands-on.  Neither Bill nor Kwame saw himself through his teammate's eyes until after the wrong message had already been sent.

• An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure. 

  • Kwame was a cool-headed master of damage control.  He didn't even break a sweat when his team misplaced Jessica Simpson--not just once, but twice.  No matter what the problem, Kwame swooped in with a  solution.  Too many fans at the meet and greet? No problem.  Kwame ordered them ushered through in small groups.  No food at the headliner's breakfast? No problem.  Kwame was right there to sooth the ruffled feathers.  If keeping a level head under pressure is a hallmark of good leadership, why did Kwame look so bad?  Because every single one of his problems was avoidable.  He left Omarosa in charge of keeping tabs on Jessica even after she'd botched the job once, and continued to give work to Troy even after things started falling through the cracks.  Proactive problem-solving would have made for a smoother event, and possibly won Kwame a job as the Apprentice.

• Recognize the Perils of Friendship. 

  • Kwame and Troy had watched each other's back all season long, so it must have been hard for Kwame to crack down when his buddy got in over his head.  Because Omarosa was such a disaster, it was easy to overlook how many things Troy did wrong.  He didn't make sure the Taj Mahal's kitchens knew when to bring Jessica Simpson's breakfast, he angered Heidi by taking over the first meet and greet she was supposed to direct, and he let Omarosa slip away with the singer when Trump and Kwame were looking for her.  It was only natural that when crunch time came Kwame turned to the person he trusted most, but Kwame kept acting like a friend when what Troy needed was a boss.

• Walk the Talk. 

  • How did Bill draw a winning effort from three people with nothing to gain?  By getting up at 4:30am, giving the task 100% effort, and even picking through the trash to find a sponsor's missing sign.  Bill led by example, and his teammates took pride in keeping up.  "Nick, Amy, and I are no longer competing," said Katrina.  "We are all trying to achieve the same goal for one person."