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DONâT PUSH OR SHOVE
âWhat you see on screen is me, thereâs no question of that ⊠Itâs a one-way portrayal, not the whole of me.â1
As the hard-nosed taskmaster on The Apprentice Alan Sugar has a reputation for being gruff, tough and notoriously intolerant of fools. His no-nonsense approach has earned him admiration from his legions of followers, but also criticism from several quarters. It appears that Sugarâs style has the capacity to divide public opinion: there are those that love him for his forthrightness and ability to tell it like it is, versus others who feel his tough-talking approach falls into bullying territory. Then there are those who just find him plain scary.
Indeed, in a 2007 Radio Times poll consisting of 5000 people, Sugar was ranked seventh out of the Top 10 scariest TV celebrities in the UK, with Gordon Ramsay leading the pack. Although most viewers are aware that many of Sugarâs reprimands are meted out with a firm twinkle in his eye, his management style has caused controversy among other groups, some of whom have branded him a bully.
The late Sir John Harvey-Jones, former chairman of ICI and presenter of business shows such as Troubleshooter, spoke out publicly against Sugarâs fondness for plain-speaking. In an interview with Management Today in 2006, Harvey-Jones stated: âI watch his programme with horror. If I had behaved that way for one day at ICI, Iâd have been hot-stuffed and rightly.â2
Similarly, the charity Kidscape, set up to protect children from bullying and sexual abuse, believe that The Apprentice âcontributes to the problem of bullyingâ. However, Sugar, himself, has also voiced his concerns about how he has been portrayed in The Apprentice: âItâs frustrating for people who really know me - friends and family - who know Iâm not really like that. To keep a team of loyal staff like I have for 30 years you canât go around being a bully.â3
Surely Sugar has a point. Bullies alienate people; they donât tend to attract a loyal following or feel motivated enough to provide help and support to others. Sugar did not build up his business empire all by himself, but created a vast network of advisers and friends, and has a list of business contacts that would make the eyes of any aspiring entrepreneur water. It is doubtful that so many people would have stood by him all these years if he was considered a bully, and he certainly would not have been chosen as a role model for youth enterprise by the government.
There is a
major difference
between bullying and
assertiveness, and
Sugar has the latter
in spades.
It is true that Sugar has a unique personality and unconventional business style that has come into conflict, more than once, with the more conservative City business types - who in the past have been quite vocal in their suspicions about the level of Sugarâs business acumen. However, his sharp business mind and uncanny ability to make good decisions has won the respect of his contemporaries (albeit sometimes grudgingly).
But just because he doesnât pull any punches when it comes to his communication style, doesnât mean he throws any, either. There is a major difference between bullying and assertiveness, and Sugar has the latter in spades.
SPEAK YOUR MIND
âI try to leave out the parts that people skip.â
Elmore Leonard
In a world where some might say business jargon has gone completely out of control, Sugarâs direct style is definitely refreshing. His jargon-free approach has proved extremely popular to hundreds of thousands of viewers, and won the admiration of many top-level business executives who not only envy Sugarâs management style but the fact that he can get away with it, without fear of reprisal. Never one for couching his language in bland or difficult-to-understand phrases, Sugarâs work colleagues, employees and apprentices always know where they stand.
Sugar has always been an advocate of plain speaking and believes that communication should be clear, concise and well-defined, something that also extends to the written word. An anecdote from his Amstrad days illustrates Sugarâs impatience for unclear communication: when he read the complex instruction manual that was to accompany the new Amstrad computer, to be launched in 1985, the language that had been used outraged him. The manual was full of complicated jargon that Sugar knew his target audience would simply not understand. So he demanded they create a simpler version in more relatable language, as he knew that the complex manual would alienate a large proportion of his intended target market.
Language full of pretentious business jargon is misleading, confusing and can leave a new employee completely mystified. Using jargon is often a smoke and mirrors exercise intended to bewitch the audience into believing that the speaker knows what he is talking about (even when he has no idea himself).
When filing out of a meeting following a particularly harrowing jargon-stuffed session, it is not uncommon for a new employee to feel âout of the loopâ and completely baffled as to the nature of the âactionablesâ imposed in the meeting. In fact, in the cut-throat world of business where being quick on the uptake is an absolute prerequisite, in some organizations, an unfamiliarity with corporate-speak can really hinder a career. One business analyst remembers his first few weeks in his new job at an investment bank and the confusion he experienced after every meeting:
âWhen I first joined an investment bank, I used to go into meetings and come out none the wiser as to what exactly took place. I didnât know any of the business jargon, and when I looked at my notes they made no sense at all. I just knew it was fundamentally important to think âoutside the boxâ, but I had no idea what that meant. I am attracted to Sir Alanâs jargon-free approach as it is refreshing and cathartic. Cathartic, meaning that it is a relief to see a manager speaking like a human being rather than a badly-programmed automaton.â
Indeed, âthinking outside the boxâ, âsinging from the same hymn sheetâ, âtouching baseâ and âblue sky thinkingâ are all phrases that have made it into the top ten most hated business phrases according to a survey carried out by the Internet Advertising Bureau in the UK (IAB UK). Even more dangerously, business jargon alienates people. A prospective client from outside the industry who is unfamiliar with the business buzzwords is more likely go in the opposite direction, and seek out the services of someone else that understands the value of plain speaking.
Alan Sugar has made a career out of speaking his mind. He admits that his abrupt manner has got him into hot water at times, but all in all, his honesty and directness has worked for rather than against him - and staying true to himself has won him a whole host of admirers over the years.
HAVE A TWINKLE IN YOUR EYE
Every business or corporation has its own work culture, designed to get the best out of their employees. Amstrad was built around Sugarâs unique personality and direct approach, which obviously appealed to his legion of loyal supporters, many of whom worked for him for over 30 years. So why did they stick around for so long? Because behind his impatience and bluster is a very keen sense of humour that attracts people to the outwardly gruff business mogul.
Although Sugar may come across as somewhat crotchety in The Apprenticeâs boardroom, it is important to note that he delivers criticism with a very bright twinkle in his eye. Far from being a one-dimensional character, Sugar has a great sense of humour that often has the viewers at home in stitches, and the apprentices themselves trying valiantly not to crack a smile.
It is not his brusque style that has made him a star, but his refreshing honesty, sincerity and humour. There are many TV personalities that have made a name for themselves through their honest, direct approach. Famously branded a bully by Hollie Steel, the 10-year-old former Britainâs Got Talent contestant, Simon Cowell is the most obvious bad boy of television, with his acerbic wit and ability to reduce his X Factor and Britainâs Got Talent hopefuls into pools of tears, but some would argue that he is in danger of becoming a caricature of himself. Gordon Ramsay is fond of cursing and doesnât make any allowances for his trembling protĂ©gĂ©s. Similarly, Peter Jones from Dragonâs Den has become a little harsher on aspiring entrepreneurs over the last few years, but cannot quite seem to pull off his new direct stance.
Sugar has always
been an advocate
of plain speaking
and believes that
communication should
be clear, concise and
well-defined.
However, Sugar manages to articulate in a style that is sensible, logical and constructive, relaying each message with a splash of humour and buckets of wit. Far from reducing his apprentices to tears, he manages to instil in them a sense of understanding, explaining exactly where they are going wrong and how they can learn from their mistakes. This is a management style that is almost impossible to emulate and it takes a certain type of personality to pull it off. Sugar sums it up well when he says to his apprentices, âDonât start telling me that youâre just like me, because no-oneâs like me; Iâm unique.â
ASSERTIVENESS RULES!
There is a vast difference between aggressive and bullying behaviour, and being assertive. Indeed, assertive communication is the most effective approach when we are dealing with others in a business environment. Poor communication, whether passive or aggressive, can cause divisions within teams and tension in relationships. Being assertive requires confidence and a healthy respect for others; it is about taking charge and getting the message across in a clear and defined manner, so that nobody is left in any doubt as to where they stand or the action they need to take.
Assertiveness comes from years of experience and being sufficiently self-aware to know how to communicate to others in such a way that the job gets done as quickly and as smoothly as possible. It is a real skill to master assertiveness without coming across as aggressive or offensive. Many people in the workplace fear that if they try to be assertive, they will end up crossing the line into aggression.
Alan Sugar has made a
career out of speaking
his mind.
It is clear that Alan Sugar is a man who gets things done, and his management style is very much based on his skills as an assertive communicator. He makes no pretence about his firm approach, and it is his honesty and strength of character that has won him countless business deals over the last few decades. From experience, he knows that asking direct questions, using plain and simple language, will generate the answers he wants.
Dr Michael Sinclair is a Consultant Psychologist and Managing and Clinical Director of City Psychology Group (CPG) based in the City of London, and regularly treats business executives. Dr Sinclair believes that:
âAssertive people are very popular and attractive to be around b...
