So, six shows in and things are hotting up. Before I get started I’d like to take a moment to mention Edna’s gloves. Amazing! After a brief appearance on the App show they were back in full force last night, and really helped to add to Edna’s whole Cruella de Ville persona. Quite frankly I (and half of the Twitterati) believe they stole the show.
But, I will stop talking rubbish now and move on to last night’s task, which was all about, erm, rubbish. After being turfed out of bed at the crack of dawn and made to adorn steel toed boots and fluorescent jackets (wow, the fashion police were out in full force this week) our candidates were told they had two days to collect and dispose of as much refuse as they could. They had to make good margins by charging to takeaway people’s trash, and add to their profit by digging out the valuables to sell.
While Helen headed up Venture, Zoe once again stepped up to the dizzying heights of PM for Logic.
So how did they do? Let’s start with the winning team, (believe it or not) Venture. Absolutely desperate for their first win, Venture pulled out all the stops. Tom and Jedi Jim rooted through skips and the team seemed keen to take on any job possible.
In fact, Helen’s desperation to win almost became her downfall. Agreeing to any job going, she appeared to have no control over her team and absolutely no time management skills whatsoever. The team struggled to get their jobs completed, and came close to missing the deadline of the big money tenders (that she’d won over Logic). In fact, it came right down to the wire, only just having enough time to sell the valuable metal and furniture they’d salvaged, which they would have otherwise had to pay to dispose of.
However, despite her lack of organisation, at least Helen got the point of the task, to make as much money as possible.
Unlike Zoe.
After putting herself forward for team leader – not because she thought she could add any value but because she didn’t like all the ‘faffing around’ – Zoe decided not to bother with all that ‘HR nonsense’ and go flying in without thinking. She didn’t have a strategy, and worst of all, she didn’t have a clue.
Instead of seeing value in the rubbish up for tender, she focussed on the quick buck she could make for removal. She didn’t think about the competition (who did see the value in the goods and offered to remove it for free), or try to price competitively, and she didn’t pay any attention to her team when they offered advice.
In actual fact, if Zoe taken the time to a) think about her strategy and b) listen to her team, she would have actually won the task by a landslide. As it was they only lost by £6, which considering she lost both tenders is pretty impressive.
But while both teams had their faults, what struck me was this: the complete lack of respect some have for each other.
After last week’s band of brothers, this week was all about the girls, and it was handbags at dawn as the gloves came off (can’t help it, I lurve the gloves).
In the red corner we had Zoe. Oh, her of monotone voice – who appears to have the enthusiasm of a vegetarian in a butcher’s shop. And in the blue corner we have Suzi. Little bratty Suzi, who is quite astute, but ever so whiney.
Now both girls have their faults (don’t get me started, we’ll be here all night), but I was shocked at the way that Zoe treated Suzi. At the first tender, when Suzi asked Zoe the weight of the steel (albeit in a very whingey voice) Zoe completely laid into her, and worse, during the second pitch when Suzi who obviously saw the value in the refuse and wanted to offer money – instead of charge – to take away the rubbish Zoe made her feel stupid.
There is absolutely nothing worse than being belittled by a person who is your senior. It knocks morale and it knocks confidence, and is an instant way to stop getting the best out of your team – let’s face it, who’s going to put forward their opinions when they are made to feel stupid? That said, I do think Tiny Tears needs to grow a pair and stand up for herself instead of throwing (yet another) tantrum.
The moaning carried well into the boardroom and was rather uncomfortable to watch.
I don’t know how these people can expect respect when they act like children. The sad fact is you wouldn’t see two of the male candidates acting like that, so why do the girls feel it’s the only way to make themselves heard?
And I should point out here that it wasn’t just Zoe vs Suzi this week, but also Helen vs Melody. Put your claws away ladies, or you will just be seen as a joke.
Despite this though, these girls avoided the pointy finger and lived to catfight another day. Alas, it was Edna who took the long cab ride home. After her cameo as the Wicked Witch of West London in shows 1 & 2, Edna turned out to be all sass and no substance. Despite singing her own praises (and working an amazing pair of gloves), SurAl realised she was about as useful as a chocolate teapot and sent her packing.
So what have we learned this week? Three things, I believe:
- Quality over quantity – don’t bite off more than you can chew, manage your time well and you will succeed (and avoid unsightly stress lines).
- Respect your colleagues – if you continually put them down, you will put them off
- And most importantly, no outfit is ever complete with out a sexy pair of gloves.
See ya next week,
Cesca x
