Helen back again

I am a great supporter of flexible working but was amazed when ‘our Helen’ introduced the concept of ‘flexible leadership’ to The Apprentice last night; offering to take over from  Melody half way through the task as project manager.

Helen has done well so far; being part of 10 winning teams, but her latest performance did start to show character traits more attributable to a corporate lawyer than a thrusting entrepreneur (and Lord S definitely doesn’t want the former). Helen needs to quickly re-establish her credentials at the cut-and-thrust of the business (which she has as an EPA) rather than painting herself into the corner where the process-drivers remain stranded.

Helen was perfectly right in her assertion that the team needed a strategy, which Melody as a natural young entrepreneur would resist, preferring to shoot from the hip, but it doesn’t need to result in a 50-page document.

Stockport born Helen (30) describes herself as ‘calm, loyal and tenacious’ and enjoys reading in her free time. A keen swimmer, she studied law at university (De Montfort) and climbed the ranks from part time work as a waitress to managing a restaurant before landing her role as Executive Assistant to the CEO of Greggs bakery.

Good luck Helen, APA and its members are all behind you and with Melody out-of-the-way the competition is looking mighty thin.

Gareth Osborne, APA