The Trump/Stewart War is a Human Resources Don't

by Alex Russel
Online Degrees Columnist

"The Apprentice" is great entertainment and the bitter feud between Martha Stewart and Donald Trump is probably just an extension of all the fun. But the blow-up is also a good reminder of what not to do when conflicts arise within a company.

The Martha Stewart and Donald Trump love fest is over. The Donald took serious offense to Martha's contention that NBC was originally planning to have Stewart fire Donald Trump in the opening of her own Apprentice series.

His bitter response, through a much publicized letter, worked very well in the Donald Trump way of doing business, but would have caused serious heartburn in a more typical human resources department.

Human Resources Careerists Advise Discretion

According to many human resources specialists, the best way to handle conflicts, especially between higher ups, is through discretion, involving as few people as possible.

A human resources careerist is trained to handle such conflicts and to do everything possible to diffuse them. Voicing the anger in front of other employees (or the nation!) is frowned upon since it may seriously embarrass the other party and only serve to aggravate the problem.

Donald Trump Human Resources

Donald Trump rules are a little different since he is protecting a brand more than trying to resolve an office conflict. The failure of Martha Stewart's Apprentice series is something Donald Trump is well-advised to disassociate himself from quickly. The gossip page vitriol is such a way.

While the goal of most human resources departments is to limit office blow-ups as much as possible, life in reality television, though superficially based on real life, is to constantly strive for conflict and melodrama. Human resources careerists probably squirm with revulsion when reality TV encourages participants to lean towards the latter.

Human Resources Jobs Tips

At times, the Apprentice can be encouraging of cooling conflicts (after they've been fueled, of course.) Prickly, hyper-ambitious, and argumentative participants are put on the same teams and forced, through difficult projects, to resolve their differences.

It's safe to say that Martha Stewart and Donald Trump have yet to reach that stage of the reality show.

About the Author
Alex Russel is a freelance writer living in Brooklyn, New York. Since graduating from Syracuse University he has worked at many different media companies in fields as diverse as film, TV, advertising, and journalism. He holds a dual bachelor's degree in English and History.

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