BBC'S 'THE APPRENTICE' MAKES TV HISTORY
By Elaine Sihera - Diversity Leaders, (5 May 2005).

Tim Campbell, a self-effacing, authoritative, talented African Caribbean manager from London Transport won BBC 2's The Apprentice, but he was not the real winner in a world of increasingly false images of reality. The true winner is something else because Tim will be long remembered when many other winners have come and gone. The nature and significance of his win is not yet understood but television history has been made in this country, especially for the ripple effect it will have in all communities; one that will be difficult to match in the future.

When I began to watch The Apprentice in February I felt it would be just another reality show and I had two predictions for it: A man would win and he would be White. Six figure jobs in desirable companies touted teasingly on national television just did not go to minorities or women. Asians and African Caribbeans, in particular, already had a reputation of not being as talented, beautiful or desirable as their White peers; not perceived as sexy enough to triumph in their own cultural references. To even take part in such programmes they often had to imitate the majority, or be even more outrageous, to be noticed.

Think of any national feel-good survey, competition, or reality programme: the one thing you had been guaranteed to see was no minority winning, or heading any desirable list. Not one had ever seemed worthy enough to be at the top, the big cheese or the greatest. To me and millions of others, minorities had no hope in hell of being either perceived by the public, or voted for by them, as winners, let alone on a programme which was new and was desperately trying to make its mark and notch up credibility. Up to now, television competitions used minorities as fodder to make up numbers and provide variety, but you just knew that they would never win, no matter how good they were. They were just, well.... a little too 'different' for the public's sense of comfort, and people are uncomfortable with difference.

When the very first candidate fired was a African Caribbean woman, the predictions took on an even more ominous turn. Even worse, six weeks later, when all but one of the candidates fired were women, the gender prediction looked as though it was going to bear fruit too. Happily, neither prediction was correct, and what a lesson this programme will turn out to be for us all!

Tim Campbell won not just because he was easily the most credible and consistently managerial type of candidate, without an obvious agenda, or because his humility matched his independence in a potent mix of personal authority. He triumphed because his approach and manner conformed to certain covert values which were required by both Sir Alan Sugar and the other five selectors in the programme.

Saira Khan might have been more dynamic, more successful, more 'gobby', more aggressive, and more pioneering all round, but she would still not have won. Those qualities which she used to great effect are viewed negatively in a woman, though desirable in a man. An aggressive, ambitious, strong woman - and one with a loud voice to boot - does not raise the comfort levels or conform to unspoken values of 'acceptable' female behaviour in the male-dominated business world. But her obvious talent had to be recognised and she was justifiably in the final.

For me, Tim might have been the best all-round candidate there but he was not the most talented or creative. Saira was. But Tim had two things Saira lacked: he was a good listener with a quiet and unassuming style of approach and behaviour which conformed to certain desired values - and values are the essence of our lives. They shape our world, being the most powerful tools in influencing both our behaviour and other people's reaction to us, making us either appealing or repelling.

Values powerfully affect perception which in turn decides our identity, beliefs, attitudes, behaviour, aspirations, purpose and - most important - the reaction from others. That's why fearful people with weak, inconsistent or superficial values tend to lack influence or any genuine success. It was clear Tim had strong values relating to who he was, where he was going, his treatment of others, what he stood for, who was responsible for his success so far (his mother) and the self-belief that he would win. All hallmarks of a winner. Being on television was just a necessary part of his real goal - to get that job - and he was completely unphased for most of the time as he moved ever closer towards it.

Strong positive values make for a more confident person, one assured in approach and who is more likely to experiment and move into the unknown. Such confidence engenders a keenness to give greater acknowledgement and value to others because of the less likelihood of feeling threatened. That was a key trait in Tim: his respect for others, and his defence, care and protection of them. One felt from the very first task that we were seeing someone who felt comfortable inside his own skin, with a quiet authority and discipline which shone above the rest. Tim's values of self-worth bred confidence in himself and his ability to deliver - a confidence which framed his approach and positively influenced the perception of his selector, who was also male and found such values appealing.

Television has great influence on public perceptions, something programme-makers only accept with advertisements!

But with their presence, both Saira Khan and Tim Campbell have affected the perceptions of this country in a different way, especially for people who have never come in contact with a minority person on a close-up level. The unrelenting view of their routine behaviour over 12 weeks have shown that minorities are simply human beings too with the same aspirations, drive, ambitions and yearnings - the same passion for success; the same joy and pain and with ample capability of achieving that success. Most of all, it unwittingly provided a reinforcement that there is as much talent among minorities as there is among the White majority; that Black males in particular are achievers, when given the opportunity, and that minorities too can be winners. In America, both AOL and American Express, among others, are headed by African Caribbean men, which you would never find in the UK because minorities have never been perceived as true leaders. Tim Campbell's success could change all that.

It would be difficult for a White person to truly comprehend what happened on British television over the past 12 weeks because perception accords or denies respect. 'The Apprentice' not only unearthed some awesome talent to make riveting viewing but, more important, it irrevocably changed the rules of the reality game show and changed our perceptions of minority talent forever.

From today, every Black man in the UK can walk tall knowing that when he goes for another interview in the future he might just be perceived as worthy! Every Black mother can feel proud of being valued and affirmed instead of just being regarded as an immoral single parent; every Black youngster can feel that he/she has a chance to excel - that each will be treated FAIRLY; London Transport will now be perceived as a nurturing place for winners and its recruitment of minorities will rocket; Asian women will feel even stronger, more ambitious and less effacing and a perception that individuals of whatever colour or creed can work together more comfortably, utilise their differences and affirm each other for the common good.

Most important, there will be a deeper sense of appreciation of one another as just people instead of minorities being treated like aliens on the periphery of life - all powerful perceptions which are necessary for each of us to feel secure, included, valued and respected. Thus the real winner of that programme was our perception of one another and the pride it has engendered among minorities. This morning Tim Campbell has changed from being a 'Black' man to just a man. Watch the unfolding results of that difference in perception!

The internet was buzzing with messages from tons of individuals encouraging others to watch the programme. It seemed that, at last, there was something worth watching on television for many excluded people. For me, it was a personal, but pleasant, shock to see two minority finalists at the end, as it must have been for the rest of the country, but respect to that final decision. It was awesome and will be providing much food for thought and discussion - for a long time to come - around the endless possibilities it has created.

Congratulations to Tim Campbell and Saira Khan for being themselves and singlehandely changing those perceptions. It was long overdue.

ABOUT ELAINE SIHERA

Elaine Sihera - www.elainesihera.co.uk - is the leading independent authority on diversity development and practice in the UK. A life coach and former education manager, she is also the founder of the annual Windrush Achievement Awards, British Screen & Entertainment Awards and the author of Managing the Diversity Maze. A columnist for Black Britain Online, her latest book on relationships and interactive issues - Money, S.e.x and Compromise - is now published. Contact Elaine on: elaine@diversityleaders.org.uk