The Apprentice

Week 5 Week five was a turning point for Lucinda Ledgerwood.

She struggled to build relationships with her team mates in weeks one to four, and even the simplest hands-on tasks seemed to fox her if they involved technology, cookery, or, it has been alleged, anything that involved rolling her sleeves up and grafting. At times, the sniping coming her way from her team mates has been difficult to watch.

But the jury is out - did the risk analyst and part-time aromatherapist find her forte this week as team leader?

Her team was apprehensive about her appointment before the task began. Straight-talking Helene told the camera, "Everybody thinks Lucinda is a bit eccentric, a bit of a fruitcake, and the reality of it is we've seen four tasks now where she's been so lazy. Its like, "If I'm not in charge I'm going to sit here and have a cup of coffee and do **** all".

Lucinda, however, was unperturbed, up for the challenge and planning to take a radical approach - she aimed to cut out the constant bitching of previous weeks. "I don't believe you need to be a bitch in business to succeed. Project managers are there to facilitate the team not dictate to them. We are going to work together to have fun".

Her team certainly did have fun, although Jenny Maguire was quick to assert, "Lucinda made no difference, we would have done it whether she was there or not."

But although Lucinda's plans to rearrange the team on the second selling day were rejected, Sir Alan's aide Margaret Mountford mentioned, "I think she is doing quite well".

Arguably, Lucinda may have bowed to her sales team's wishes too often, and was not strong enough in getting her headstrong number two Lindi to do her bidding.  But the boys' laundry task aside, this was the most harmonious team task so far. And Lucinda did gain much favour with the manufacturing half of her team.

Lee, for one, was impressed. "I wasn't confident with Lucinda before she took the task on but she's been brilliant. She is cool, calm and collected, where others may have panicked. Lucinda is clearly a manager - that's what she does".

And as she entered the boardroom, Lucinda still showed her managerial mettle. She said, "it worked incredibly well, and people worked incredibly hard. They were comfortable with what they were doing and we all had fun".

They had fun, that is, until the team lost the task, and the bitter fight for survival began.

In the boardroom, Lucinda called Jen manipulative and then alleged that Helene had called Jen a snake. Helene called Lucinda a liar. Sir Alan called 'em all idiots and even once everyone had decamped back to the house, the bitching continued.

And so, normal service resumed...

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