The Apprentice is back for another series and this time we have 3 Muslims trying to be Sir Alan’s Apprentice, but competition is very hot and its hard to predict whose going to win the £100 000 a year job. Some of the tasks they are set and their behaviour is exactly the way people work and function in most companies in Britain. Its all about winning regardless of the consequences, makes no difference if you are liked or not after all “Business is business”. The list below gives us especially those who are naive into the inner workings of the corporate office culture an insight into some of the lessons one can learn from this show.

1. Always look for someone to blame

This diverts attention from you and makes someone else look bad, also have no pity or sympathy for the weak instead throw them to the wolves in order to save your own skin

2. Don’t own up to any mistakes

Contrary to popular belief this will not gain you any respect or friends and will actually lead to people thinking your weak and insecure and therefore a target for the bullies.

3. Don’t trust anyone

They are all out to win, and any confidences you share will be used against you to undermine you eventually. So look to play people off against each other, and play the mediator role. Also backbite people and expose their faults as much as possible. Also being nice to their face will give them a false sense of security and they will never see the knife about to be
inserted into their back.

4. If you’re a woman act more aggressive than the men

Yes women are seen as weak so you need to act more aggressive than the blokes in order to gain their respect and beat them at their own game, work hard and play hard.

5. Swear as much as possible

This will ensure that people see you as a hard nut and not want to mess with you and sometimes kick of with someone in public to further enhance this persona and false image.

6. Try to show people up by outperforming them

If you can do this then you will fear you and won’t mess with you and see as a person to be respected and feared.

7. Working as part of a team is a slogan

Yes, it sounds good, but your on your own, people would rather back stab you than help you. So quote the slogans about team work but work on your own and
take credit for the work as opposed to saying it was a team effort.

8. Winning is all that matters at any cost

All fair in love and war, so you have to win at any cost including dirty tricks like cheating without getting caught and allowing certain people to dig their own grave.

9. Remember when bosses are watching you need to perform for them

Exactly, they are watching so say something clever and appear to be a team worker and work hard, they can only write and comment on what they see and hear.

10. If your to blame make excuses

Never accept blame, always show mitigating circumstances and confuse the issue.

So as Muslims it’s very obvious that in order for us to reach the top in our careers we have to outperform our colleagues and outwit them by being better at these practices than them.

But we face one major problem and that is our Islamic upbringing and conscience does not always allow us to behave in a selfish and individualistic manner regardless of the consequences, hence most of us do not use these practices to get to the top. Some of us actually refrain and are seen as lacking the “ killer instinct” but end of the day we know that our adherence to Islam prevents us not just from drinking alcohol as we have seen from the three Muslim participants but actually abiding by halal and haram in every single aspect of our life.

Also the values of individualism and pursuit of material wealth regardless of the consequences upon others, which is being promoted in this show has reduced the society to what it is now, a jungle where the strong devour the weak.

It is surely time now for the Muslims by our behaviour to demonstrate the values of Islam where care, compassion, love, respect, brotherhood and honesty are the way forward for a harmonious and productive society.

Submitted by: Showkat Ali

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