Keep Your Mouth Shut

First, let me say that I’m a huge fan of the Apprentice. I’ve watched the show from Day One and it’s one of the rare shows that provide entertainment along with business insights. It’s also a display of some of the brightest people making some of the most ridiculous business decisions when faced with pressure. If you’re not watching, you should be as there’s always a lesson in the show for you to grab.

Last night kicked of the new season for the Apprentice and as one of the devoted fans I watched. It’s utterly amazing at how many people have a real problem with simply keeping their mouth shut. I see it in day-to-day business activities and last night’s Apprentice proved the point that people want to talk when they should be listening.

In case you didn’t watch, Trump was about to fire Tarek for the task, when Summer the restaurant owner interrupts him. Let me ask you this, “how stupid could one be?” If you’ve ever watched one episode, you should know when to talk and when not to. It should be obvious that when someone else is at the point of getting fired, you keep your mouth shut. Anyway, this sealed her fate as she was immediately fired after the interruption. Which brings me to my point for this post:

Know When to Keep Your Mouth Shut!

Now, when you’re talking to your seller, ask open questions to get them to open up to you, then shut up and listen. If you build a good rapport with your seller, then they’ll open up to you, and the more you know, the better deal you can negotiate.

Just my .02

Derek