Archive View (December 2005)

Contributing Editor, Trump UniversityOf all the problems people face on the job--difficult customers, a heavy workload, ringing phones--what is the one that drains the most joy from life? The answer is a difficult boss, or, as many people say, "a crazy boss."The classic crazy boss is a bully, but difficult bosses can also be belittling, burned-out, controlling, insecure, micromanaging, namby-pamby, or paranoid. The real question is, what kind of boss do you face when you get to work? And what can you do about it? In this new forum, we will tell our stories and share the solutions we have found more...

Chairman, Trump UniversityThere's a lot to celebrate this holiday season. Elton John married his long-time partner David Furnish on December 21. That's the first day that civil partnerships between gay couples became legal in England under the new Civil Partnership Act.Elton credits David with helping him kick drug and alcohol addictions that nearly killed him. The pair has been together for 12 years. I know both of them and they get along wonderfully. It's a marriage that's going to work.Elton made the ceremony a small private affair involving only his and David's parents as witnesses. The couple just didn't want to more...

Chairman, Trump UniversityWe're down to the final two candidates--Randal and Rebecca--on this season's The Apprentice. With the impressive slate of contestants we had this year it was difficult getting to this point. I've obviously had to fire a lot of talented and hard-working people with some incredible potential. But that, of course, is the nature of the show. We start with the best and the brightest and narrow it down even farther from there. Looking at how and why those who were fired lost their chance at a job in the Trump Organization, it was interesting to see that many strong, more...

Chairman, Trump UniversityWith the end of yet another celebrity marriage--Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey--it's time, once again, to talk about prenuptial agreements.Nick and Jessica apparently didn't have a prenup. What were they thinking? Jessica's father is a friend of mine and he's managed her career very well so far. I'm surprised, however, that he didn't get her to sign a prenup. I guess he didn't read my books.When it comes to marriage, one thing I've preached over and over again is that you should have a prenup. I know it doesn't sound very romantic, and it's a difficult subject to broach more...

Chairman, Trump UniversityThe New York Times has made the headlines again: investigative reporter, Judith Miller, has announced her "retirement" after 28 years at The Times. I wonder who she was actually working for. I'd like to have The New York Times investigated for its reporting.Judith Miller said that as a reporter, she had become the news, "something a New York Times reporter never wants to be." I personally think journalists should be in the public eye as much as possible. They would be more closely scrutinized.It's headline-worthy when a reporter goes from being a Pulitzer Prize winner and martyr for press more...