Lesson's Learned from The Celebrity Apprentice (Seasons 1 & 2)

I must admit that I love both 'The Apprentice' and 'The Celebrity Apprentice'. I would love to be on the show myself. I respect Donald Trump's decision making and I value his Lesson's Learned. Here are a few:

Lesson one: Always focus on the goal. Two seasons ago, Gene Simmons and his team were assigned a task that they could only win if they raised more money than the competition. So Gene pulled out his address book and started calling his wealthy friends to ask them for checks. He didn't worry about designing beautiful posters or making his teammates happy. He identified the goal and he nailed it. It was a revolutionary moment in Celebrity Apprentice history that taught us that singular focus is a key to success. The lesson? Do what you are asked to do first. If you get sidetracked, you won't succeed.

Lesson two: Don't hang back. Over the first two Celebrity seasons, we have seen many contenders -- like Brande Roderick and Jennie Finch -- who waited to step into leadership roles. Some of these hold-back contestants seemed to think that if they never took on leadership roles, they could never be fired for a failure. It's a strategy that might work until the middle point of your career, but no farther. If you want to reach the top, you need to claim leadership roles.

Lesson three: Don't be unsteady. Jesse James and Clint Black seemed like reliable, hardworking guys. But then they suddenly became angry, threatening, and unsteady. They lost the trust of the other contestants -- as well as the trust of Donald Trump -- and they were quickly gone. So the lesson is, people can only count on you if you are a reliable presence, not a loose cannon. To succeed, you need support.

Lesson four: Treat serious business with a serious attitude. Herschel Walker is a great example. He always bore down, identified problems, and worked hard. Compare him to Tom Green, who was more concerned with getting a laugh than with winning. The lesson? Clowns might earn a living, but they work for other people.

Lesson five: Have a great work ethic. Two seasons ago, country music star Trace Adkins set aside his ego and did whatever was asked of him -- including playing errand boy for The Backstreet Boys. Nothing was beneath him. Even though he did not win the season, his great attitude won the respect of Donald Trump and all the other celebrities. He is still remembered as one of the strongest contestants in Celebrity Apprentice history.

Lesson six: Share credit, like Piers Morgan, Marilu Henner, and other good leaders. People who let other people look good get ahead, while people who shoulder into the spotlight come out looking petty and mean. So when you score a success in your career, be sure to spread the credit around.

Lesson seven: Clean up your act. Dennis Rodman's drinking got him fired from the show. And Khloe Kardashian's onetime DUI arrest did the same for her. The lesson? Addictive behaviors can knock you off the path to success. If you have problem in this area, seek help before you damage yourself and others.

Lesson eight: Don't expect everything to be orderly and logical in your professional life. Last season, Joan Rivers won after breaking many rules of business behavior. She let family loyalty cloud her judgment. She attacked Annie Duke on a very personal level, calling her "Hitler." She walked off the job, then she came back. You aren't supposed to do things like that and succeed, yet Joan won the season anyway. So the lesson is, unpredictable things happen in business. Learn to deal with them. If you want to succeed, you have to learn to adapt and adjust.