Why it's time for Gordon Brown to fire Lord Sugar

I got the opportunity to experience first hand Lord Sugar in all his glory at the British Library this week. At an event organised for Global Entrepreneurship Week, the auditorium was packed well before the peer walked onto stage and I’m guessing I wasn't the only hack who was there just to see what controversial mutterings would leave old Suralan's mouth. He didn't disappoint.

 

Don't get me wrong; he did offer some useful advice. When questioned about his early days in business for example, he related how he used to carry out weekly 'health checks' to monitor how much money was coming in and how much was going out. "Too many business owners think the basics don't matter," he said. A tip any entrepreneur would do well to follow.

 

But unfortunately for the wannabe millionaires in attendance – and there were lots of them – the event will be remembered for Lord Sugar's angry attacks on members of the audience. When one young entrepreneur for instance dared to question the peer's statement that to start a business it is vital to have real, practical experience in the relevant sector, Lord Sugar launched a scathing tirade against him. "You're wrong!", he shouted adding: "I won't have you poisoning the minds of young people in this audience." I thought about piping up with examples such as Lastminute.com, Innocent Smoothies and Virgin which prove Lord Sugar wrong but I didn't fancy a very public telling off so bit my tongue.

 

That wasn't the only controversial moment.

 

Lord Sugar has very fixed views about what makes an entrepreneur and refuses to even consider the argument that entrepreneurship can be taught; "you've either got it or you haven't," he proclaimed. Whatever your views on the value of enterprise training, I'd bet that many of the aspiring entrepreneurs in the audience left the British Library demotivated and demoralised.

 

Former Dragons' Den panellist Rachel Elnaugh, who was at the British iibrary and got a tongue lashing from Alan, summed it up well on Twitter. She said: "His views are great as a successful businessman but not as a role model, thought leaders or strategic thinker."

 

Lord Sugar's business expertise can't be disputed. He has been hugely successful in business and has the fortunes to prove it. However, as a role model and inspirational figure for the next generation of business owners? No way.

 

Lord Sugar clearly doesn't enjoy public speaking but his new government role requires it. An enterprise champion needs to be inspiring entrepreneurs not putting them off from even considering starting a business. He has had a few gos at doing it but at pretty much every public engagement he has had since becoming Gordon Brown's right hand man in the world of enterprise, he has far from provided inspiration.

 

So on this occasion Lord Sugar, you’re fired.