IT'S been reported and spun a million ways, but here is a new take on team leadership and the best way to manage a team.
Yesterday's first live X Factor 2008 finals made me furious for one reason, and that was because there was a lack of team leadership and support amongst mentors and the pop acts.
British prime minister Gordon Brown has been getting it in the teeth with members of his own Party, from those who have their own agenda hoping to rise up the greasy pole of leadership - by slyly backing him publically, but slowly sticking the daggers in behind the scenes.
For newshounds, it's a hack's paradise...
However, on the X - Factor, the judges, which include media mogul Simon Cowell, Irishman Louis Walsh, Ozzie pop queen Dannii Minogue, and north-east footballer WAG Sheryl Cole, all have to mentor three acts - all hope to scoop a £1 million recording contract and Christmas Number One.
But yesterday evening, as an ordinary TV-watching citizen I watched the bizarre and barmy workings of team leadership.
Simon Cowell almost reduced one of his acts, a young Scott to tears, because, Cowell admitted, on live national TV, along with the other judges, that he had chosen the wrong song for him.
He told Scott: "I have to agree with the other judges on this one, I got it wrong. But I promise if you are still here next week, I will choose a better song for you."
He then said the reason he gave him the song was because he didn't want him to be singing ballad after ballad again and again.
Scott had worked on the karaoke scene, and Cowell thought he would be in his comfort zone with this.
This, to me was a rather odd way of a mentor supporting his act.
Perhaps I am old fashioned, but, I don't believe in public acts of humiliation when it comes to team leadership and management.
If I had been Cowell I would have publically praised Scott's performance, and then privately told him that I had made a mistake in choosing the song - rather than reduce the poor lad to tears and humiliation - considering he was a shy lad too.
Louis Walsh, revelled in Cowell's error, and consoled Scott: "Simon has given you an awful song and you could be going home tonight after this, it's not fair!"
The tearful Scott then said that he originally wanted to change the song I Say Yeah Yeah, but trusted his mentor's choice.
My point is public acts of humiliation, and indeed, public displays of dis-unity can be counter-productive.
Unfortunately, where there's an office, there will always be politics....
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