The art of the deal

A friend lent me a book recently titled: How to Get Rich. The author is Donald Trump. The book was written in 2004 about the time when Trump was hosting the incredibly popular TV show The Apprentice. The book was largely panned by critics, many who saw it as being self-serving and egotistical. To some extent it is, but there are some interesting insights given that it was written 12 years ago and much water has passed under the bridge since then.

For instance Trump writes that in the year 2000 he thought about running for president as a third party candidate. He proposed sensible ideas like tax cuts for the middle class, tougher trade deals, a ban on unregulated soft money in campaigns and comprehensive health care reforms. He then realised he was too blunt to be a politician and had he entered the race he would have been very unpopular. He noticed even during the few months he was considering the candidacy people were starting to treat him differently - in a more reserved, less friendly way. Before he had been “The Donald” someone they would wave and smile at. The lack of adoration and personal doubts compelled him to withdraw. “A lot of successful business people think they can apply their management skills to politics, but I’ve noticed only a select few succeed. Most others lack the temperament for it.” he concluded.

So he doesn’t always follow his own advice.

Despite being much-criticised for his own self-pride Trump has a whole chapter advising his readers to have “have an ego.” Other chapter headings of interest: Read Carl Jung, Sign a Nuptial Agreement, Play Golf and The Art of the Hair in which he describes his coiffure. “My hair is one hundred percent mine, no animals have been harmed in the creation of my hairstyle.” The chapter was apparently written at the insistence of his publisher.

A surprising idiosyncrasy is his propensity to avoid shaking hands whenever possible. He writes: “Some business executives believe in a firm handshake. I believe in no handshake. It’s a terrible practice. So often I see someone who is obviously sick with a bad cold or the flu who approaches me and says, ‘Mr Trump, I would like to shake your hand.’ It’s a medical fact that this is how germs are spread. I wish we could follow the Japanese custom of bowing instead.”

Trump’s nearest rival for the republican presidential nomination, Ted Cruz, reckons Trump was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, hence his business success. Trump’s father was certainly a wealthy builder and developer and left his children well-heeled, but when the real estate market crashed in the 1980s Trump owed his banks $9.2 billion. He tells the story of how he passed a beggar on the street and realised the beggar was worth $9.2 billion more than he was. He wound up dealing with some understanding bankers who worked out a fair compromise and after being the king of the eighties, survived the early nineties and by the mid-to-late nineties was thriving again.

Would he make a good president? That’s anybody’s guess, but it would be fascinating to see bowing become the new norm in America.

“When everything seems to be going against you, remember the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it.” - Henry Ford